RABID BAT FOUND IN YAMHILL COUNTY Officials from Yamhill County Public Health have confirmed that a bat tested positive for rabies at Oregon State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory last week. It is the first bat to test positive for rabies in Oregon in 2014, according to the state public health veterinarian. A bat flying erratically was observed diving into a pond on rural property in Yamhill County. One of the property owner’s pet dogs immediately retrieved the bat from the water. The property owner, suspicious that the bat was infected with rabies due its daytime appearance and odd behavior, drowned the bat and preserved it. The property owner’s veterinarian recommended the bat be tested and that the two previously vaccinated dogs be revaccinated and observed for 45 days. Rabies is a viral disease of mammals that attacks an infected animal’s nervous system. The virus is carried in the saliva of an infected animal. Transmission occurs when that animal bites, or in rare instances, scratches another. Residents should not handle bats with bare hands and should keep their pets’ rabies immunizations up to date. If bitten by a bat (or any other animal), the person should immediately thoroughly clean the bite wound with soap and water and seek medical attention. If possible, the bat should be captured and tested. Yamhill County Health and Human Services Department officials recommend the following: Report animal bites to the Health Department, 412 N.E. Ford St., McMinnville, 503-434-7525. Avoid physical contact with bats. Do not hand feed or handle stray animals and wildlife. Efforts should be made to capture and confine an animal that has bitten a person so it can be observed and/or tested for rabies. Vaccinate all dogs and cats (cats hunt bats).
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 21:21:18 +0000