Raccoons are extremely susceptible to rabies and their behavior can change unusually when attacked by the virus. Everybody knows that raccoons are nocturnal animals and so when they are seen during the day, people can suspect that they have rabies. But it is not true in all cases as sometimes they move around even in the daylight due to a number of reasons.
Are Raccoons Born With Rabies?
Yes, a raccoon offspring can be born with rabies if its mother is carrying the virus at the time of giving birth. There can be no sign or symptom of rabies in a raccoon but still, it can be carrying the disease from inside. Raccoons are capable of spreading the virus of rabies to any other susceptible animal including another raccoon. That is why their babies too can be born with the virus.
What Is The Cause of Rabies In A Raccoon?
When a rabid raccoon bites a healthy one, the virus of rabies gets transmitted through the saliva of the rabid raccoon to the healthy one. It is the most common way of spreading the disease in the wild raccoons. Unlike the other animals, rabies can spread extremely fast in the raccoons and the entire community can get affected within a few days. So, it is recommended to stay away from them.
How Does A Racoon Behave When It Has Rabies?
When a healthy raccoon gets infected with rabies, its behavior may change in an unusual manner. It may become too friendly to humans which they generally are not. Sometimes the rabid raccoons can be tamed very easily. In the other cases, the behavior of raccoons becomes extremely aggressive and risky for humans and other animals. The second behavior can be noticed more often.
How Long Can A Raccoon Survive With Rabies?
Rabies is one of the most deadly diseases for wild animals like raccoons. It is extremely fatal and the chances of survival are very less. However, it is only after the development of clinical signs of the disease that a rabid raccoon can transmit the virus to a healthy one. The raccoon can normally live for a maximum period of 10 days after the development of these signs.
Is There Any Vaccine Of Rabies For A Raccoon?
With the increase of this deadly disease killing a large number of wild animals like raccoons every year, necessary steps for prevention are adopted. It includes vaccinations for the raccoons which are similar to the vaccines for human children against diseases such as mumps and measles, etc. These vaccines are also given to the raccoons through the mouth like the polio vaccines.
Final Words
As a result of these vaccination drives for rabies, the spread of this disease has now been checked to a considerable extent. Domestic dogs do not transmit this disease any longer. Although rabies is still prevalent among raccoons and other wild animals, it is expected that with the invention of these precautionary measures and other necessary steps it can be eradicated in the near future.
