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#1
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing
with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! |
#2
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
While the odds on you having contracted rabies this morning are
extremely small, I doubt you are going to find anyone to tell you positively that they are zero. (If you didn't know before, now you know not to play with a cat while its playing with its food) If there have been any instances of rabies in the animal population locally the vet should have known about it. Now, the part I totally failed to understand. You are a worrier. You have been through a situation where the chances of an infection are very high. The kind of infection where you might see no signs tonight and could wake up tomorrow with serious involvement. You have been to the ER and they gave you antibiotics. But you are choosing not to take them. Instead you are worrying about rabies. Get over yourself and work on your priorities! Jo "Candace" wrote in message ... This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
On Mar 14, 7:05*pm, "Jofirey" wrote:
While the odds on you having contracted rabies this morning are extremely small, I doubt you are going to find anyone to tell you positively that they are zero. (If you didn't know before, now you know not to play with a cat while its playing with its food) If there have been any instances of rabies in the animal population locally the vet should have known about it. Now, the part I totally failed to understand. *You are a worrier. *You have been through a situation where the chances of an infection are very high. *The kind of infection where you might see no signs tonight and could wake up tomorrow with serious involvement. *You have been to the ER and they gave you antibiotics. *But you are choosing not to take them. *Instead you are worrying about rabies. Get over yourself and work on your priorities! Jo I know but the only abx the guy would give me is Augmentin and--sorry to be graphic--the last time I took that, I had major GI distress. I can't have the trots and go to work on Monday. I told him this and he said Augmentin is the only thing for cat bites. I just can't have severe you-know-what for the next 10 days. I still have the leftover ones from the last time I got prescribed them--I guess I could take the over the weekend. I have to say--I've never gotten an infection from a cat bite or scratch and I've been bit and scratched a lot. It's hard for me to think this time is any different. Candace |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
wrote ....I can't have the trots and go to work on Monday. Here's the help you need: http://tinyurl.com/ddkahy |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
"Candace" wrote in message
... This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to do that, **** what rotten luck). First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body, they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal shows positive for rabies. Second, I'd go ahead and take the antibiotics even if you don't show any signs of infection - a cat bite is extremely likely to become infected, it's second only to a human bite in germs. Not to scare you more than you already are, but I read the story of a woman who almost lost her hand from an untreated cat bite. It's very likely to become infected deep inside the wound (the problem is their long but narrow fangs that can deliver germs deep under the skin in a hole that lets very little blood flow out to rinse out the germs). Taking the antibiotics as a prophylactic is your best bet to keep from having a whole lot more medical problems than you're already facing. I'm sorry, this was rather disjointed - I hope I didn't just scare you more than you are. I think everything will be just fine, but I can understand you worrying about this, gawd, I would too. Please let us know how this turns out. Purrs on the way for everything to be fine. Hugs, CatNipped |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
On Mar 14, 7:23*pm, "CatNipped" wrote:
"Candace" wrote in message ... This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. *I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. *My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. *I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). *I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. *They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. *I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. *The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. *He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. *I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. *Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. *The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. *Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. *He took off horrified. *I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. *I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. *I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. *There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. *How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. *Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! *Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. *What a thank you for all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to do that, **** what rotten luck). First, calm down, you're going to be ok. *If you have the hamster's body, they can test it for rabies. *Did you report to the Urgent Care center that you had been bitten by Ebony? *If you reported the bite they'll probably come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll keep him under observation for a period of time. *At least that is the law in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his shots. *It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal shows positive for rabies. That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me, they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say-- oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few months. No one will care, it's just the government. I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting me if I want to get the shots. The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw. Candace |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
wrote in message
... On Mar 14, 7:23 pm, "CatNipped" wrote: "Candace" wrote in message ... This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to do that, **** what rotten luck). First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body, they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal shows positive for rabies. That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me, they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say-- oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few months. No one will care, it's just the government. I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting me if I want to get the shots. The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw. Candace ------------------ That's just flabbergasting! I got a bad scratch by a stray cat once and the hospital reported it and had animal control at my apartment house looking for the cat before I got home from the hospital!! Do they know how badly they are leaving themselves open to a law suit??? [rhetorical question already answered by their actions] Unreal. If you don't get any response to more phone calles I'd definitely get in touch with your local "action reporter" about this story - they love uncovering imcompetance in local government. In the meantime keep an eye out for Ebony and do your own observation and keep insisting that they test the hamster - over and over again going up the chain of command til you reach the mayor if you have to! Even if the chance of rabies in one in a million it's still not zero and your life is too precious to risk on allowing lazy beaurocrats to pass the buck! Hugs, CatNipped |
#9
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
You have done all you can do until Monday. Try to chill, as the grand kids
say. Those shots, from what I hear are nothing you really want. I think the health department may be more help than you think. If not you can figure where to go from there to get some help. wrote in message ... On Mar 14, 7:23 pm, "CatNipped" wrote: "Candace" wrote in message ... This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. He took off horrified. I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! Oh man, Candace, I'm so sorry this happened to you. What a thank you for all you do for the strays in the neighborhood (yes, I know he didn't mean to do that, **** what rotten luck). First, calm down, you're going to be ok. If you have the hamster's body, they can test it for rabies. Did you report to the Urgent Care center that you had been bitten by Ebony? If you reported the bite they'll probably come looking for him or ask you to surrender him if he comes back - they'll keep him under observation for a period of time. At least that is the law in most states I know, unless you own the cat and know that he's had his shots. It is extremely unlikely that you have gotten rabies from either animal, but you have them both for testing/observation so at least you won't have to undergo the series of painful rabies shots unless either animal shows positive for rabies. That's just it--no one really gave a crap. They know a cat bit me, they weren't interested in observing him, they weren't really interested in the hamster's body, either. All they would have to do is test the hamster but I guess it costs $$ so I'm sure they won't care. I can already envision what the Public Health Dept. will say-- oh, you probably won't get it, no, we won't test it, blahblahblah--and therefore no dr. will probably give me the shots. They won't come looking for Ebony, they don't have the $$ to do that. If I want him observed, I would probably have to pay his boarding fee for a few months. No one will care, it's just the government. I guess I could make up some story about a stray, foaming dog biting me if I want to get the shots. The vet didn't seem concerned about the possibility of rabies, btw. Candace |
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Help--Am I at Risk for Rabies?
On Mar 14, 8:50*pm, Candace wrote:
This morning, I noticed Ebony, one of the sweet outdoor cats playing with something in the yard. *I went out and he had some sort of rodent (I'm not a rodent expert) that he was batting around that wasn't dead. *My natural instinct was to get him away from it so I grabbed him and tossed him into a small room briefly--big mistake as his formerly feral ways returned and he bit the beejesus out of my thumb. Okay, I'm a psycho worrier. *I called one of my vet practices (one was distinctly unhelpful and it's the one I've been using the most lately, makes me reconsider). *I got the wounded but living rodent into a coffee can without touching it at all. *They identified it as a hamster that seemed neglected--either by having been out in the wild for awhile for just a bad home--as it's claws were long. I got myself into a tizzy worrying that this critter might have been exposed to rabies, Ebony chewed on the hamster, and then a few minutes later Ebony passed it onto me. *I went to an Urgent Care place and got a tetanus shot and some abx, whihc I'm not going to take as nothing appears infected at this time. *The doctor really didn't have answers to any of my questions. *He thought I had maybe a 1 percent chance of contracting rabies. *I asked--wouldn't there be an incubation period in Ebony before he could pass it to me and the doctor said--well, what if he had hamster blood on his teeth when he bit you (he also scratched me several places). So I've been reading up, of course. *Hamsters rarely get rabies but who knows how long this hamster has been outside. The hamster, btw, was euthanized and its body is in the freezer at the vet's. *The doctor told me to call the Dept. of Public Health on Monday and ask them what they think and since the body is available it cold be tested if they would do that. So, I know none of you probably know the answer either but do you think I need the shots and I wonder if they would give them to me or if they're just going to say--oh, no big deal, don't worry--and refuse to administer them to me. *Rabies sounds like a horrible way to go and it's always fatal if you get it. Keep in mind, I have absolutely *no* concerns about Ebony having rabies prior to this event. *He took off horrified. *I'm sure he'll come back to eat at some point but he was traumatized. *I should have just let him eat and kill the thing, at least I wouldn't be worrying about myself now. I don't know if rabies is around in wild animals here. *I live in a very urban area of Phoenix. *There are no large wild animals--no coyotes, foxes around here--but I've seen bats flying around sometimes, we have gophers, moles, and roof rats are in the area. *How do I know the hamster didn't have a run-in with one of those animals? And no one is going to know for sure, I suppose. *Maybe the Public Health Dept. will know if there has been any rabies in my neighborhood among wild animals or maybe they'll be totally unhelpful, as most govt. agencies are. Tony is out of town, I had planned on a nice, quiet weekend, but now I'm all stressed! *Any words of wisdom? Candace p.s. I do feel sorry for the poor hamster, too, but I'm mostly concerned about ME! |
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