Who makes that I can't make out the name.

Smelly, bloody diahrea is a symptom of Parvo Viris, An airborne virus that can live in the enviornment for a year. Usually fatal to animals, and is a hard way to die. Make sure those pets have all their shots.

In all my trapper ed classes I urge students to wear gloves at all times when handling any furbearer.

That being said, it never ceases to amaze me when I watch Greg Schroeder from North American Fur Auctions put fur up at the fall rondy and wearing . . . no gloves.

The raccoon roundworm is known as Baylisascaris procyonis. Back in the 80s, if I recall correctly, Wisconsin trappers submitted 'coon carcasses to a lab in Madison and they determined a fair number of the 'coon contained these worms. And yes, they can transfer to humans, infect, and cause death. But, it's very rare.

Here's a good website describing the disease: http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/954973916.html

I don't think one needs to get paranoid about handling critters. But, think like a dentist does. Those of us old enough remember a trip to the dentist office was much different back then as it is today. No gloves, no masks, and if the doc was an older fella, he probably clamped his thumb down on your X-ray plate in your mouth as he leaned back and pressed the button to zap your mouth with X-rays.

Professer I had in college claimed he could spot old dentists who practiced this technique by the lack of a left thumb. Many of them had it removed after cancer took over.

Anyway, dentists today act as if all their patients are HIV+. So . . I assume all my 'coon are rabid and full of worms. Gloves at all times. And if you're especially paranoid, you might wear a mask, but I haven't gone that route yet.

There was this fella up in northern Wisconsin back in the 80s who claimed to be the fastest 'coon skinner alive. The WTA was holding a trapper ed workshop up there, it's been awhile, but I believe that was the situation.

Anyway, I brought along a video camera and taped him skinning this 'coon. He was quick alright, but guess where he set his knife while he was yanking the hide off with both hands.

Yup . . . firmly clenched in his teeth.

And if memory serves correctly, I recall he had this sore near his lip . . . . well, you get the idea.

Triton . They are made in Australia . One of the best on the market today.

Was just looking at a disease survey done by the state not to long ago, to make a short story of it 38% of coon in my area at least carry a transferable disease of some sort, west nile virus,rabies,and a couple dozen other things you don't want! they also tested yotes, 63% of those stinkin' buggers have something to give you that you don't want. I don't remember all the details but it was a test conducted with specimens from throughout Nebraska,if Iremember right they tested 63 yotes and 66 coon altogather from various locations. So 3 out of every 10 coon got something bad and 2 of every three yotes. I don't go overboard with my personal potection equipment,but carry surgical gloves on the line and use them when skinning,have even started wearing some safty glasses now and then after a dispatched fox flipped blood into my eye's and face last year.
there are a few things you can catch from critters that are terminal and will take you out sooner or later, on the other hand I trapped a long time without worrying about any of this and survived,but as I get older a little more caution seems to be a good idea.

I think I'll stick to my snails pace on skinning my coon. Thanks canvasback i did a search and they are only $187.00 not bad. I have something like it but very old and having a time finding filters and parts. I use it when im remodeling rooms in my house, the plaster dust kills me i always end up sick if i don't wear it.

I use this system in conjunction with a dust collector and an overhead air filtration system that filters the air in a 20x20 room 16 times every hour.

Actually the name of it starts with a C but too much of a word for me to remember. The doctor said definately a bacteria from a coon and she put me on an antibiotic.

Rubber gloves are good advice, but all the rubber gloves in the world can't protect your face.

For those of you who drink whiskey, it is also a good excuse to take a snort while skinning.

Leptospirosis

There isa cure but typically no one figures it out until it is to late. Air borne bacteria from dry coon crap. There is a vacciantion for dogs, but there is a strain that cannot be vaccinated against.

Bruce, i know what you went through. i had a surprise attack sat nov 8. i spent most of the day friday skinning coon, did around 60 of them. saturday morning i woke up and had no energy and the runs really bad. by saturday afternoon i was feeling ok to get out of bed but still visited the bathroom every couple hours with some very loose stool. not any other symptoms. low energy for 3 days and the runny stuff for a week.

I found a coon dead in the creek close to my traps. It was face down in the middle of the creek. I picked it up by the foot and thru it on the bank. The next day or day after that I came down with a sore throat that lasted for a week and I am just now getting over it completely. This was 2 weeks ago. I did post it on here about the coon being dead in the water. Never thought nothing of it of course. I do believe I caught a bug from that dead coon. I never had a sore throat last more than 3 days top.What is becoming of our critters and these diseases in this time and age?

Well K9 you just got tired of people saying your full of it! You may have had a bit of the runs, but My money still says you are still full of it! Probably caught whatever while picking up your own scat to confuse people with!

Road killed coon? Yup they are worst for diseases!

All of the coons on the floor of my shed look like they died of baldness.
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And I think that I am catching it.

LOL! Thats a good one Jeremy! They must have crossed with Charles coyotes.

Pedersen it takes a lot of driving and dedication to pick up that many road kills. My wife spends the whole day doing it while I wait here at home for her to bring me a truckload. This takes a lot out of me to say the least.

One other way I just thought of to avoid catching diseases from coons, is to teach your wife to skin. Thanks Slim, in your usual way you have stimulated me to think out of the box and I have come up with a better method than rubber gloves to avoid diseases.

I will tell her its your idea.

Put a clear plastic bag over your head. That will keep you safe and cure the problem all in one.

I had a friend that had rabbit fever (tulremia) one time and nearly died. He stayed in the hospital for a good while. He caught it from skinning rabbits. neil