Warning Signs of Dehydration in Dogs – American Kennel Club
They Thought These Raccoons Had Rabies, But Found The Raccoons To Be Drunk
GettyWhat's the difference between you and raccoons? If you were to get drunk, your neighbors probably wouldn't tell the police that you may have rabies.
But that's what happened to raccoons in Milton, West Virginia, according to a Facebook post by the local police department. Human residents of the town had reported seeing raccoon residents behaving badly and suspected that the animals had been infected by the rabies virus. However, further investigation revealed raccoons that were instead drunk as skunks, except that they weren't skunks.
How did this happen? Don't raccoons get into trash rather than get trashed? Was it "Raccoon Night" at the local pub? Too many trash drinks? Nope. Apparently, these raccoons had been munching on some fermented crab apples as described by this news report:
Raccoons, how do you like them crab apples? Potentially quite a lot. As Liz Langley wrote for National Geographic, some animals may be actually be "attracted to overripe fruits." She quoted Don Moore, associate director of the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., as saying that "white-tailed deer eating fermented apples in orchards," and then getting "sleepy," even "stumble-y is "a common observation in apple-growing regions."
As the Milton Police Facebook post described, the police eventually apprehended the "masked bandits" and then let them sober up while in custody before releasing them back into the wild. After all, it was the raccoons' first offense.
OK, drunk raccoons can be dangerous. They can be unpredictable and scratch, bite, and harm you. And for Pete's sake, don't let them drive a car. But rabid raccoons would have been even worse. Contact with their saliva, such as through a bite, could transmit the rabies virus to you. And once you develop symptoms from the virus infecting your brain and spinal cord, you are in store for a pretty horrible death.
Thus, the Milton residents were smart to notify the authorities. If you see an unknown animal acting unusually in any way, notify the authorities and keep your distance. Any type of strange behavior could be a clue that the animal is infected with the rabies virus. In fact, most rabid animals won't have the classic foaming at the mouth like the one in Stephen King's Cujo. Some may act angry or more aggressive than usual. Or they can have an unusual appearance. For example, a news report for the Winston-Salem Journal, described the story of a 9 year old girl, who was sitting on her porch when, in the girl's words, a "coyote just decided it wants to eat me." The girl continued that "a coyote just doesn't do that. That's why they thought I had rabies. (The coyote) was kind of greasy, like really gross, and it smelled like fruit." Certainly, if an animal appears more greasy than usual or acts like he or she is on the cast of Grease, be very suspicious.
Infected animals can also appear anxious or nervous. Tremors, seizures, paralysis, or other nervous system problems are bad signs as well.
More commonly, though, infected animals are actually more docile, timid, or shy than usual. They may let you pet or otherwise touch them when they normally wouldn't. An overly friendly animal is not necessarily a safe animal.
Finally, an infected animal may have no apparent symptoms and appear and act completely normal. Remember, even if you think you are Tarzan or the raccoon whisperer, you cannot tell for sure if an animal has rabies without laboratory testing. Therefore, as a general rule, stay safe and stay away from any wild or unknown animals. Remember, they don't have to get drunk to get wild.
Video Shows Raccoon Grab A Donut From A Dunkin' Drive-thru Window
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Do I Need To Carry Benadryl And Epinephrine?
Dr. Dan Atkins answers the question: 'Should I Carry Benadryl And Epinephrine?'
ByF. Dan Atkins, M.D., Medical Director, Pediatric Day Program, National Jewish Medical and Research Center
— -- Question: Do I need to carry Benadryl and epinephrine?
Answer: If you or a loved one has a history of anaphylaxis, it's important that you have the medications available for the treatment of anaphylaxis at all times. When fatal cases of anaphylaxis are reviewed, one of the most important aspects leading to death is the absence of medications, resulting in delay in treatment. So it's important that epinephrine and Benadryl be available at all times.
In the patients with asthma, they also need to carry their albuterol inhaler or their rescue inhaler and use it if they have significant asthma symptoms. So, because delay in treatment is a prominent cause of death in patients with anaphylaxis, and because these reactions are often the result of accidental exposure to the allergen, it's important that these medications for the treatment of anaphylaxis be available at all times.
Next: How Do I Properly Administer An Epinephrine Shot, And Do I Need To Carry My Epinephrine Shot With Me Everywhere?
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