My dog faught a raccoon

[shvl73]

Ask if you can submit a veterinarian test of your dogs titer level. see http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/titer_test.htm. basically a blood test to determine the level of antibody in the system. You need to fight this & I believe it can be done. The state is looking at this in a detatched, cut & dry perspective. You can bet they would handle a child differently.
Good luck.

 

[shvl73]

One other thing, If the state was notified by your vet, I'd look long & hard for a vet that took a more logical, careful, compassionate approach to veterinary medicine.

 

[DocHeb]

The bite was probably done under state law requiring vets to report all mammal bites on domestic animals.

 

[DocHeb]

Was the brain of the racoon examined for rabies? As mentioned above, rabies titers (showing level of protection from prior vaccinations) may be available.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Chris,

I think the racoon wasn't captured. The reference above to a racoon's neck being broken involved a different incident.

 

[CtRick]

The raccoon ran away, and because there are so many of them in my area it would be pointless to try and trap it now. I don't know if my dog injured the raccoon at all (I wasn't home) so I can't count on identifying marks on any raccoon I trapped. The suggestion from the State was read to me by the local Animal Control Officer from a form letter the State sends out. Apparently, in this State anytime an "unvaccinated" animal is involved with a "rabid" animal(presumably, because all raccoons are considered rabid) the immediately suggested course of action is euthanasia. That is why I can meet with a "caseworker" and present my case. I have already contacted my attorneys (which are my sister and her husband) and they suggested I contact the manufacturer of the vaccine to see what they say. We are hoping for the best, which would mean locking my poor little pup in isolation for six months /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif. Thanks for the words of support.

Rick

 

[NoTrespassing]

Our dog Luna killed 2 coons in the past year. She's quite a hunter.

About 6 years ago my wife the "great racoon lover" tried to save one from being shot. It was in the feed room of the horse barn on the farm we lived on at the time. The owner was planning on shooting the coon so my wife intervened. She actually caught the danged thing by the tail and put it into a cage. The problem was, the coon bit here on the thigh. Ouch! When she got home with the coon I hit the roof! After much yelling I called the local university animal hospital and they had us bring the coon in. Much to my wifes dismay they put the coon down and my wife started rabies treatment that night in the emergency room. They tested the coon and it came back negative for rabies but my wife finished the treatment anyway. I guess she figured the next time she saved one she was good to go. She's very nutty when it comes to saving fury critters to say the least.

I guess in her defense I should also mention the fact that we had a pet racoon at the time. Here's a picture of Ringo on my shoulder outside in the snow. Sorry for the poor quality, it's a picture of a picture. (don't have a working scanner)

Good luck with the dog. Hope everything turns out alright for ya.

Kevin

 

[Junkman]

My veterinarian sends me a post card when the rabies vaccine is due, about a month before. If the rabies vaccine is done before the expiration of the old vaccine, then it is a 2 year vaccine. If not, then it is considered a 1 year vaccine. I believe that the first one is given at 4 months and then about 1 year later. Then it is 2 years later that it is due again. I believe that considering that it is a 2 week lapse, you have a good chance of getting some leniency from the officials if you play this correctly. If you go in with an attitude, you might not get anywhere. I don't know anything about the 6 month quarantine at an approved facility. I do know that MA will allow the quarantine to be done by the owner if the owner follows all the rules. If the dog was licensed, you have a better chance than if it wasn't. The veterinarians are required by law to report any fights or bites with other animals when the rabies vaccine record is in question or out of date. My veterinarian is in MA, and MA has a law that requires the veterinarian to notify the city or town of all dogs that have been vaccinated for rabies. The city or town compare this list with the dog license records and will contact you if the dog isn't licensed. After the rabies epidemic of the late 1980's and early 1990's, the states have taken a more strict attitude about vaccinations and licensing. All of my dogs are always up to date because of the notification system that my veterinarian uses.

 

[mundamanu]

It seems to me that according ot Connecticut law, the Commissioner of Agriculture has the authority to kill any animal he or she thinks is necessary to prevent the spread of rabies. However, a local director of health only has authority to kill unowned animals. Anyone from the Commissioner down to the animal control officer on the street has the authority to quarantine any animal that he or she suspects is rabid or has been bitten by an animal that may be rabid. Any quarantined animal exhibiting signs of rabies or that has been clinically diagnosed by two veterinarians can be killed without notification of the owner.

So, unless you have a signed order from the Commissioner of Agriculture him or herself ordering the destruction of your dog, or an order granting that authority to someone beneath him or her, and an order to do so from that person, do not let them kill it!

The relevant section (22-359) of the Connecticut Code can be read here

In addition, the CDC provides for an owner's refusal to allow his or her animal to be killed, in which case the CDC recommends a 6-month quarantine. Obviously what the CDC says is not law, but at least you have a federal government agency offering quarantine as a viable option. (See section 5)

Anyway, the likelihood that the racoon was rabid is low. It is important to prevent the spread of rabies. However, it is not necessary to do so hysterically.

Good luck.

[ps -- does anybody know why my hyper links are always an invisible grey instead of a bright blue????]

 

[PhilNH5]

mumdamanu,
Your links are greyed out because you have already visited them. Most likely just before you cut and paste them into your TBN post. If you clear your browser memory they will show up as blue.

Phil