That bites.

Springtime gives people baby fever, and I’m not talking about the human variety – I’m talking animal babies. Raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, and foxes (oh my!). Every year CCHD receives numerous calls from residents who have encountered baby or injured wild animals and want to help. Though intentions are good, doing this increases your risk of rabies exposure. You don’t have to be bitten by an animal to be exposed; it can also happen when the animal’s saliva gets into an open cut, your eyes, nose or mouth. I will admit, they are cute, but when you encounter a wild animal (even if it is sick or injured) the best thing you can do is contact a DEC Wildlife Professional. Don’t touch them, treat them, or give them mouth to mouth (true story). To tell us more about keeping our family safe from the rabies virus, we chatted with Amanda Masten. Amanda is a Senior Public Health Sanitarian in the Environmental Health & Safety Division at CCHD. She has been in charge of coordinating the county’s rabies prevention program for more than 5 years.

Amanda, is rabies really something we need to be worried about in Clinton County? I mean, we are frozen more than half the year.

Absolutely, rabies is still present in our county and we typically see 1-2 wild animals test positive each year. One species known to frequently carry the rabies virus is bats and they can travel across counties, easily bringing the virus with them.

Animals with rabies act crazy and foam at the mouth, so it shouldn’t be hard for me to notice something is off right?

Yes and no. Those are certainly some indicators that an animal might be sick with the rabies virus, but they are not the only symptoms. Sometimes rabies can cause a wild animal to become overly friendly and docile, showing no fear of humans or pets. Or an animal can show neurological signs and almost appear confused or “drunk”, staggering and falling over. There are also other illnesses, such as distemper, that can cause similar symptoms. So in short, you cannot tell just by looking at an animal if it has rabies or not, but any unusual behavior should be noted and reported to a DEC Wildlife Professional.

You have mentioned bats a couple of times. I see a few every summer but I never thought they could get in my house. What can I do to keep them out and what happens if one gets in?

Bats can fit in very small spaces and gaps (as small as a dime) so it’s important to properly seal and block off any such openings around the outside of your house. Bats may roost in attics, soffits, louvers, chimneys and porches, under siding, eaves, roof tiles or shingles, and behind shutters. I also remind people to not leave windows open that have no screens.

If a bat happens to get into your house, try to safely capture it in a coffee can or other container (without damaging the head) and call one of our Rabies Officers at 518-565-4870. They will ask you a few questions to learn more about the circumstances of the bat being in your house and around people and then determine if it needs to be tested or can simply be released outside. Do not touch a bat with your bare hands.

What about my pets; how can I protect them? My dog is usually really good off leash and not too far from us, but she does love to chase a good squirrel at the field house given the opportunity.

First and foremost, make sure your pets are kept up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. Our office provides free rabies vaccinations across the county several times a year. For a complete list of clinic dates and locations visit our website www.clintonhealth.org/rabiesclinics. Other good practices to keep your pets safe are to not leave pets out at night and avoid feeding your pets outdoors. This may attract raccoons, stray cats and other animals that could potentially be carrying the rabies virus.

My cats stay indoors. Do they need a rabies vaccination?

Yes, even indoor cats should be vaccinated for rabies. Our office receives several calls a year regarding bats that have made their way into homes. If that bat tests positive for the rabies virus and the family cat interacted with it, that unvaccinated cat has now been exposed to the virus and is at risk.

Top 3 things to remember.

1. Don’t touch or interact with wild animals (even cute baby ones). Call a Wildlife Professional.
2. Bat proof your home, but if one happens to get in, capture it and call CCHD. 
3. Keep your pets up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations.