ANIMAL BITES & RABIES

BAT RABIES DETECTED IN POLK COUNTY:

Polk County Health Department and Oregon Health Officials are reporting that a bat found in Independence River Front park tested positive for rabies on Tuesday 8/3/21 in afternoon according to Oregon State University, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. So far, in 2021, 7 other bats have tested positive for rabies. Approximately 8% of the bats tested are found to have rabies every year in Oregon.

“People can take two precautions to protect themselves and their pets from bats and rabies”, said Dr. Emilio DeBess, from the Oregon Health Authority. "Never handle bats; and make sure your cats and dogs are up to date on their rabies vaccines."

“Unfortunately, bats often carry rabies,” said DeBess. "If you find a bat during the daylight hours, it is probably not healthy and should be avoided.”

Rabies is a viral disease of mammals that attacks an infected animal’s nervous system. In Oregon bats are the only reservoir species and other animals are rarely infected.

While bats play a valuable role in nature, contact with humans should be avoided. Sick bats may be seen flopping around on the ground or otherwise acting unusual. If you find a sick bat or other sick wildlife on your property, take children and pets indoors and do not handle the bats without protection. Use a disposable container with a lid to scoop the animal into the containers and dispose of it in the trash. If a bat has had contact with a human or an animal, call your health department or animal services for guidance.

Typically, animals acquire rabies by eating or coming in contact with a rabid bat. Very few bats in Oregon have rabies and rabies in other wildlife is even rarer. However, if you know your pet has encountered a bat or been bitten by a wild animal, contact your veterinarian immediately.

We recommend to:

Vaccinate your pets (dogs and cats) against rabies
Watch wildlife from a distance. Don’t approach or attempt to handle wild animals.
Do not feed wild animals.
Keep garbage in secure containers and away from wildlife.
Feed pets indoors.
Seal openings in attics, basements, porches, sheds, barns and screen chimneys that might provide access to bats and other wildlife.

If an animal bites you and you live in Polk County:

Complete and submit the Animal Bite Report Form. It is important to report the bite to us at Polk County Public Health so our staff can provide you with the right resources for assistance and information.
Polk County Animal Control should also be notified. The Animal Control Officer will contact you if the animal was a dog and the bite took place in Polk County. Polk County Animal Control can be reached at 503-623-9251.
Seek medical evaluation and/or advice from your primary care doctor.
Make sure your tetanus vaccine is up to date. If it has been more than five years since your last tetanus vaccine, you may need a tetanus booster. If you are unsure of your vaccine status please contact your primary care doctor. If you do not have a primary care doctor you may call us at 503-623-8175 and our staff can look up your immunization record.

If your dog or cat bites a human and you live in polk county:

Complete and submit the Animal Bite Reporting Form.
By law, dogs and cats that bite humans (and the skin is broken) must be confined/observed for a 10 day period to ensure there are no symptoms of rabies.
If an animal is up to date on its rabies vaccine, it can usually be confined at home.
If an animal is not up to date on its rabies vaccine, or if the bite was a particularly dangerous one, the animal may be required to be quarantined and observed at a licensed veterinarian's office.

if your dog or cat is exposed to an animal with rabies:

Call us at 503-623-8175. Occasionally dogs and cats in Oregon are exposed to rabies. This typically happens when a pet comes into contact with at bat (or a bat flies into the home) and the bat has rabies.
Dogs and cats that are current on their rabies vaccines and are exposed to an animal that is known to have rabies will require a 45 day quarantine/observation period, which can most often be done at home.
Dogs and cats that are not current on their rabies vaccines require a four-six month quarantine period during which they cannot have direct contact with humans or other animals. Many owners choose to euthanize their pets rather than subject them to this quarantine. Please keep your pet up to date on their rabies vaccine so you do not have to make this difficult choice.

about rabies:

Rabies is a rare and preventable disease that is primarily spread through animal bites, although it can also be contracted by handling an animal with rabies. If you receive treatment on a timely basis after exposure to rabies, you can expect to be fine. If you do not receive treatment, rabies is fatal. It is vital for you to report any animal bites as soon as they happen. In the past, rabies treatment for humans was a series of extremely painful shots. Today, those shots are not anymore painful than most vaccines you will receive during your lifetime.

In Oregon, bats are by far the most common carrier of rabies. However, any mammal can have rabies. If you have been bitten by a wild animal of any kind, it is important to seek assistance. It is also important to seek assistance if you have been bitten by a dog or a cat.

Dogs and cats that have bitten someone will be confined/observed for 10 days from the date of the bite for signs of rabies.

If you have been exposed to a bat, call 503-623-8175. If it is determined that your exposure may have been potentially dangerous, Polk County will help you collect the bat and have the bat tested. If you have been bitten by any animal that is now deceased, you should save the carcass for examination (remember to wear gloves if handling an animal carcass).

The best way to prevent rabies is for dogs and cats to be vaccinated against the disease. In countries where rabies is common, it is most often passed to humans by dog bites. Rabies is rare in the United States because most dogs receive rabies vaccines.

Pet owners need to keep their dogs and cats up-to-date on their rabies vaccines in order to keep our community safe!