Date Posted: April 24, 2017
Category: Wildlife
You've heard of the nightmare. Perhaps you have even lived it once or twice. Someone close to you gets sprayed by a skunk! Maybe it was a coworker who came to work with this nasty smell clinging to them--for weeks (and didn't even realize it). Perhaps your dog got sprayed and ran into your house. First, the smell knocked you over, set your nasal passages on fire, and made your eyes feel like they were burning. Then, YOU got to be the smelly one at work for weeks and weeks, because no matter how much you cleaned, the smell remained.
Well, regardless of your association or experience with skunks spraying their noxious chemical, you are aware of how horribly scary the whole ordeal can be. But did you know there is an even greater threat that skunks pose? Yup, there is something even scarier about skunks than being sprayed. What could be scarier than that?
Skunks Can Spread The Rabies Virus
While it may be one of the most unpleasant experiences in life to be directly sprayed by a skunk, at least the smell eventually goes away and you can get back to your normal life. The rabies virus, however, may not be quite so temporary. And skunks can spread the rabies virus.
Skunks are actually highly susceptible to rabies, and they pose a serious threat to humans, pets, and other animals because the virus does not become apparent, sometimes, for many weeks or even months after the animal has become infected. In other words, the infected skunk may not exhibit any of the signs of having rabies for a long period, signs such as abnormal behavior, being active during the daytime, listlessness, aggressiveness, stumbling, seizures, muscle tremors, paralysis, excessive salivation, and vocalizing. Skunks are usually docile, only active at night, and they don't usually make any kind of vocal noises. Skunks that are infected with rabies frequently will lose their normal fear of humans and, subsequently, will appear friendlier and more approachable. If you encounter a skunk, or any animal exhibiting these unusual behaviors, it is advisable to contact professional wildlife management immediately.
Rabies Symptoms In Humans
Initial symptoms of rabies are similar to the flu and may last many days. More severe symptoms may include, headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, agitation, anxiety, confusion, hyperactivity, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation, hydrophobia, hallucinations, insomnia and partial paralysis.
Having skunks or other wild animals wandering freely on your property is something that should be taken very seriously. If you need help with humanely removing wildlife from your home or business property, contact the pest professionals here at Big Blue Bug Solutions for immediate assistance.
