Can my pet get Rabies from "playing" with a bat that later tests positive for Rabies? Yes, this would constitute a rabies exposure for the pet. In California 167 bats were tested positive for rabies in year 2005 compared to142 in year 2009 and, 38 bats tested positive for Rabies in just Los Angeles County in 2011. It is not always possible to rule out a bat bite by examining a pet. Bat bites may go undetected because of their' small tooth size. If an animal is seen in physical contact with a bat, it should be assumed that it was sufficiently exposed to the bat to constitute a rabies exposure, unless the bat tested negative for rabies.
What should be done with my pet now? The Compendium of Animal Rabies Control, 1998 recommends that any un vaccinated dog or cat be put-to-sleep if exposed to a rabid animal. If the un vaccinated pet is not put-to-sleep, it should be confined in isolation for 6 months and vaccinated 1 month prior to release. If an un- vaccinated pet is not put-to-sleep after a bite by a rabid animal, the owner, family members and any visitors to the home should avoid bites or scratches from the pet. The owner and veterinarian should observe the animal closely for signs consistent with rabies (unprovoked aggression, impaired locomotion, changes in behavior, paralysis, any extreme depression). If the pet is currently vaccinated, it should be revaccinated immediately and confined for 45 days in isolation for clinical observation.
What about owner exposure to the bat? The owner should seek his or her physician's medical advice and the Physicians or public health personnel should make recommend-ations about rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for people bitten by animals.
What are the clinical signs of Rabies in bats? The paralytic rabies is common in batsand are more vulnerable to be captured by pets in their mouth. If able to fly, rabid bats may appear disoriented and fly into the obstacles. Aggression may also occur in rabid bats.
If a person finds a bat in their house, what he or should do? If possible, close the door to the room where the bat is located. Then call the animal control authorities of local public health agency to pick up the bat for rabies testing, if it is determined that testing is needed. No physical contact should be made with the bat. If the bat is simply let outside, and the person is sufficiently exposed to the bat, he or she must contact public health.
What should a person do if they see a downed bat outside? People and animals should not come into physical contact with a bat. A downed bat is probably not a healthy bat. The person should try to move the bat out of the way of pets and people by scooping it up carefully with a shovel and placing it in a location where it will not come into contact with people or pets. However, if an animal or person has been exposed to the bat, try to confine the bat without coming into physical contact with it until animal control authority can pick it up for testing.