Rabies is a fatal disease caused by the rabies virus. People can become infected when bitten by an infected bat, or when saliva of an infected bat comes in contact with the eyes, nose, mouth or an open wound. Any bat that bites or has possible contact with a person or pet should be tested for rabies. Call your local animal control for assistance.
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Bat bites are very small. Some bat bites cause only minor pain. A wound from a bat bite can easily go unnoticed. Therefore if there is the possibility of contact with a bat, a physician or the Department of Public Health should be consulted to evaluate the risk of rabies. Any suspected bite should be washed with soap and water immediately and prompt medical attention sought. If there is a possibility that your pet came in contact with a bat, a veterinarian or Veterinary Public Health should be consulted to evaluate the risk of rabies.

If a person was likely exposed to the rabies virus, symptoms can be prevented with a series of rabies vaccinations given in the upper arm over a few weeks, as well as rabies immune globulin (antibodies) given at the beginning of the treatment. This is called ‘rabies post-exposure prophylaxis’ or rabies PEP. Because rabies is such a serious disease, rabies PEP is needed after any bat bite unless the bat tests negative for rabies. If it is needed after a bat incident, rabies PEP should be started as soon as possible (i.e within 1-3 days). Symptoms of rabies from bats usually start 30-90 days after the bite. If symptoms occur, the disease is nearly always fatal. For additional information on rabies in people, click here.

If a pet was likely exposed to the rabies virus, they will be either quarantined for 30 days if vaccinated for rabies or for 6 months if not. Additionally, a series of rabies vaccines would be recommended to help prevent disease. Signs of rabies usually start 3-8 weeks after the bite. If signs of rabies occur, the disease is fatal.

Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. It can be anywhere there is a large amount of bat droppings (guano). People can become infected if they breathe in the fungal spores. Symptoms are similar to pneumonia (including trouble breathing and coughing) and should be treated early to avoid severe disease. The risk of contracting histoplasmosis from bat guano is no different from the risk associated with bird droppings. Professional services should be sought to clean up areas with large amounts of droppings.