Protecting your self from animal borne diseases.

Handling dead animals can be scary. I always wear rubber gloves and a rubber apron when skinning and processing my animals. I also wash up good when done. Keeping things clean in my fur shed helps too.
 
In 2018 I shared my experience after handling a couple coyote. The rabies shots did cause fatigue that lasted for several months. I still have some nerve(damage)loss in the left side of my face. Doctors have told me I was lucky that the virus traveled down my face to the upper jaw, instead of optic nerve into my brain. I have handled thousand+ fox,coyote. Just in the last decade I have used a mouth secured drag rope. The doctors believe this was the route of entry, my bare hands placing drag rope in coyote mouth. Then removing gloves and rubbing my left eye after being poked near the left eye, within a hour of coyote contact. The chance of this happening is extremely rare, but I would advise always wash asap. Obviously if you have breaks in skin on your hands do not allow contact with any animal fluids.
 
It always amazes me when I see guys on predator calling TV shows poking there fingers around in a coyote's mouth to examine the teeth. Not a good idea to do that. The rabies virus is transferred through saliva.
 
Good article. Things that shouldn't be taken lightly.
I did get a chuckle from the "Avoid abdominal shots" when shooting game advice.
 
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Thankfully no belly shots anymore for rabies. 7 shots to start with, unless no bite wound(my case) than it is 6 shots amount of vaccine by body weight.
 
Yes my Dr contacted the CDC, once that happen you legally lose some rights. Before administering vaccine, a MRI was required, if lesions were imaged I would not have been allowed to leave the emergency rm/ hospital(this I was told after a clear MRI). Not sure if they would have tried the vaccine with lesions present, probably quarantined for last couple weeks until lesions stop nerve functions- breathing/heart. While in the emergency rm, security watched me and they asked me if I was going to be trouble. I told them I came voluntarily as they had the only supply of vaccine large enough for my body weight(204#).
 
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A blood test showed a very small antibody to Rabies, State of Minnesota did not want to acknowledge Rabies from "handling"(no bite) a coyote. I don't(did not at time) remember any sort of scratch or wound on my hand before opening coyote mouth or after the drag and removal. Just that I did rub around my left eye to check it after a branch contact. My regular Dr, said after reading the reports/tests "you got lucky you had rabies". The lack of a bite, really slowed the move to Rabies treatment and also my waiting to go seek treatment. Please avoid fluids contact and wash asap, wear gloves. Avoid your eyes and nasal area when your hands are contaminated. If you are hunting in an area known to have a Rabies outbreak, you should consider vaccination. People who handle bats,skunks often get vaccinated as a precaution. And yes I'm still killing coyote(nurses during shots said "I bet you won't hunt coyote anymore" , I told them now I will try to kill more often.
 
Spotstalkshoot, thanks for posting. Yours is an excellent reminder that we frequently do things that can really come back to bite us.
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I can't count how many times I have handled a predators mouth with no thoughts of disease. No more!
 
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