# Puppy was scratched by a raccoon!!!!!



## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Tonight I let Puppy out to potty and there was a raccoon in my yard. They barked and hissed. I called puppy off but when I checked her she still got a small tiny scratch on her nose and muzzle. 

I've drowned it with rubbing alcohol and vetericyn. She is up to date on shots. Does this warrant a vet visit, and can it wait till Monday? I have no issues and am willing to take hr to the vet, but want to make sure I'm not crazy overreacting.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I would CALL the emergency vet and ask. I am thinking Monday (she needs a booster rabies shot-they do that after an encounter- but I am not sure if a day will make a difference)


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

My vet told me about a dog (UTD on shots) that tangled with a rapid animal in our area. The recommendation from the 'authorities' (I can't remember which organization he told me) was to give the animal another rabies shot immediately for safety even though he was UTD.

(He was telling me this story when I asked about incidences of rabies in our area)


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

exposure to any of the top rabies carrying species (skunks, raccoons, bats, and fox) requires an immediate booster of the rabies vaccination in most areas, by law. As well if it is a younger animal that has only received 1 vaccine and did not receive the booster at 1 year old, a minimal home quarantine may be required by law (usually 10 days),


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

This would be my worst nightmare. I would get on the phone with a vet and plan to take the dog in.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Thank you all. Called evet. Said I don't need more rabies shots given she is up to date. She is 3 so has had the booster. 

I will double check wih my regular vet on Monday to see if further care may be required and confirm that she is up to date. 

I actually called animal services right away at 3 am last night and they didn't mention booster for dog. I guess wildlife in Canada have lax rules.


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## jang (May 1, 2011)

Gosh, when Sib had the run in with the possum, SPCA told me to bring her right in for a rabies booter and a lepto.(She was due for the lepto in a month anyway) Rabies is scary stuff...Just saying..I was like you and would have called at 3am too..Hope everything is ok ...


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

Is rabies prevalent in your area or have any wild animals been seen lately showing symptoms of rabies? Raina caught a raccoon a couple months ago and got a scratch on her nose. No bites except where she tried to bite the raccoon but missed because I pulled her back. My vet said no worries as she is 6 and up to date on vaccines and no rabies have been discovered in our island for over 50 years. There was one in Key Largo about 5 years ago but that is pretty far away and they think the raccoon came over from the everglades as they are pretty close to Key Largo. There weren't any after effects except that she continues to look up into the tree the raccoon fell out of hoping it will fall out again but it is long gone. Hope your fur baby is okay. If there haven't been any outbreaks in your area you have a good chance of not needing any further shots.


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Sorry, but I disagree with the veterinarian. This is the only time I will booster before the standard 3 years. I will not play around with rabies. Dog gets contact with potentially rabid animal, dog gets rabies booster within 24 hours.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I disagree with the lot of you. If the raccoon was out at 3PM, or acting really odd in other ways, I would be freaking out and getting the dog to an e-vet. But raccoons do not carry rabies, they get rabies and get ill and then they die from it. So not every normal-acting raccoon out there has rabies. A raccoon out in the wee hours of the morning that hisses at the dog and scratches it, is probably perfectly normal. If the dog has the vaccine then the dog is covered, else, why do we bother? 

If we run our dogs to the vet every time they tussel with something in the wild, some of them are going to be seriously over-vaccinated. And, there are just not that many dogs getting rabies out there. If the vaccinations don't work if there is an encounter, why are we doing them? 

Rats can be rabid. Dogs kill them all the time. They aren't run to the vet every time.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

pyratemom said:


> Is rabies prevalent in your area or have any wild animals been seen lately showing symptoms of rabies? Raina caught a raccoon a couple months ago and got a scratch on her nose. No bites except where she tried to bite the raccoon but missed because I pulled her back. My vet said no worries as she is 6 and up to date on vaccines and no rabies have been discovered in our island for over 50 years. There was one in Key Largo about 5 years ago but that is pretty far away and they think the raccoon came over from the everglades as they are pretty close to Key Largo. There weren't any after effects except that she continues to look up into the tree the raccoon fell out of hoping it will fall out again but it is long gone. Hope your fur baby is okay. If there haven't been any outbreaks in your area you have a good chance of not needing any further shots.


Ok I have to ask, any possible health issues now are absolutely not connected to this incident? No possibilities on that?


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I was thinking about this thread, lots of raccoons carry distemper. I brought a sick one home many years ago and that is what he had. Not sure how that could be transmitted.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Thank you all for your replies.
I called our regular vet and they confirmed she is up to date, and she doesn't need anything further unless I see symptoms.
What a relief!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

If you see symptoms, it's to late.


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

Good flowchart. I would have re-vaccinated. It is a PDF.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/rabies_pets_flowchart_134247_7.pdf


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## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Personally I wouldn't take the chance, I'd do the booster. I agree that rabies is NOT something I'd be willing to hope for the best for


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

i would have re vaccinated. as stated, by the time symptoms occur the dog will be pts, anyone who came into contact with dog, urine and feces will need shots. you will have spread rabies to any animals that lick, eat or breath in dust from the urine and poop.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

In all my years going to my vet, he has never once mentioned that I should take her in for a booster if she were to come in contact with an animal. He knows we hike and camp with her, so a possiblity of this is higher.

He does suggest that she have the rabies shot every two years, vs. every three.

I need to make a phone call.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

twice i have had dogs go after a raccoon. the vets, plural, suggest revaccinate. interesting, the raccoon sounds like a cat.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

I don't know about canada, but in probably every state in American it is the LAW to revaccinate. And that is because if you get rabies, you're dead. End of it. The vaccine works. It covers you. But JUST IN CASE you're that weird being (or your dog is that rare being) that has shortened immunity span after vaccination, why risk it.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

Let me put it in another way to think about. Veterinarians have to be vaccinated against rabies by law. But if they are bit by a potential rabies suspect, that are still required to do the booster TO BE SAFE. I had a doctor get bit by a skunkn some idiot brought in because they found it in their backyard. She was obviously vaccinated, but went to the doctor to get boostered and we sent the skunk off for testing.

The skunk came back positive.

If YOU personally were bit by a bat, or skunk, or raccoon, even if you were vaccinated, would you risk it????? I'm pretty sure I would run off to get boostered because I sure as **** don't want to die. And if you develop symptoms, you're dead


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

OK called my vet. Their stance on revaccination is "it depends". If the dog is up to date on rabies, and the next one is not due for some time, then no need. If they are due shortly, then they recommend it.

They suggest that if this ever happens to call their office and they will advice if a booster is required.

They did suggest that if my dog is scratched or bitten by a wild animal that a vet visit would be in order to examine the injured area.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Jax08 said:


> If you see symptoms, it's to late.


Not symptoms of rabies, symptoms of distemper or anything else.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

Caledon said:


> OK called my vet. Their stance on revaccination is "it depends". If the dog is up to date on rabies, and the next one is not due for some time, then no need. If they are due shortly, then they recommend it.
> 
> They suggest that if this ever happens to call their office and they will advice if a booster is required.
> 
> They did suggest that if my dog is scratched or bitten by a wild animal that a vet visit would be in order to examine the injured area.


very "political" answer".


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

If a human gets close enough to a wild animal to get bitten, there is a good likelihood the critter has issues. Not so with a dog. A dog is an animal. And animals chase other animals, and if a dog comes out in the wee hours of the morning a raccoon may not be able to get away as quickly, and it may decide not to if it is eating something it wants to maintain ownership of. A raccoon is a pretty solid opponent. 

If the raccoon was acting strange, out in the day time, coming up close to people, bothering a barking dog on a chain, then the animal is suspect. 

I would check with my vet. I'd check with the health department to see how many rabies cases there were in the county recently. And then I would choose whether or not to give a booster. And if my dog was up to date, and not pretty close to being due, I probably would not booster.

I guess I am thinking about how vaccines work. The vaccine does not inject rabies-fighting antibodies into the dog. It usually injects some killed virus into the dog so that the dog would build up its own antibodies. Well, isn't that what we are concerned with anyway? The dog has antibodies as it is up to date on shots. But some real virus MAY have been injected into him. Those antibodies are going to go and fight the virus, AND it will spur the system to build more antibodies. The vaccine may or may not weaken the dog's system temporarily, where what you want to happen is for the dog to be strong and fight it off. That is why we don't wait for an encounter to vaccinate. To be covered for rabies, parvo, distemper, it takes time for the system to build up the immunity/anti-bodies, and many dogs feel a little under the weather when they get these shots.

Of course, for most vets the protocol would be to re-vaccinate -- cha-ching!


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## Kris L. Christine (Jan 28, 2008)

marshies said:


> Thank you all. Called evet. Said I don't need more rabies shots given she is up to date. She is 3 so has had the booster.


Marshies, in order to be licensed, rabies vaccines are required to conduct challenge studies, which are considered to be the "gold standard" in vaccine research (these are not conducted in humans). A challenge study is one in which animals are injected with high doses of virulent virus a specified number of years after vaccination. A vaccine licensed for 3 years has proven that 3 years after vaccination dogs were immune to a rabies exposure that is much harsher than one would encounter in the real world.

Personally, if my dog had your girl's vaccinal history cited above, I would not revaccinate her given what I know about the rabies vaccine.

In May, Dr. W. Jean Dodds & I were contacted at The Rabies Challenge Fund by a woman whose dog came home with a dead bat hanging from her collar. She was current on her rabies boosters & her owner was getting mixed messages from friends & her veterinarian. Her veterinarian said the dog did not need a booster & her friends cautioned her to take no chances & get one anyway. This was Dr. Dodds' response to her: 
"As long as your dog is current (within 3 years) on a rabies booster, there should be minimal, if any, risk of the dog contracting rabies virus from this bat exposure."

Hope this helps you in making a decision that gives you peace of mind.


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## Kris L. Christine (Jan 28, 2008)

Marshies, you may find the information below from the Centers for Disease Control helpful.

*Center for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report* *March 22, 1991 / 40(RR03);1-19*

Rabies Prevention -- United States, 1991 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP)


 _*"A fully vaccinated dog or cat is unlikely to become infected with rabies, *although rare cases have been reported (48). In a nationwide study of rabies among dogs and cats in 1988, only one dog and two cats that were vaccinated contracted rabies (49). All three of these animals had received only single doses of vaccine; *no documented vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received two vaccinations.*_ *"*


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Thank you for your responses above.

Thank you to Kris for pointing out more literature.

I have called my vet again to clarify and confirm that I do not need a booster for Puppy.

In addition, I looked at this:

Rabies in Canada - Animals - Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Which indicated that of the sampled animals, only bats have been testing positive for rabies.

After consulting 2 vets (1 of whom is my regular vet at a reputable practice), and research for myself, I have decided to go against popular board opinion and not take Puppy in for a booster.

Thanks for all your thoughts. I do appreciate them tremendously in helping me form my decision. They certainly added more urgency to the situation, if I didn't previously feel compelled by a raccoon scratch to consult the vet.

I understand rabies is deadly, and Puppy really has no chance of fighting it off. But I also believe in modern medicine, which is why she was originally vaccinated for rabies.

Have a good night.


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

selzer said:


> If a human gets close enough to a wild animal to get bitten, there is a good likelihood the critter has issues. Not so with a dog. A dog is an animal. And animals chase other animals, and if a dog comes out in the wee hours of the morning a raccoon may not be able to get away as quickly, and it may decide not to if it is eating something it wants to maintain ownership of. A raccoon is a pretty solid opponent.
> 
> If the raccoon was acting strange, out in the day time, coming up close to people, bothering a barking dog on a chain, then the animal is suspect.
> 
> ...


Of course the vets are ALWAYS in it for the money....

Here's another grim reality I've seen happen - your dog gets bit by a raccoon, your county/state requires a booster by law (that's NOT your vet - that's the CDC attempting to prevent the spread of rabies to humans), and you opt not to for whatever reason. Now it's 5 days later and that bite is grossly infected so you take your dog in. Your poor dog is so painful he snaps at the technician and causes a superficial wound to her hand. Now your dog is a high rabies suspect that, due to you not boostering, is NOT considered vaccinated. Immediate euthanasia for testing. Don't pass go. Don't collect 200$. Don't have the option of quarantine.

If your area doesn't require it, do whatever you deem best. Yes it is unlikely, but I would rather not risk it for the same reasons I wouldn't risk it with my own life. I can tell you rabies cases in America have been increasing since 2010, at least last time I checked. That on average 2 people die a year in America, and although that seems like a low number, it should really be a nonexistent number for a country with such readily available access to vaccines.

However if your area DOES require it, I think you're extremely stupid for playing with fire and risking euthanasia.

I in no way judge the op for not revaccinating. His dog is probably fine. I WOULD judge the op if his area required it by law, for my reasons stated above. That is all


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Anubis_Star said:


> Of course the vets are ALWAYS in it for the money....
> 
> Here's another grim reality I've seen happen - your dog gets bit by a raccoon, your county/state requires a booster by law (that's NOT your vet - that's the CDC attempting to prevent the spread of rabies to humans), and you opt not to for whatever reason. Now it's 5 days later and that bite is grossly infected so you take your dog in. Your poor dog is so painful he snaps at the technician and causes a superficial wound to her hand. Now your dog is a high rabies suspect that, due to you not boostering, is NOT considered vaccinated. Immediate euthanasia for testing. Don't pass go. Don't collect 200$. Don't have the option of quarantine.
> 
> ...


I risk euthanasia every day with my girls. They aren't spayed (they might get pyometra), I let them run to my car when we go somewhere, I let them get pets from total strangers at soccer fields and campsites. I don't vaccinate for Lepto. Sometimes I let 4 or even 5 years go by between DAAPP and Rabies vaccinations. Someday I will get bitten in the butt by some of the terribly risky way I keep my girls. I hope I never have to kick myself again for making a critter suffer due to my trying to prevent some low-risk possibility of something or other.


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## marshies (May 18, 2011)

Anubis_Star said:


> Of course the vets are ALWAYS in it for the money....
> 
> Here's another grim reality I've seen happen - your dog gets bit by a raccoon, your county/state requires a booster by law (that's NOT your vet - that's the CDC attempting to prevent the spread of rabies to humans), and you opt not to for whatever reason. Now it's 5 days later and that bite is grossly infected so you take your dog in. Your poor dog is so painful he snaps at the technician and causes a superficial wound to her hand. Now your dog is a high rabies suspect that, due to you not boostering, is NOT considered vaccinated. Immediate euthanasia for testing. Don't pass go. Don't collect 200$. Don't have the option of quarantine.
> 
> ...


Thank you for your advice. Before I read one of your posts I did not know that rabies boosters were required by law in some places. I think that is important information to have for others who may be in a similar situation.

In Toronto, rabies booster is not required from what I can tell. 

Since 1924, a total of 24 people in six provinces have died of rabies in Canada: Quebec (12), Ontario (6), Saskatchewan and Alberta 2 each), British Columbia and Nova Scotia (1 case each).

In addition, wildlife vaccination is performed here for species who do routinely carry rabies.

Hope this information helps all looking at this thread.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

When my daughter was a child, in the early morning, she reached into a water trough to save a 'frog'. It turned out to be a Nutra rat. It either bit her or scratched her. Our Aussie was with her and when she screamed he grabbed the animal and flung it. I never found it so I assumed it wasn't killed, or it could have been carried off by one of our feral barn cats. 

My first concern was for my daughter. I rushed her to our family doctor and he cleaned the injury and gave her a butterfly stitch. My doctor checked and stated that there were no reports of rabies for a specific time period, therefore, she did not require treatment for rabies. He sent us home with antibiotics.

Later that day I received a call from the Sherriff's dept. Our animal control officers wanted to come to my place to search for the animal that attacked my daughter. I had to provide details of what actually happened (my daughter grabbed the animal swimming in a water trough), and they elected not to come. Point being, my doctor was required by law to report the bite. 

Everyone was fine, child, dog & cats. However, the story did change each time my daughter told it and the Nutra rat changed into a humongous, horrid alien being that tried to eat her. If it had not been for our Aussie dog who fought violently with it and saved her life.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

While we are at this subject; if I titer Deja when her first booster is due next year after her first Rabies vaccination (at 6months of age) and it shows enough antibodies would it be safe to not vaccinate again (for rabies)?


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

You would be breaking the law and could face serious consequences if your dog bit someone. Some places either a dog not update on rabies vaccine or require 6 month quarantine


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> You would be breaking the law and could face serious consequences if your dog bit someone. Some places either a dog not update on rabies vaccine or require 6 month quarantine


Our county's AC recognizes titers so that in itself is not an issue.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

jocoyn said:


> You would be breaking the law and could face serious consequences if your dog bit someone. Some places either a dog not update on rabies vaccine or require 6 month quarantine


Our county's AC recognizes titers so that in itself is not an issue. But I will leave it at this since I am stealing the thread.


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## wyominggrandma (Jan 2, 2011)

As someone years ago that had to take rabies shots when they gave them in the stomach then got anti rabies vaccine while working for the vets, i dont take chances with skipping vaccines. 
My friend in california had a rabid skunk come into her property and she re vaccinated everything on her property before the lab sent the report back as rabid, she was not taking chances. 
If my dog got a bite or scratch from an animal that can carry rabies they would be going to the vet for a booster immediately, vet saying no or not.

Its great that your county will recognize titers but some other counties dont so you could be in trouble if you needed to show proof of rabies and titers were not recognized.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

selzer said:


> If a human gets close enough to a wild animal to get bitten, there is a good likelihood the critter has issues. Not so with a dog. A dog is an animal. And animals chase other animals, and if a dog comes out in the wee hours of the morning a raccoon may not be able to get away as quickly, and it may decide not to if it is eating something it wants to maintain ownership of. A raccoon is a pretty solid opponent.
> 
> If the raccoon was acting strange, out in the day time, coming up close to people, bothering a barking dog on a chain, then the animal is suspect.
> 
> ...


and at that point you are risking your dogs(s) yourself and chancing the spreading of rabies. not really worth the gamble even if the odds are against it.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

wolfy dog, not to steal the thread either but, even tho your ac/county would accept a titer, Mine does as well, IF your dog bit/scratched a person , EVEN if the dog was titered "safe", if the rabies vac is not up to date, your dog is subject to the laws as if he had NO vaccine, which would require quarantine (at your expense if it is off property) or possibly euthanasia .

Also if the dog comes into contact with a rabid animal, and again, not up to date on the rabies vac, that could be an issue as well.

It is just not worth 'skipping' a rabies vac unless of course your dog has a medical reason. If you want to risk it and take the chance, well that's a person's choice


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## Anubis_Star (Jul 25, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> Our county's AC recognizes titers so that in itself is not an issue.


Wolfy dog you live in the USA. After researching further a few months ago, I found there is not a single state in America that accepts titers. State laws trump county laws. There are states that accept medical exemptions, NOT titers, but if an animal is a rabies suspect it is still considered unvaccinated. The medical exemption really just protects you from getting fined for not vaccinating


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