Raccoons around in my area are known for having rabies. I want to mount a raccoon that I catch but I am scared about messing with it because of rabies. My question is what can I do to see if it has rabies or is there a safe way I can do it? Thanks.
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Sorry, this is the first post I have done and I thought I was doing it in the mammals category.
I thought the only way was to have the head sent out. If the coon is alive, I wouldn't mess with it anyhow. A dead coon, I would just wear protective gloves.
I work for the North Carolina Dept. of Health at the public health lab where we test for Rabies. My suggestions are:
1. ALWAYS wear latex gloves, a mask, and safety goggles when skinning and fleshing the hides of coons, foxes, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, etc.
2. If you are careful you do not need to have it tested
3. If you are exposed in anyway (splashing the face or eyes, cuts, etc.), contact your local health dept.
4. Never expose the brains of these animals
Remember, Rabies is not blood-borne. It is spread through saliva and nervous tissue contact. If anyone would like a description of the testing procedure for Rabies, just post here and I'll put it up.
If you get Rabies, you WILL die. If you live in an area with alot of Rabies cases and you do taxidermy on small mammals, I would recommend getting immunized for Rabies...it will cost about $500-600 for the set of three shots, but that could very well save your life.
I read where if you are bitten by a rabid animal, you must wash the wound, and seek treatment ASAP. If symptoms develop, then death will occur, but you can get injections to cure the disease if caught in time....Please correct me if I am wrong.
Now that I think about it, shouldn't Taxidermists get rabies vaccinations just to be safe since they handle plenty of animals?
If you seek treatment for exposure (called post-exposure prophylaxis) you will almost certainly live. However, once you start showing symptoms of Rabies, its too late.