Wow!
Ironically, when I lived in Berkeley the most dangerous things were racoons. Extremely smart, and primarily interested in trying to figure out how they could get the lids off your garbage cans to eat what was inside. But if you surprised one or it thought it was trapped it could go after you. The main fear was that if it bit you, you had to assume it was rabid and you would have to go through the rabies treatment which I understand is painful and involves poking needles in your stomach.
That was the old, horrible treatment. These days you usually get shots in the arm, and four shots instead of thirty.
That hasn’t been true for at least the last 10 years.
A fox came into my house about 6 years ago and bit me on it’s way in the door.
It was 11pm and I was letting the dogs out for their last business before we all turned in for the night, I had just got out of the shower so I opened the door in my skivvy drawers to let the dogs out when the fox came on in.
Bit me on my lower right leg on his way in.
Beat the damn thing to death with a broom handle and hung it out on the porch to freeze (about 14 degrees outside December 23rd), figured I would skin it out the next morning.
Got to thinking about it later on that night “HEY STUPID, FOXES DON’T COME INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH 4 DOGS IN RESIDENCE), took the fox into Weaverville the next Monday morning, by Thursday they told me it was RABID.
Got the shots; one in each shoulder first day I saw the doctor (Friday morning), seven more shots after that, one a week, was told I could pick either arm or buttock.
I switched them up just for comforts sake. :)
They don’t hurt anymore than a flu shot.
5th MEB