Almost Outfoxed

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Had a close one. I was out in the backyard picking up the hose and getting ready to mow the yard when I looked up and saw what I thought was a strange dog coming around the corner of my house. A second later I realized about the time he saw me and turned to come towrd me, that it was not a dog but a fox. I immediately started looking for something to defend myself with as I know seeing a gray fox in the middle of the day is unusual and that having one to start towards me at only 20ft away is even more unusual.

One of my dogs, Shade, a cock-a-poo and my parents smaller dog, Oreo, a black pom-a-poo was out with me. Shade starts toward the fox and I started yelling at the fox as the fox is now within 10ft of me, when out of nowhere Oreo, which is less than half the size of the fox comes out of nowhere like a bat out a heck and jumps on the fox. They roll around a bit giving me time to run back up to my garage and grab a shovel. By the time I got back around the house to where the fox was, he was trotting off into the woods making a WHAAAAA sound every few seconds.

I asked my wife to call the vet and animal control and I looked over Oreo but could find no broken skin on her.

I was very lucky as I believe the fox to have been rabid due to it's actions. I am also glad to have had my dog and my parent's dog vaccinated.

I washed my hands good, warned the neighbors on both sides of me who have small kids and dogs, and proceeded to start mowing. All the while keeping a keen eye out for "Cujo"

I wanted to strap on my 45, but figured this might get everyone in my neighborhood too excited if the saw or heard it -

Glad to know I still have those guardian angels looking after me!!!

Be careful - it tis the season for rabies and just when you think it will never happen to you... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Hopefully it won't! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Had a close one. I was out in the backyard picking up the hose and getting ready to mow the yard when I looked up and saw what I thought was a strange dog coming around the corner of my house. A second later I realized about the time he saw me and turned to come towrd me, that it was not a dog but a fox. I immediately started looking for something to defend myself with as I know seeing a gray fox in the middle of the day is unusual and that having one to start towards me at only 20ft away is even more unusual.

One of my dogs, Shade, a cock-a-poo and my parents smaller dog, Oreo, a black pom-a-poo was out with me. Shade starts toward the fox and I started yelling at the fox as the fox is now within 10ft of me, when out of nowhere Oreo, which is less than half the size of the fox comes out of nowhere like a bat out a heck and jumps on the fox. They roll around a bit giving me time to run back up to my garage and grab a shovel. By the time I got back around the house to where the fox was, he was trotting off into the woods making a WHAAAAA sound every few seconds.

I asked my wife to call the vet and animal control and I looked over Oreo but could find no broken skin on her.

I was very lucky as I believe the fox to have been rabid due to it's actions. I am also glad to have had my dog and my parent's dog vaccinated.

I washed my hands good, warned the neighbors on both sides of me who have small kids and dogs, and proceeded to start mowing. All the while keeping a keen eye out for "Cujo"

I wanted to strap on my 45, but figured this might get everyone in my neighborhood too excited if the saw or heard it -

Glad to know I still have those guardian angels looking after me!!!

Be careful - it tis the season for rabies and just when you think it will never happen to you... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Hopefully it won't! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

scott_vt · Jun 2, 2006

Wow, that is strange !!! Only thing that could have been worse is a wolf wandering around in your yard /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Glad everyone is OK!

scott_vt · Jun 2, 2006

Wow, that is strange !!! Only thing that could have been worse is a wolf wandering around in your yard /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Glad everyone is OK!

GeneD14 · Jun 2, 2006

Gee...that sounds pretty intense for a day out in the yard.
Glad to hear you and your pets are ok.

GeneD14 · Jun 2, 2006

Gee...that sounds pretty intense for a day out in the yard.
Glad to hear you and your pets are ok.

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Yea - it completely caught me offguard to say the least. I thought I was going to have to test my punting skills. I firmly believe that little dog saved me as the fox was coming towards me making that WhAAA sound.

The really ironic part is my Dad, who was down visiting from NC had just asked me the night before if we had seen any strange acting foxes - He must have had a premonition or something

I can assure you - Alot of thoughts went thru my mind in a very short period of time.

My wife really freaked out at the thought of me using a shovel on that fox - she doesn't understand

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Yea - it completely caught me offguard to say the least. I thought I was going to have to test my punting skills. I firmly believe that little dog saved me as the fox was coming towards me making that WhAAA sound.

The really ironic part is my Dad, who was down visiting from NC had just asked me the night before if we had seen any strange acting foxes - He must have had a premonition or something

I can assure you - Alot of thoughts went thru my mind in a very short period of time.

My wife really freaked out at the thought of me using a shovel on that fox - she doesn't understand

EddieWalker · Jun 2, 2006

When I was an Embassy Marine in Cameroon, a small country in West Africa, I had a puppy that I played kind of rough with. He regularly scratched my arms and left marks. Not enough to draw blood, but he did break the skin.

One day he got real sick and wouldn't move, eat or drink anything until he died. One of the guys from AID (American International Developement) came by while he was sick and looked at him, but wasn't sure what was wrong. After the dog died, he insisted we have him tested for rabies. He tested negative for spinal rabies, but the AID guy was so insistant that the dog must have had rabies, that they did a brain test.

The results were positive.

Everyone who came in contact with that dog had to go through the treatment. The Ambassador got involved and made sure it happened.

A few things I learnd.

Rabies can hide in the fat cells for a year or longer before infecting the person or animal.

There is no cure for rabies. (I know it's happened, but nobody knows how those few people survived or beat it.)

Once you are infected, it's fatal.

An animal can have it and show no signs of it for a very long time, but still transfer it to others.

I'm not trying to scare you, but if that fox was rabid, then it's very likely that it scratched the dog it fought with. This dog may or may not have rabies and it may be a year or more until you know for sure.

This is worse case information and I'm no expert. I am the only person I know who's been exposed and treated for rabies, and it's something I'm very afraid of!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Just watch that dog very carefuly and if it gets sick in the next year, quarentine it. I'd also contact your doctor and maybe even animal control and make a report. If that fox is rabid, it may still be around and it may make contact with your neighbors or their pets. It could also just die under a bush someplace and you'll never know.

Good luck and sorry about what happened.
Eddie

EddieWalker · Jun 2, 2006

When I was an Embassy Marine in Cameroon, a small country in West Africa, I had a puppy that I played kind of rough with. He regularly scratched my arms and left marks. Not enough to draw blood, but he did break the skin.

One day he got real sick and wouldn't move, eat or drink anything until he died. One of the guys from AID (American International Developement) came by while he was sick and looked at him, but wasn't sure what was wrong. After the dog died, he insisted we have him tested for rabies. He tested negative for spinal rabies, but the AID guy was so insistant that the dog must have had rabies, that they did a brain test.

The results were positive.

Everyone who came in contact with that dog had to go through the treatment. The Ambassador got involved and made sure it happened.

A few things I learnd.

Rabies can hide in the fat cells for a year or longer before infecting the person or animal.

There is no cure for rabies. (I know it's happened, but nobody knows how those few people survived or beat it.)

Once you are infected, it's fatal.

An animal can have it and show no signs of it for a very long time, but still transfer it to others.

I'm not trying to scare you, but if that fox was rabid, then it's very likely that it scratched the dog it fought with. This dog may or may not have rabies and it may be a year or more until you know for sure.

This is worse case information and I'm no expert. I am the only person I know who's been exposed and treated for rabies, and it's something I'm very afraid of!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Just watch that dog very carefuly and if it gets sick in the next year, quarentine it. I'd also contact your doctor and maybe even animal control and make a report. If that fox is rabid, it may still be around and it may make contact with your neighbors or their pets. It could also just die under a bush someplace and you'll never know.

Good luck and sorry about what happened.
Eddie

Richard · Jun 2, 2006

wow, I had no idea rabies could be this vile.

Richard · Jun 2, 2006

wow, I had no idea rabies could be this vile.

Bird · Jun 2, 2006

Now I don't really know, but I've heard that even if your dog has been vaccinated for rabies, that if you think it's been exposed, you should immediately take it to the vet for another booster shot.

Does anyone know whether that's true or not?

Bird · Jun 2, 2006

Now I don't really know, but I've heard that even if your dog has been vaccinated for rabies, that if you think it's been exposed, you should immediately take it to the vet for another booster shot.

Does anyone know whether that's true or not?

anojones · Jun 2, 2006

I agree. As I'm sure Eddie can tell you, there is more than one shot for rabies (an immunoglobulin and the vaccine). I'm not sure what vets do in your area, but even a vaccinated pet would likley benefit from the immunoglogulin if exposed to a rabid animal. I also wouldn't assume it wasn't transmitted just because you couldn't find a skin break/wound- there are cases of transmission without finding a skin break (there of course probably was one- but not ever found). Often the medicine can be given up to 72 hours after the incident. I'd at least give a vet a call.

anojones · Jun 2, 2006

I agree. As I'm sure Eddie can tell you, there is more than one shot for rabies (an immunoglobulin and the vaccine). I'm not sure what vets do in your area, but even a vaccinated pet would likley benefit from the immunoglogulin if exposed to a rabid animal. I also wouldn't assume it wasn't transmitted just because you couldn't find a skin break/wound- there are cases of transmission without finding a skin break (there of course probably was one- but not ever found). Often the medicine can be given up to 72 hours after the incident. I'd at least give a vet a call.

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Bird and Eddie -

My wife called the Vet and Animal Control immediatley after this incident happend. The Vet's office told her as long as the dogs were up to date with their rabies vaccination that they were in no danger. However, they did advise that we should wash any salavia off the dogs as this could potentially transmit the rabies to humans if one petted the dogs and then touched an open wound or sore.

Animal control did make note of the report but advised there was really nothing they could do unless we had caught the fox. Guess they don't hunt for potential nusances unless easy to get to. This was frustrating to say the least.

I literally ran to all close neighbors and verbally warned them of the potential danger, as well as, sent emails to all of our other neighbors.

The fact that this instance happened in a subdivision that has many small children was an immediate concern for me.

I was about 10 seconds too late in getting my shovel, or I would have eliminated future risk. I am still concerned about this, as I also understand the ramifications rabies can have on a person who contracts it.

My Grandfather told me horror stories about a friend of his who contracted rabies - the victim was strapped to a bed and ended up breaking the leather straps. This was a long time ago, so I'm not sure how much fact was in this story but the impact on me was tremendous.

I'll have to admit, I was very concerned (can you say scared) at the time this happened as I was almost helpless. I am usually more prepared when out working on my property as it is in a more remote location, but never, ever would have thought I would encounter anything as potentially lethal in my own backyard.

More irony - my backyard WAS completley fenced prior to last weekend when I tore out the front portions of the fence that connect to my house to make room for a new garage addition we are getting ready to start. The fox would never have been in my backyard had this area still been fenced.

The point I really wanted to make here is that rabies is a serious threat and to try to increase everyone's awareness and attention.

1bush2hog · Jun 2, 2006

Bird and Eddie -

My wife called the Vet and Animal Control immediatley after this incident happend. The Vet's office told her as long as the dogs were up to date with their rabies vaccination that they were in no danger. However, they did advise that we should wash any salavia off the dogs as this could potentially transmit the rabies to humans if one petted the dogs and then touched an open wound or sore.

Animal control did make note of the report but advised there was really nothing they could do unless we had caught the fox. Guess they don't hunt for potential nusances unless easy to get to. This was frustrating to say the least.

I literally ran to all close neighbors and verbally warned them of the potential danger, as well as, sent emails to all of our other neighbors.

The fact that this instance happened in a subdivision that has many small children was an immediate concern for me.

I was about 10 seconds too late in getting my shovel, or I would have eliminated future risk. I am still concerned about this, as I also understand the ramifications rabies can have on a person who contracts it.

My Grandfather told me horror stories about a friend of his who contracted rabies - the victim was strapped to a bed and ended up breaking the leather straps. This was a long time ago, so I'm not sure how much fact was in this story but the impact on me was tremendous.

I'll have to admit, I was very concerned (can you say scared) at the time this happened as I was almost helpless. I am usually more prepared when out working on my property as it is in a more remote location, but never, ever would have thought I would encounter anything as potentially lethal in my own backyard.

More irony - my backyard WAS completley fenced prior to last weekend when I tore out the front portions of the fence that connect to my house to make room for a new garage addition we are getting ready to start. The fox would never have been in my backyard had this area still been fenced.

The point I really wanted to make here is that rabies is a serious threat and to try to increase everyone's awareness and attention.

MarkV · Jun 3, 2006

I’m glad the animal control rules are different for you than they were for me in Atlanta. A number of years ago we had a coon show up during the day at our house in the city and I know it had rabies. Our Jack Russell terrorist was going nuts trying to get to that coon through the fence. When animal control showed up they wanted to know if the dog had had any contact with the coon. We said no and they told us if it had they would have had to quarantine it for 6 MONTHS. I don’t know if the dog or the animal control people would have been in worst shape after 6 months. This was not a dog that liked to be contained.

MarkV

MarkV · Jun 3, 2006

I’m glad the animal control rules are different for you than they were for me in Atlanta. A number of years ago we had a coon show up during the day at our house in the city and I know it had rabies. Our Jack Russell terrorist was going nuts trying to get to that coon through the fence. When animal control showed up they wanted to know if the dog had had any contact with the coon. We said no and they told us if it had they would have had to quarantine it for 6 MONTHS. I don’t know if the dog or the animal control people would have been in worst shape after 6 months. This was not a dog that liked to be contained.

MarkV