Do raccoons in Wisconsin carry rabies?

booandluna · 09-21-2008, 05:21 PM

My cat was bitten by a raccoon. I immediately thought about the risk of rabies. Someone who has worked for the Wisconsin Vetinary Medical Association said that rabies is not prevalent in raccoons in Wisconsin. Anybody know if this is true?

CarolsCritterCare · 09-21-2008, 05:40 PM

There has not been a case of raccoon rabies in WI since 1982

Quote:

Viral diseases, such as parvovirus, canine distemper, and rabies often lead to the slow and tortured death of the infected individual. Parvovirus was responsible for the deaths of many Wisconsin raccoons in 1982. Distemper has also been the source of several major raccoon epidemics in the state. The most recent outbreak of distemper occurred in 1983. Rabies is capable of producing extensive widespread deaths when outbreaks spread through a dense population of raccoons. These "waves" of outbreaks occur periodically throughout the United States. Four cases of rabies in Wisconsin raccoons were positively diagnosed in 1982. These had been the first reports of rabid raccoons in Wisconsin since the mid 1960's. In 1983, over 1,600 rabid raccoons were reported in the mid-Atlantic States. In Wisconsin, raccoons with rabies is not common.

I'm suprised your cat got close enough to the raccoon. Do you know it was a coon?

booandluna · 09-21-2008, 05:48 PM

Yes, I saw the raccoon which broke onto my back porch to steal the cat food.
I saw the raccoon bite my cat Jabber and a second cat swatted at the raccoon and it ran away.

3 years ago I had a blind cat that was cornered by a mother raccoon and 3 young that came into the porch. They killed my cat.

Thank you for the rabies info.

CarolsCritterCare · 09-21-2008, 05:53 PM

I figured you were going to tell me it was over food. The coons will break into anything if they know there is food available.

Is your cat current on vaccinations?

Like I said, there has not been a case of coon rabies in WI since 1982...

YouTube - Celebrating Wildlife in Jefferson County

booandluna · 09-21-2008, 06:02 PM

Yes, all my cats are current with vaccinations. I live on a farm and have had as many as 11 cats that resided here at one time. Most were strays that fought their way into our clan and stayed. My policy is if a cat shows up on my farm and I can get my hands on it, it will be spayed/neutered and vaccinated. All of these strays became wonderful and exceptionally loving members of our family. We had two wonderful Border Collies that patroled the farm dutifully and kept the riff-raff out. Sadly they are both in heaven now and we have been dog-less for that past two years and that is when the raccoons started to visit.

CarolsCritterCare · 09-21-2008, 06:11 PM

JMHO....but as your vet tech friend said...I would not worry.

How wonderful to allow all the kitties to reside with you and the family. Great that you spay/neuter and vaccinate. I know so many farmers around here that do not do either and then are upset they have a million cats running around.

If it's hungry, it finds it's way here. If it's lost or hurt, it finds it's way here.

I am in the process of setting up a TNR for a local farmer who's cat population is just way out of control

Sorry to hear about your dogs....coons sure do keep a distance with those around. There are some great dogs awaiting adoption thru different rescue groups here in WI, if you ever think of getting another one.

Wisconsin Dog Rescue Homepage