We just had our first Positive of the year.

Any of you guys get many Positive rabid bats? This is our fourth in about three years (6 total in 20). All of them have been about 10-15 miles apart in four separate locations.

Never had one I sent in come back positive.

Are you having them tested for customers?

Yes, if a bat is found inside a structure and human contact can not be ruled out the bat goes to animal control for testing. It's not regulation but is recommended and my own CYA.

FYI, I deliver the bat but pass all contact with the client regarding the bat(s) to animal control. CYA purposes I make sure the bat gets tested and any follow up, recommendations for shots etc, falls on animal control/health dept.

About 20 miles from me two years ago one tested postive. Couple of dogs were playing with a dead bat in their back yard. Heaven only knows why, but they had the bat tested. Came back postive. Dogs were almost a year behind on their shots. Both dogs got put down. No people exposed.

Was this a contact exposure possibly or just one that was found in the living space and the client wanted to know situation? We have never had a positive test result in the few we have sent in for testing over the years.

Article in our paper today. Bat tested positive for rabies.

The beauty of the news is 100% of bats tested positive is a great headline, they never mention bat was down on the ground.

Like going to the hospital during flu season and saying 100% of people have the flu.

I'd caution anyone e xyrapilating much fe a positive animal of any kind. If the client or laws require testing due to circumstance so be it. Have to listen to DOH rules if you have them.

Just my .02, too much negative press goes out on bats with no balance, compared with much much higher percentages in other wildlife and even domestics depending on the state or region.

Justin

Justin, I'm with you on that. Bats are one of those "weird" species that news folk like to write about and when you add the possibility of a fatal illness with even weirder and legendary symptoms you have all the ingredients for sensationalism.

The numbers reflect your growth. Congrats!

Had a guy call me yesterday and said he found about six dead bats in his barn and four came back positive.

Last year had one tested positive but for the life of me can't remember what city.

All the negative press may be good for business but the hysteria it creates in customers is certainly not good for them. I'm very fortunate that my wife is excellent at talking them back down to some form of sanity.

Client awoke to the bat in the house. Couldn't find it and slept another night without locating it. Found it the next day, appearing healthy on the window screen. She works in a pharmacy so was aware of the risks.

Our SOP is to ask if there was any possible exposure, ask if there is anyone with diminished mental capacity (alzheimers, down's, Winkelmann's)in the home, or if someone awoke to the bat or was sleeping in the home while the bat was out of sight. If we are talking college kids, we even ask if anyone was out drinking!!! If any of these gets a yes, we send the bat for testing. If all are definitive no's we will euthanize the bat and give it to the client and they can decide.

One positive we got was at a party where about 20 people ended up getting shots cause they all were drinking too many shots for anybody to know what had gone on by morning.

BTW I am sending in a coon today because some idiot working next door to one of our jobs stuck his finger in the trap and got bit. My tech didn't get his name or anything, he and his buddies had a bunch of prison tats and it was not a good neighborhood. Dumb*** said, "I can't believe it, that's the second time I had a d*&% coon bite me!"

If it comes back positive we'll have to find a way to track him down.

I have been bitten by raccoons so many times that they now send me in for testing to protect the raccoons. ( Some of them actually came down with Winkelmann's )

X2

What fun is that?