Dogs Found Playing With Rabid Bat In Boulder

BOULDER, CO — Two family dogs have received rabies booster shots and are being monitored for symptoms after they were found playing with a rabid bat, public health officials confirmed. The bat is the seventh animal to test positive for rabies (six bats and one dog) so far this season, Boulder County Public Health said.

The two dogs were playing with the bat outside their Boulder home, and their owners knew not to touch the bat and called animal control. Both dogs had previously been vaccinated against the disease, so they did not have to be quarantined, health officials said.

Carol McInnes, a Boulder County Public Health environmental health specialist, said many people have adopted new pets amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“This is an important reminder to all pet owners to be sure that their dogs, cats, and ferrets are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations," McInnes said.

"If they’re not, they should call their veterinary clinic to schedule the rabies shot as soon as possible.”

Humans are most commonly exposed to rabies when they interact with wildlife, take a bat away from a family pet, pick a bat up off the ground or try to remove a bat from their house, health officials said. It’s normal to find a bat hanging under the eaves of a house, under a porch overhang or hidden behind shutters or gutters; however, a bat on the ground is an indication that something could be wrong.

“The best thing you can do is to make sure your pet’s vaccinations are up-to-date and keep them from interacting with wild animals,” McInnes said.

“Unfortunately, when a pet is not vaccinated and has had contact with an animal infected with rabies, they must be quarantined, or even worse, euthanized.”

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Rabies is an infectious viral disease that affects the nervous system. The disease is always fatal unless it is treated before any symptoms appear, health officials said.

Exposure to rabies is generally the result of a bite or scratch by an infected animal, and it is sometimes practically undetectable, such as a tiny puncture of the skin by a bat, health officials said. Treatment for rabies exposure involves a series of vaccinations.

Public health officials recommend that the following precautions be taken to reduce the risk of exposure to rabies:

• Do not handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. Contact animal control to collect the animal.
• Thoroughly wash any wound caused by an animal with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately.
• Keep vaccinations current for all dogs, cats, and ferrets. Keep cats and ferrets inside and dogs under direct supervision.
• Contact your local public health department or animal control if people or pets have been bitten or exposed to a bat.
• Contact your local animal control officer to collect the bat for rabies testing.

Bats are the most common animal source of rabies in Colorado. On average, around 15 percent of bats submitted for rabies testing test positive for the disease, health officials said. Over the past few years, skunks have been a significant source of rabies throughout eastern Colorado and the now the Front Range, health officials said. Other wild animals that may carry rabies include raccoons and foxes.

Residents who find a bat that may have come in contact with a person, pet or livestock should call their local animal control office. For questions about human contact with a bat, call the Colorado Health Information Line at 1-877-462-2911.

>> General information about rabies in Boulder County can be found here.