>Linda, great idea!  Those of us who can't attend can see that info on the
>website, too!
 
"Ose": what a great way to explain it, Debi!  They have to be avoided
(except to treat seizures) when insulinoma or diabetes is present, and
having folks know that as well as considering the popular names (honey,
sugar, etc) can only help ferrets.
 
Ah, I used to rescue bats which got themselves trapped in buildings for
release.  Hind end weakness in bats ("down" bats which can't hang but may
still be able to fly) can be from rabies or from the more common cause of
poisoning by individuals who used bad judgement -- since it typically
tortures the bats but doesn't kill them so is a horrible thing to do --
esp. to an animal type which is in danger and which prevents far more
disease than it causes due to our bats being the absolutely best mosquito
eaters.  Bats are best left alone when hibernating, breeding, and nursing,
then in other times one watches for how they move in and out, waits for
them to leave and seals up the holes -- same as is most effective when
squirrels get in.) In downed bats about 15% have rabies *IF* the old
numbers till hold, but it is possible for an "up" bat to have it.  Yes,
in humans whose rabies was not detected till it was too late the gray bat
strain of the virus is a common finding in the U.S.  (Note that rabies is
rare but terrible.)  Yes, we do NOT have wild vampire bats in the U.S.; nor
do we have wild fruit bats.  Other sources of exposure include (but are
not limited to): domestic animals that roam and have not been vaccinated
(a COMMON source of exposure), raccoons, skunks, foxes, groundhogs (It's
unusual for rodents to be vector animals but these are in our state.),
cattle in some areas, etc.  A number of years back a deer around here had
it on testing, from what our local animal control person told me then.  It
is wise to use precautions around any wild animal, stray animal, or pet
that is not vaccinated and allowed to wander.  There are still some areas
in the U.S.  without rabies.  I don't know if it's still the case but a
few years back Suffolk and Nassau Counties on Long Island were still
without terrestrial rabies (i.e. It may be there in some bats that flew
in).
 
In rabies the disease passes up nerves to the brain, then it multiplies,
after which is passes down nerves to places like the salivary glands.  It
is that third step which makes the animal contagious.  (Exception: when
species that can catch it by eating infected neurological tissue like
brains eat enough of those.  I know that there have been studies showing
that ferrets and cats are among the species that do NOT catch it this way;
don't know about humans.)  It does not take a bite to cause an infection:
infected saliva getting into eyes or an open wound can do it.  The rate of
progression depends on multiple factors such as location of bite, size of
individual, etc.  There is a case mentioned in an article that someone at
the CDC sent me years ago of a woman who developed a strain found in Asia,
but it had been 8 years since she had been there.  Then again, multiple
bites to the face or neck of a small being, from an individual who has a
large infection will progress rapidly.
 
Bill wrote:
>Since 1980, a total of 21 (58%) of the 36 cases of rabies diagnosed in
>the United States have been associated with bat variants of the rabies
>virus..." and "Bats are increasingly implicated as important wildlife
>reservoirs for varients of rabies virus transmitted to humans..." [MMWR,
>Jan 16 1998, Vol 47, No 1]
 
Yes!  Also, people do bring in strays, raccoons may enter homes, etc.
Some individuals can't be vaccinated due to specific or multiple reactions
to vaccines, or due to taking immune suppressing drugs, or due to a
disease preventing use.  Otherwise, vaccinate!
[Posted in FML issue 3672]