Looking online I found these New York State guidelines on dealing with rabies: Follow these guidelines with all species:
Use caution when approaching the suspect animal, because many are aggressive and can bite even if paralyzed. Wear animal handling gloves and use restraining devices to minimize contact with the animal. Avoid bites, scratches, and direct skin contact. Handle dead animals with care, too, especially when your hands are near their mouths. Restrain and isolate the suspect animal. The animal may be choking. Beware the impulse to clear the "obstruction" from its throat! Do not put your hand in or near the animal's mouth. If rabies testing is required, you must kill the animal without damaging its head. Brain tissue is needed for the rabies test; that's why the test can't be done on a live animal. Even with this restriction, it's still possible to humanely dispatch animals in most circumstances. For example, raccoons and skunks can be captured in cage traps. The trap can then be placed in a CO2 chamber and the animal can be euthanized. If the animal is aggressive, and you're in an area where you can legally discharge a firearm, you may prefer to restrain the animal with a catchpole and then shoot it in the heart and lung area using a low caliber rifle or pistol. That method reduces contact with the animal and may be safer for the operator. If you can't capture the suspect animal, describe the situation to the local health department and the doctor in as much detail as possible. They'll want to know which species was involved, how the animal was behaving, whether or not the attack was provoked, and what type of first aid was administered. Immediate medical care should be sought for the exposed person or pet. When you're done, disinfect any surfaces contaminated by the animal's fluids or tissues with a 10% bleach solution (one part chlorine bleach to nine parts water). You may want to mist spray your gloves with the bleach solution. Wear protective gear, especially if using a power washer. Clean everything that might have been contaminated before you go to your next job. Additional guidelines for wildlife:
Quarantine is not an option. There's no conclusive research data on safe quarantine periods. The only way to be sure whether or not the animal is rabid is to kill it and examine its brain tissue. Capture any bat that's been found in a room with a sleeping person, an unattended child, a mentally impaired person, or an intoxicated person. That's demanded by the NYS Health Department. Why? Children and impaired people might not be aware, or be able to tell you whether they were bitten. In these cases, talk to the local health department to determine if the bat needs to be killed and tested for rabies. Don't release or discard any bat found in people's living quarters, unless the possibility of human exposure has been absolutely ruled out. Individual bats will sometimes enter a home in the evening, especially during July or August. This doesn't mean there's a roost in that home. The bats may just have wandered in, as wild animals, especially young ones, sometimes do while exploring their territories or feeding. If you're sure that no person or pet has had contact with the bat and it appears healthy, it can be released. (Use a soft-sided container to scoop up the bat after it's landed. Plastic yogurt containers or cardboard boxes are less likely to hurt the bat than a metal coffee can). Additional guidelines for domestic animals (cats, dogs, ferrets) and livestock:
There are vaccines to protect cats, dogs, ferrets, and livestock from rabies. A vaccinated domestic animal that's been exposed can receive a booster to prevent it from developing rabies. An unvaccinated pet that's been exposed can be quarantined for six months (at the owner's expense) and observed to determine whether or not it's infected. The other option is to have the animal killed to avoid the possibility of it developing rabies and exposing people or other animals later on. Additional guidelines for exotic pets (such as monkeys, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, snakes, iguanas, birds):
Only mammals get rabies. Not birds. Not reptiles (such as snakes, iguanas, and turtles) or amphibians (frogs, salamanders). Even though they're living in a home, these are not domesticated species. They're wild species that are native to another country. Again, unfortunately, quarantine is not an option. If an exotic pet has been exposed, the health department may require that it be killed and tested. A few species of common exotic pets, such as gerbils and guinea pigs, almost never get rabies. Prevention: rabies vaccinations
NWCOs and other people in high-risk jobs should get a rabies pre-exposure vaccine. This consists of three shots. Your doctor should test your blood every two years to determine whether you need a routine booster.
First aid and treatment after exposure
The importance of seeking immediate medical care for people and pets who have been exposed to a potentially rabid animal cannot be overemphasized. This is especially true if you can't capture the suspect animal, and have no way to determine whether or not it was infected.
If anyone has been wounded, disinfect the wound by washing it thoroughly with soap and warm water. (You can then apply Betadine, a liquid surgical soap available in many drug stores). Cover the wound with a sterile bandage, then apply direct pressure to control bleeding.
Have the animal tested for rabies. If the animal was rabid, everyone who was exposed will need treatment (this includes pets and livestock). For someone who received pre-exposure rabies vaccinations, the post-exposure treatment amounts to two shots of rabies vaccine given three days apart.
Unvaccinated people who may have been exposed to the rabies virus will be given six shots in a span of 28 days. Again, treatment must begin as soon as possible. Emphasize to your customers that the shots are now given in the arm, not the stomach. There's a good chance that your customers have heard and believed scary stories about how horrible the rabies treatment is. That's not true! Calm them down and persuade them to call their doctors right away. Call the local health department and give them the contact information for anyone's who's been exposed.
_________________ Actions Speak Louder Than Words
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