Tag Archives: rabies

Top 6 Signs That a Raccoon is Rabid

top 6 signs that a raccoon is rabid

Raccoons may have a reputation for carrying rabies and it’s warranted. Raccoons are the number one animal to contract rabies. In fact, raccoons make up about 30% of all animal cases of rabies; bats, skunks, and foxes follow them. It’s important to protect yourself and your family from animal pests, especially rabid animal pests. Below are our 6 top signs that a raccoon is rabid.

Top 6 Signs That a Raccoon is Rabid

1. Walking strangely – If you see a raccoon that is walking in circles, or walking like it has partially or fully paralyzed hind legs, it most likely has rabies.
2. Look confused or disoriented – Raccoons typically look alert and interested in what they’re doing. A rabid raccoon will be lethargic.
3. Foaming at the mouth – Foaming at the mouth or drooling are classic signs of rabies. This is due to choking caused by the virus. Avoid any contact with a raccoon that exhibits this sign of rabies.
4. Making strange noises – Though raccoons are chatty, a rabid raccoon will be making bizarre or wild noises.
5. “Weeping” eyes – A rabid raccoon has a goopy, weepy appearance to their eyes.
6. Aggression – Raccoons typically retreat when approached, but a rabid raccoon may start a fight with your pets, or even you.

Mistaken Signs

Raccoons are typically nocturnal and most active at night. It is a common misconception that any raccoon active during the day is rabid. If the raccoon exhibits standard raccoon behavior, besides being active during the day, it probably is not rabid.

When To Call Pest Control

Call animal control if the raccoon pestering your home exhibits any of the top 6 signs that a raccoon is rabid. Stay away from the raccoon at all costs and keep children and pets indoors or away. Rabies is a very serious virus that can cause serious health issues to pets and humans alike. Call pest control immediately to have rabid raccoons safely removed from your property.

Rabid Bats In Illinois

rabid bats

According to the Chicago Tribune, the amount of bats that have tested positive for rabies in Illinois is doubled comparatively to last year. Last year at this point, there were eight positive rabies tests. Currently there are 16. Though these numbers are small and it is early in the season, it could be indicative of a trend this year.

Bats are found everywhere in the state, including the Chicagoland area. Rabid bats have been found in homes in Arlington Heights, Aurora, LaGrange, and Chicago’s south side. The family from Arlington Heights is pursuing rabies vaccinations. Most rabid bats found last year were in Cook and Will counties. Will county had a record setting 20 cases of bat rabies.

Several species of bat are found in Illinois. Big brown bats and small brown bats are quite common, even in urban areas. Officials say that bats are common transmitters of rabies because they are often in contact with humans. Bats can also transmit rabies to other mammals like dogs, foxes, skunks, and raccoons.

To avoid catching rabies, it’s advised to avoid contact with wild animals including stray cats and dogs. Especially avoid animals that are typically nocturnal but may be acting strangely during daylight hours. Do not leave food outside that may attract wild animals. Seal off any entry points to your home, or other buildings like sheds and garages, that wild animals may enter. Bats can enter through small entry pints near windows, attics, soffits, and spaces in your home’s siding. Keep your family pets’ vaccines up to date and do not let them roam without supervision.

If you believe a rabid animal has bitten you, seek medical attention immediately. If there are animal pests on your property or in your home, call pest control to have them safely removed.

Attic Solutions Alert: Rabid Bats in Chicago Area

According to a recent news report on ABC 7 Chicago, a local Naperville, Illinois family required rabies treatment after finding a rabid bat in their home. The family called Animal Control upon discovering the bat, which tested positive for rabies. Animal Control advised the entire family be inoculated against the disease since bats have such tiny teeth and could penetrate without leaving a mark.

Dr. Leroy Schild of Will County Animal Control advised that there were 13 cases of rabid bats in 2014 and 11 cases already this year. “This year is particularly bad because of the wet spring-… A lot of moisture, a lot of insects [sic] big food source for ’em,” he said.

Another family in Homer Glen found six rabid bats living in their garage and were also treated for rabies as a precaution. Animal Control authorities passed out flyers to neighbors in the area so they were aware of the situation.

It may seem unlikely that bats could get in your home, but you would be surprised how easy it is. Because bats are so small, it is not difficult for them to sneak in through a crevice, window, or chimney and move into your attic or basement.

As soon as you suspect you may have a bat infestation, call Attic Solutions immediately at 847-464-1861 for removal. We are trained professionals and equipped to deal with bat exclusion and removal. We will remove the bats and fix any property damage they may have caused.

Identification of Rabies and How to Protect Yourself and Your Pets

Wild animals can be troublesome to homeowners in a variety of ways from destroying property to contaminating food supplies but the health risks they pose are the biggest cause for alarm. The most common disease that homeowners fear from wild mammals is rabies. Rabies is a severe, infectious disease that attacks the central nervous system in mammals. It is possible for humans to become infected with rabies if they are bitten by an infected animal. Recognizing the symptoms in wild animals can help you avoid infected animals and keep your pets safe as well.

Rabies Identification

The vast majority of rabies cases in North America are attributed to wild mammals with the most common carriers including raccoons, skunks, bats, foxes, and coyotes. Most animals that are infected with rabies exhibit peculiar behavior that is characteristic of the disease. Animals with rabies are easily agitated, salivate profusely, and snap or bite at nothing and they may also seem partially paralyzed or disoriented when they move. It is possible that these symptoms could be caused by another disease such as distemper, but it is still recommended to avoid any animal exhibiting this odd behavior.

How Rabies is Spread

While rabies can spread to humans, it is quite rare as there are only 28 reported fatal cases of rabies in the United States within the last 10 years. It is spread exclusively through saliva as opposed to blood, urine, or feces because the virus can only survive in saliva. In order for humans to become infected, they must be bitten by an infected animal and the bite has to break skin. The rabies virus cannot infect someone through unbroken skin. If you are bitten by a wild mammal that could have rabies and the bite has broken the skin, you should seek medical treatment immediately.

How to protect yourself from rabies

The best way to protect yourself and your pets from rabies is to avoid wild animals that may be rabid and get your pets vaccinated for the disease. If you or your pet is bitten by a wild animal, immediately flush the wound with water and use antiseptic soap to clean the area. After cleaning the wound, you should seek treatment as soon as possible from a doctor or veterinarian if your animal was bitten. In some cases of rabies, humans unknowingly contracted the disease by being bitten by a bat. If you discover that you may have come into contact with a bat, it is safer to assume that you have been bitten and act accordingly. It is important to seek medical treatment immediately after being bitten by a potentially infected animal because rabies will become fatal in people and pets if it is not treated right away.

If you suspect you may have a animal infestation, call us immediately at 847-464-1861 for removal. We are trained professionals and equipped to deal with animal exclusion and removal, including humane live animal trapping (never poisons!). We will remove the animal and fix any property damage they may have caused. Click to read more about animal removal services from Attic Solutions.