Raccoons are everywhere in Ontario. They are the mascots of city living, dumpster diving and causing trouble in the streets in at night. Raccoons are also popular online. There are countless videos of them stealing food and living with humans, like pets. They might be fun, but raccoons are wild animals. They have the potential to carry the rabies virus and a plethora of other illnesses. It’s important that you learn to recognize the symptoms of the rabies virus and that you keep your distance from these animals. Call Raccoon Control if there is a raccoon on your property and you need help.
In 2020, there was only 1 reported case of a raccoon with rabies in Ontario. In 2019, there were 4. It’s rare, but it happens. Rabies is transmitted through direct contact with infected saliva or nervous tissue. Bites are usually to blame. Every warm-blooded animal is susceptible to the disease, except for opossums, which have a very low body temperature. What makes rabies particularly scary is that it is 100% fatal once symptoms appear. The risk of infection following a bite lies somewhere between 0.1 and 60%, depending on the stage of the animal’s illness, the depth of its bite, and the treatment of the wound.
Rabies Signs and Symptoms
The symptoms of rabies vary between species. As the virus overstimulates the nervous system, victims may suffer from seizure, paralysis, and everything in between. To better understand, there are two forms of rabies in animals: the dumb (paralytic) form and the furious form.
Dumb form
- Fear of humans
- Depression, retreating to isolated places
- Lethargy
- Partial paralysis
- Abnormal facial expression
- Drooling
- Drooping head
- Sagging jaw
- Spreading paralysis from legs to upper body
- Strange sounds
Furious form
- Extreme aggression and excitability
- Biting of the limbs
- Foaming at the mouth
- Alternating between depression and agitation
- Fear of water
Raccoons with rabies usually appear sick and confused, with any combination of the symptoms above. However, symptoms may take anything from a few days to several months to appear. Do not approach raccoons or handle them in any way. Call your local wildlife rehabilitation centre if you see a sick or injured raccoon on your property. They can remove the animal and treat it. If you are ever bit, clean the wound immediately and seek medical attention.
Hire a Wildlife Removal Company for Exclusion
It is best that you keep your distance from raccoons. Seal off your deck and get rid of hiding spots so that no raccoons den on your property. Call us and a technician will perform an inspection. We offer raccoon-proofing services in which we protect roofs, decks, sheds, and other structures from raccoons. If you suspect that there are raccoons living on your property, we can remove them humanely. We only use removal methods that do not harm the animals in any way. Call us for guaranteed raccoon removal services.