If you have a pet mammal, this is your public service announcement at the expense of my sister.

Please learn from my sister's folly.

My sister called earlier and I decided to brave the nuttiness/randomness and call her back.

Small talk ensues.

Her: Hey, listen, I have a problem.

Me: *groaning and channeling the depths of hell to garner enough patience* (did I mention this is my older sister?) If it's a cat problem, I can't help you. I don't do psychic phone consults.

Her: No, my cat got an abscess.

Me: And how am I supposed to help over the phone?

Her: *mutters about a possible hawk attack* *describes how she had to clean it, and she almost puked*

Me: I love it when we share.

Her: Well then he got another abscess.

Me: So he's prolly septic. Take him to the vet and at least check his temp. In fact, see if he has a fever now, kay, bai.

Her: No, I took him to the vet and they cleaned him up.

Me: That's nice? Why did you call again?

Her: They said I had to keep him quarantined.

Me: *starts packing lunch for tomorrow* Mmm hmm.

Her: He really doesn't like being quarantined. And someone has to check him at home.

Me: ...Wait, what? What quarantine? What the hell kinda abscess bacteria do they think he has?

Her: Um, they said he has to be in home quarantine for 6 months.



Me: YOU DIDN'T VACCINATE FOR RABIES?!?!?!!!!???!!!


Her: Well I got the first shot...

Me: FFS. We TALKED ABOUT you getting his vaccines the first time you wanted my free advice. Stop calling me for free advice.

Her: I don't think he has rabies.

Me: THAT'S BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY TO TELL IS TO CUT OFF HIS HEAD!

Her: He's not foaming or anything.

Me: Do you know the incubation time for rabies?

Her: Well I guess you probably know, right?

Me: *rolls eyes* It can be 10 days OR LESS or it can be SIX MONTHS, sometimes more, thus the SIX MONTH QUARANTINE! It's a truly fked up virus that can't be detected easily. *reconsiders whether I was adopted or not*

Her: Oh. So he really wants to go outside.

Me: And if someone so much as thinks he bit someone, they'll cut off his friggen head. Next time listen to me, and don't let him out, and don't call me because it's a STATE LAW AND THEY DON'T DICK AROUND WITH RABIES AND I CAN'T HELP YOU.

*pause*

Me: So, Um, take care. I go bed soon.

Her: Okay, but call more often.

Me: Thinking: So that I have more absurd stories to share with the internet?


So odd family relationships aside, don't let this happen to your pets. Most countries have similar laws to the State laws here. It's not an expensive vaccine if you get it at a clinic or vaccine day.

Rabies is here to stay. The bloody virus inspired vampires ffs. Not a fun way to go.

Nor is it cheap.

It was 500 just to get vaccinated before vet school and that's not as intense.

thothguard51 said:

I read last year that CATS are the number 2 cause of Rabies in humans...

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Considering my sister's desire to believe it was a hawk attack and say her cat doesn't look rabid, this would not surprise me.

And there are forms of rabies aside from the furious one.

Medievalist said:

Fenika.

We need to talk. I think we share an older sister. I've had that conversation, some years back.

Mind, I'm older than you by . . . well, older. So this may be truly miraculous, and involve time travel and, uh rabies.

And yes,

Vaccinate, and get the entire series.​

Click to expand...

Sister!

It is kinda funny that history repeats itself.


As for diagnosis- for people they will do blood and CSF tests but it's only an idea of what might be going on. Google will explain if you are curious.

For animals, doing expensive tests that rarely prove one way or the other, especially since we Need to know if the animal is negative and negative is impossible to prove, you have to quarantine and watch for symptoms (checked by a vet, not a wishful owner) or you have to look for the telltale changes in the brain- negri bodies.

If you ever get bit by a strange animal this is why it is best to trap it if possible so the state can have it monitored (certain dog and cat cases) or have its brain checked.