Trouble wears a mask: 16 who befriend baby raccoon now face rabies threat

island packet ^ | May 9, 2008 | LIZ MITCHELL

[george76]

Sixteen people who fed, kissed and held a baby raccoon on Hilton Head Island now are being treated by a physician after the animal tested positive for rabies.

There also are seven more people who might need vaccines to prevent them from contracting the disease

"Someone adopted a baby raccoon and passed it around to everyone they knew and kissed it on the lips," .

"There was a lot of affectionate handling, kissing it and feeding it. Part of that is it was three weeks old, and they inserted fingers into the raccoon's mouth. Saliva is one way that rabies spreads."

Boatwright said the baby raccoon did not show signs of the disease, but got sick Monday and had seizures. On Tuesday, a veterinarian euthanized the animal and sent it to DHEC, where it tested positive for rabies.

In most cases, Boatwright said, wild animals will not show signs of rabies, and people will not experience symptoms if they are exposed to the disease.

"Once you have a symptom, it has reached the brain and it is fatal,"

[definitelynotaliberal]

Thank you ;-)

[SunkenCiv]

What about “bookkeeper”?

[SunkenCiv]

I like the look of raccoon hats, a la Daniel Boone. Not a fan of the live animal, considering what they’ve done and tried to do to my house. :’(

[rabidralph]

This is what happens when U.S. Americans don’t have maps!

[LucyT]

Awww, too cute, lol. I once gave my raccoons sliced carrots mixed with the kitteh chow, but they carefully picked each slice out of the bowl and threw it on the floor, then ate the chow.

[LucyT]

"If you'd only feed me, I wouldn't have to eat the house."

[Hot Tabasco]

I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything that says coons make good pets because they can be destructive as hell around the house..........so adopting a baby one is just plain stupid.

[Lady Jag]

MOAR, MOAR, MOAR!

[Slings and Arrows]

IIRC, the male raccoons make good pets if obtained as babies, declawed, defanged, and neutered. The females tend to be bad tempered.

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

Grapes, raisins ... their favorite!

[LucyT]

Grapes, raisins ... their favorite!

Oh, no. I've been doing it wrong! There are raisins in the house, and next time I'm at the grocery I'll buy grapes, sweet corn, too.

Ya think that's a balanced diet? Kitty chow contains vitamins and minerals.

[Lady Jag]

[Daffynition]

Are you kiddin'? They have the life of Riley! I had the intention of wilding the kits I rescued from the get go ... so everyday day I went to the stream and gathered crawfish and wild berries for them. With your incredible TLC, like human kids .... they'll never leave home. ;-D

[Daffynition]

[gitmo]

"Someone adopted a baby raccoon and passed it around to everyone they knew and kissed it on the lips,"

At least they didn't kiss the other end.

I've handled a lot of young coons, but never once thought of kissing one.

[gitmo]

Been to Hilton Head many times. It’s one of the most expensive vacation spots in the country.

[Lakeshark]

Looks like that one was luckier than most lawyers........

{Insert favorite lawyer joke here.}

[Hot Tabasco]

declawed, defanged, and neutered.

Kind of extreme if you ask me........no thanks. coons belong in the wild, not in cages or houses.

[Lady Jag]