tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post110495636022525656..comments2024-03-26T22:16:26.572-04:00Comments on Terrierman's Daily Dose: Raccoons, Rabies & DecapitationPBurnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-79235973709915497332008-10-03T16:21:00.000-04:002008-10-03T16:21:00.000-04:00Once, while waiting with a friend for Animal Contr...Once, while waiting with a friend for Animal Control in Asheville, N.C. to pick up a deliriously rabid raccoon in his yard, in the last wretched stages of the disease, we were wondering if they would test the animal to be sure it was rabid. When the Animal Control Officer arrived, he told us the head would be cut off, and the brains analyzed in the state capital, Raleigh, N. C. As this is our political capital, I could not resist making the comment, "I bet that's the most brains they'll have seen in Raleigh in some time!" To which the Officer seriously replied, having no idea the joke I was making, but giving a perfect response nonetheless, "Oh no! They have lots of bat and skunk brains there, too!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-92087854226313189892008-09-30T10:17:00.000-04:002008-09-30T10:17:00.000-04:00I was an Animal Control Officer in Northern Califo...I was an Animal Control Officer in Northern California in the early 90s, and we were indeed taught to not shoot them in the head. I never had one charge at me, so it never came up in a hurry. But during that and my previous 7 years of vet tech work, I took off a few heads, mostly of dogs. It was a pain in the neck...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-87992544512395463222008-09-30T08:44:00.000-04:002008-09-30T08:44:00.000-04:00Years ago, when rabies was just starting to appear...Years ago, when rabies was just starting to appear in Massachusetts (which had been rabies-free for some time), my friend the ACO got a cut on her hand while helping to decapitate a raccoon that subsequently tested positive.<BR/><BR/>They were using a SAW. On a HUGE boar raccoon. Horrible job.<BR/><BR/>Sue had the pre-exposure prophylaxis by virtue of her job, but the post-exposure series was still no picnic.<BR/><BR/>My husband was still finishing his doctorate at the time. He hooked her up with a supplier who produces guillotines for laboratory animals. The guillotine is used in the labs because it is extremely fast and humane, and kills the animal without chemicals, without causing physiological changes that would taint the results. At that time it was absolutely the preferred method for rodents.<BR/><BR/>Not an issue for the already-dead-animals being prepped for rabies testing, but it is much safer for the operator, and gives a cleaner cut.<BR/><BR/>BTW, later, PeTA freaks got the Cambridge city council to mandate that lab animals be "euthanised" with carbon monoxide -- they thought the guillotine was violent and icky. Of course, CO poisoning is a terrible way to die, a barbaric thing to do to an animal. I'd take the guillotine any day.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.com