This sucks! I can't find any evidence of bat poop on my balcony anywhere. There's also really no where for them to hide. The bat was found where it could have possibly come off my balcony where the pup was. She was on the third floor balcony, and the bat was all the way downstairs, probably about three feet from the beginning of my actual balcony. When you come downstairs, there's a little step leading down to the sidewalk. The bat was perched on this part of the sidewalk, hanging upside down. I could have sworn it was slightly twitching when I first saw it, but it could have been the wind. I sat outside to warn my neighbor, because they also have kids and would have to step right where the bat was. When he came home and I warned him, he smacked the bat down with a piece of wood he just do happened to be carying. I asked him of it was alive and he said it was dead. I told him I had called someone to come get it, but I guess he took things into his own hands.
I called the vet but of course they were closed. So I left a message explaining what happened and asked what he thinks I should do. They have an emergency clinic but since I don't even know if her and the bar had actual contact I'm not considering it an emergency, unless she shows some dramatic behavior change between now and Monday. Everything I've been able to find online seems to say that a 10 day confinement to check for symptoms is fine.
Wichita Rabies Law Article 11/15/08
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There's an article in today's Wichita Eagle on the city's rabies ordinance, comments I've submitted are below. Now is the time for concerned pet owners to give the City Council (http://www.wichita.gov/Government/CityCouncil/ phone: (316) 268-4331) about the city adopting a 3 year protocol.
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City Seeking Vets' Input on Rabies Wichita Eagle 11/15/08 http://www.kansas.com/living/pets/story/597614.html The city of Wichita is asking area veterinarians if it should change its ordinance requiring dogs to be vaccinated yearly against rabies.
Comments I've submitted:
Wichita's rabies ordinance should be based on scientific data, not a poll of the veterinarians who profit from rabies vaccine income. An October 1, 2002 DVM Newsletter article entitled, AVMA, AAHA to Release Vaccine Positions http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=35171 reports "The statement stresses AVMA's stance on education, a reduction in the profession's dependence on vaccine sales, which account for a significant portion of practice income, ….......Veterinarians must promote the value of the exam and move away from their dependence on vaccine income. "
The CDC National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians and the American Veterinary Medical Association both recommend 3 year rabies protocols http://www.nasphv.org/Documents/RabiesCompendium.pdf, and according to veterinary vaccine research scientist, Dr. Ronald Schultz, "There is no benefit from annual rabies vaccination and most one year rabies products are similar or identical to the 3-year products with regard to duration of immunity and effectiveness." What Everyone Needs to Know about Canine Vaccines http://www.puliclub.org/CHF/AKC2007Conf/What%20Everyone%20Needs%20to%20Know%20About%20Canine%20Vaccines.htm
Concerned pet owners should contact the City Council and urge them to adopt a 3 year rabies protocol. For more information on the rabies vaccine, its known duration of immunity, and documented adverse reactions associated with it, see The Rabies Challenge Fund website at www.RabiesChallengeFund.org. To hear a radio interview with veterinary vaccine research scientist Dr. W. Jean Dodds, go to Duration of Immunity: The Rabies Vaccine Challenge - Show #185 Animal Talk Radio Show 7/30/08 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/animaltalknaturally/2008/07/30/Duration-of-Immunity-The-Rabies-Vaccine-Challenge-Show-186
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Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association http://www.arkvetmed.org/new.html
RABIES VACCINATIONS
New RecommendationsRecommendations for maintaining adequate pre-exposure immunization status: A routine booster every two years is NOT recommended since the newer cell culture vaccines often confer adequate antibody levels for 5 to 8 years and risk of adverse reactions is increased by frequent boosters. The standard pre-exposure recommendation for veterinarians practicing in an area with enzootic rabies is serologic testing every two years with booster vaccination when the antibody titer falls below the acceptable level, i.e. 1:5 by RFFIT.
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Yesterday the Wichita, Kansas City Council voted in a 3 year rabies protocol.
Wichita City Council Overhauls Animal Codes 3/11/09 Wichita Eagle http://www.kansas.com/news/story/728918.html by SUZANNE PEREZ TOBIAS
"? Require rabies vaccinations every three years – instead of every year -- for dogs, cats and ferrets."
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Wow!! That's my home town!
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Well, your precious ones only have to have a rabies booster once every 3 years! Please tell all your friends in Wichita about the ordinance change – the newspaper buried the announcement in other animal-related information, I'm sure many pet owners in the city don't have a clue that they no longer have to booster every year.
Kris