How to Tell If a Racoon Has Rabies

Paranoia is a symptom of rabies in raccoons.

Rabies is transmitted via infected saliva. A raccoon must be bitten by an infected mammal hard enough to penetrate muscle in order to contract rabies. Not every raccoon with rabies shows symptoms. A raccoon can look perfectly healthy and still carry the rabies virus. The symptoms of the virus are highly variable. Infected raccoons can display some, but not all, of the classic clinical symptoms of the disease. Rabies is 100 percent fatal within ten days once symptoms begin to show, due to the development of encephalitis.

Instructions

1. Observe the behavior of the raccoon. Raccoons with rabies can, but don't always, exhibit the following signs: apprehension when approaching a task, nervousness, restlessness, irritability and disorientation.

2. Get a feel for the raccoon's mood. Some animals infected with rabies can turn aggressive toward people or other animals. Other rabies-infected raccoons show a desire for solitude and run away at the first sign of another animal or person.

3. Watch the animal's physical demeanor. Lethargy, frequent itching or burning at the site where the rabies virus entered the raccoon's body, ataxia or uncoordinated movements, seizures and partial or full paralysis of the limbs are all possible signs of a rabies infection.

4. Look for foam around the raccoon's mouth. Some animals infected with rabies foam at the mouth as the disease progresses.

5. Observe what the raccoon eats. Pica, or a desire to eat non-food objects, is another possible sign of rabies. If the raccoon is happily chewing away on a child's toy, for example, it is cause for concern.

Tips & Warnings

• Other signs of rabies in raccoons include fever, pupil dilation, paranoia and fear of water. These symptoms are not always present. Trying to discern these symptoms can put you in immediate danger because finding out if the raccoon displays these symptoms involves getting close to the animal or provoking it.

• Advanced progression of rabies in raccoons can present as coma, seizure and death.

• Stay away from any raccoon or mammal you suspect has rabies. Rabies can be transmitted from raccoons to humans. If you are concerned about a raccoon on your property, call your local animal control agency.

• Rabies can be diagnosed by a clinical history of bite wounds, but can only be positively confirmed via postmortem examination in a laboratory. Postmortem examination to determine rabies involves examining a tissue sample comprised of a whole carcass, just the head or a slice of brain tissue. Do not attempt to obtain a tissue sample unless guided by a professional animal control specialist or veterinary pathologist using proper safety precautions.

References

• "Clinical Textbook for Veterinary Technicians"; Joanna Bassert, Dennis McCurnin; 2009
• "Understanding Zoonotic Diseases"; Janet Amundson Romich; 2008
• "Infectious Diseases of the Dog and Cat 3rd ed"; Craig Greene; 2007
• AVMA Collections: Rabies
• United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Signs and Symptoms of Rabies
• United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Rabies Diagnosis: In Animals and Humans

Resources

• American Veterinary Medical Association: Rabies