I found a bat. What are the next steps to take for safety and rabies?

You need to take this very seriously. The number one carrier of rabies is bats. Rabies is 100% fatal if not vaccinated/treated promptly. It can also be transferred to humans, again 100% fatal. Only two people have ever survived rabies and they have residual problems. You need to find a way to get him examined by a vet. Rabies is no joke.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Chiko. This would count as a rabies exposure until it is now if the bat is rabid or not. Do not handle the bat, contact animal control. If you still have the bat or know where it is, it can be submitted for testing. I recommend that Chiko sees his veterinarian today. Laws can vary between states, but he will likely require a rabies booster and a quarantine period. If you touched the bat at all, you will need to contact your family physician to determine if treatment is required for you or anyone in your family. I hope this information helps!

Hello. Yes, if the mother has rabies, the babies are considered to be exposed. The mother, or course, needs to be euthanised. The babies need to be quarentined for a minimum of 6 months, & if any get sick, they need to be euthanised & tested for rabies. If any of the babies do die or get sick in the next 10-14 days, you should humanely euthanize the litter & possibly consider per exposure prophylaxis for yourself. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately most of the times they can die if not checked and have intense nutritional support. I would recommend to have her checked by your local veterinarian and discuss the best course of action. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

That is a bit scary for you, I imagine. The chance that this bat has rabies depends on the prevalence of rabies in your area. I suspect that if you saw no blood or puncture wounds, Riley should be fine. I don't think there is a high chance, but please keep in mind I can't say for certain. I can say getting her vaccine again was good.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In retrospect you should have had the bat tested. That would have been the best way to know. If your country is Rabies free then the bat likely doesn't have Rabies either. I would trust your countries health officials on this. The bat would have had to get it's saliva in to your dog via a bit or her mucous membranes (gums, eyes, cut on skin). In the US an unvaccinated pet that may be exposed to rabies is quarantined for 6 months because that is the maximum amount of time it can take for rabies to become contagious or obvious. It can happen sooner. Rabies is only contagious when it is in the final stages, in the salivary glands. Once it is in the salivary glands the animal will show signs of rabies with in 10 days. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately, that would be a question for your physician since we are unqualified to comment on problems with people. It sounds like you went to the ER and they determined that there was no need for post-exposure prophylaxis. You could double check with the public health department in your area to make sure. I would think that it would be very unlikely that your cat would have clawed the bat in the mouth and then immediately clawed you to transmit rabies. In the future, keep in mind that a bat can be tested for rabies if there is concern about exposure to people.