Posted on 09/29/2023 12:12:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Victim suffers dozens of wounds to arms, legs
A rabid otter attacked a man last week in Florida, according to health officials.
The Florida Department of Health said the attack happened Wednesday in Jupiter, Florida, in Palm Beach County.
According to WPTV-TV, the 74-year-old told Animal Care and Control that he was feeding corn to ducks at a nearby pond and was returning home when he spotted the otter.
The man began to back up slowly while facing the otter when the animal attacked him for several minutes. The man suffered dozens of wounds on his arms and legs.
The victim told WPTV-TV that he was receiving shots for rabies exposure and was visiting a hand surgeon to see if he suffered any permanent damage.
The otter also attacked a pet dog in the area, according to the FDOH.
The otter was captured and tested positive for rabies, officials said.
Rabies, a disease of the nervous system, is fatal to warm-blooded animals and humans if not treated. The only treatment for human exposure to rabies is rabies-specific immune globulin and rabies immunization, the FDOH said.
Health officials said pet owners should adhere to the following guidelines to combat rabies:
Keep rabies vaccinations up to date for all pets
Keep your pets under direct supervision so they do not come in contact with wild animals. If you or your pet are bitten by a wild animal, seek medical or veterinary assistance immediately and contact Animal Care & Control at 561-233-1215
Call your local animal control agency to remove any stray animals from your neighborhood
Spay or neuter your pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or regularly vaccinated
Do not handle, feed or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter
Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home
Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly
Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools, and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people and pets
Because the geese had already left for Mexico.
Because ducks are cute.
How does a water mammal get rabies?
If I had a dollar for every time this happened to me...
My 2 friends in Tampa just posted these responses
To that article:
“Everything in Florida is trying to kill you.”
That and the Milwaukee protocol. A few dozen have survived rabies using it.
Fighting a raccoon?
The same old boring way every other mammal does, by getting bitten by a rabid mammal.
Rabies , anthrax and other bacteria are in the soil.
Or you can get bitten by a rabid animal.
Check Ft. Derrick for further information.
5.56mm
So the ducks get fed and paddle off while the man and the otter get busy. Typical. Must be lame ducks...ba doom cha
He should be glad it wasn’t a bear 🐻.
There’s a conundrum for ya - a water mammal with hydrophobia.
“Check Ft. Derrick for further information.”
Ft. Detrick?
I was once feeding otters and got attacked by a rabid duck!
Fingers don’t work too good.
5.56mm
They don’t say when the “rabbit” otter was captured; immediately? Same day? I suppose they went by behavior.
Perhaps the average otter is nowhere near that aggressive when not being pursued.
Rabies is a virus.
I know, bad syntax.
Thanks.
5.56mm
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