Baby skunk found

[Bigcatlover]

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so a friend of mine in Illinois found an abandoned baby skunk, but the wildlife center there can't take it because its on the rabies list, if he takes it in anywhere they'll put it to sleep. Another friend of mine here in Iowa wants to take it in, her mom had a pet skunk once and she grew up in a pet store....anyway, her concern is finding a vet that will de-scent it and vaccinate it. Does anyone know if most vets are willing to do this? I know that it is legal in iowa to have domesticated skunks....

Any thoughts ideas would be helpful, thanks

 

[jsp132]

to hear the wildlife clinic won't accept potentially animals that can have rabies like the place I volunteer at

when the director of the wildlife clinic does have an issue with a wild animal he can't treat properly, he does take it to a veterinarian who specializes in wildlife and exotics

do you have any there maybe that can do it?

 

[Bigcatlover]

to hear the wildlife clinic won't accept potentially animals that can have rabies like the place I volunteer at

when the director of the wildlife clinic does have an issue with a wild animal he can't treat properly, he does take it to a veterinarian who specializes in wildlife and exotics

do you have any there maybe that can do it?

I'll have to look around and see if I can find someone.....just hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction....would this be something the vet school would be willing to do??

 

[Minnerbelle]

There's got to be some wildlife rehabbers in your area that are licensed to rehabilitate them. A lot of vet clinics will not and cannot take them for liability reasons with wild rabies vectors, but there are a lot of rehabbers who will. Unless there are states out there that have a strict euthanasia policy of all rabies vector wildlife (I haven't heard of any... though I wouldn't be surprised.

I'll PM you a phone number to a hotline that can look up rehabbers in any state. Ask them to list all the rehabbers (and name cities they're in) and take the number for all rehabbers on their list that is close enough to you. Make sure you take down all of them, since some of them might be obsolete, or only do certain species.

I would recommend that your mother NOT keep the baby skunk (as cute as they are), as it's illegal as I'm sure you're aware.

 

[lostbunny]

I agree with Minnerbelle in that its best not to keep the skunk. Although it may seem like the lesser of 2 evils, its probably the worst thing for the skunk at this point- not to mention you could get fined, etc.

As Minnerbelle said, there are probably some 'underground' rehabbers, or certain people who have either special permits to take these animals in, and also know how to care for them properly and get him re-released into the wild!

Best of luck, keep trying!

 

[bbeventer]

I live in Illinois and actualy ran across this issue several years ago with a whole litter of skunks. No wildlife center or vet in Illinois is allowed to treat or take in skunks due to the rabies outbreak within the population.

My brother ended up bottle feeding the skunks till they opened their eyes and then he found a center in Indiana to take them.

Our vets recommendations were to put them in a bag and throw them in the pond 🙁 It is illegal to posses a skunk in Illinois.

 

[Bigcatlover]

Apparently the skunk's stress levels just got too high and it began seizuring, so he just decided to put it back. Wish there was more I could have done 🙁

 

[roughleggedhawk]

Sorry to hear this didn't turn out so well for the skunk.

However, whenever a rabies vector species starts showing neuro signs, I get worried. Rabies can present as seizures, and rabies is not a disease I would take chances with. Of course, it's likely an orphan and the seizures could be from a variety of things, but since it doesn't sound like the little guy has much chance of survival anyway and there was human contact (especially with a presumably unvaccinated person), my inclination would be to humanely euthanize it and submit it for testing.

 

[jsp132]

if they do bite or scratch you and you didn't get the rabies titer...........is there anyway to stop the virus then by taking the antiviral medication?

 

[alliecat44]

HAVE YOUR FRIEND AND ANYONE WHO HANDLED THE SKUNK CONTACT THEIR PHYSICIAN ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!


FYI--"stress" does NOT cause seizures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And skunks are the biggest rabies reservoir in your part of the country!!!!!!!!

Contact animal control ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry for the borderline medical advice business but--GO SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN and CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU)

 

[EllieGirl89]

if they do bite or scratch you and you didn't get the rabies titer...........is there anyway to stop the virus then by taking the antiviral medication?

The rabies virus travels through the neural cells from the site of the bite to the brain, so the farther away from the head the bite wound is the more time you have to get a rabies vaccine and prevent yourself from reaching the acute neurological stage of disease, which is pretty much the point of no return. Depending on several factors the incubation period can be from weeks to months, followed by a prodromal period of up to about 10 days. During these two periods the body has a very good response to the vaccine.

So in short, yes. Besides the vaccine there are also anti-serums that can offer relatively immediate, short-term protection as well as interferon treatment that can prevent the virus from replicating. The best thing to do is get to the doctor/hospital as soon as possible if you think you've been in contact with an animal with rabies and get vaccinated.

 

[heylodeb]

HAVE YOUR FRIEND AND ANYONE WHO HANDLED THE SKUNK CONTACT THEIR PHYSICIAN ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!


FYI--"stress" does NOT cause seizures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And skunks are the biggest rabies reservoir in your part of the country!!!!!!!!

Contact animal control ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!

(sorry for the borderline medical advice business but--GO SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN and CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU)

👍👍👍 DO IT.

 

[bbeventer]

👍👍👍 DO IT.

👍👍 Ditto, if you have the little guy still isolated be sure you call animal control to get him tested.

 

[Minnerbelle]

Apparently the skunk's stress levels just got too high and it began seizuring

😱

Seriously, heed alliecat's advice and go to the docs ASAP. Rabies is not something you mess with (very close to 100% mortality). Damn, I really held back on the "you really need to NOT touch a rabies vector as a layman" spiel, since I didn't think someone who was going to keep it as a pet would listen, but I really regret that now 🙁.

And as for vaccinations, even if you've had pre-exposure rabies shots and have a high titer, you still need to go to the docs immediately and get more post-exposure prophylaxis if you get bitten (just fewer of them). Your chance of survival is just a smidge better if you actually get rabies and have been vaccinated.

 

[Bigcatlover]

😱

Seriously, heed alliecat's advice and go to the docs ASAP. Rabies is not something you mess with (very close to 100% mortality). Damn, I really held back on the "you really need to NOT touch a rabies vector as a layman" spiel, since I didn't think someone who was going to keep it as a pet would listen, but I really regret that now 🙁.

And as for vaccinations, even if you've had pre-exposure rabies shots and have a high titer, you still need to go to the docs immediately and get more post-exposure prophylaxis if you get bitten (just fewer of them). Your chance of survival is just a smidge better if you actually get rabies and have been vaccinated.

Just so you know, this is a facebook friend I don't know all that well, I was just hoping to help in some way. But I will pass this info onto him in hopes he will take the advice

thanks🙂

 

[alliecat44]

Just so you know, this is a facebook friend I don't know all that well, I was just hoping to help in some way. But I will pass this info onto him in hopes he will take the advice

thanks🙂

Hopefully you know him well enough to want him to NOT DIE FROM RABIES.

 

[LetItSnow]

(sorry for the borderline medical advice business but--GO SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN and CONTACT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HELP YOU)

I would think telling someone to see a doctor is precisely the single piece of medical advice we CAN give here?

And anyway ... that's it ... I'm sic'ing the moderators on you. 😉

 

[alliecat44]

I would think telling someone to see a doctor is precisely the single piece of medical advice we CAN give here?

And anyway ... that's it ... I'm sic'ing the moderators on you. 😉

Well, you're right, but--still felt weird!!

HAHAHA better watch out, I hear that alliecat44 is a real PIA.... 😉