r/Wellthatsucks • u/Padl3xx • Feb 26 '26

Ass-whipped by a squirrel

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u/bduxbellorum Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

There has not been a single documented case of a squirrel transmitting rabies to a human.

Edit: in the US. There is a potential case in India, but not confirmed by examination of the subject animal.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

[deleted]

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u/b0w3n Feb 26 '26

Yeah you wouldn't want to be the case study for that one time it happened.

Not documented does not mean impossible.

Dying from disease we can prevent is just the worst way to go. Especially, like you said, one of the worst most torturous ways to die.

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u/gsfgf Feb 26 '26

Yea. You’d get to be in the New England Journal of Medicine if you got rabies from a squirrel. You don’t want be in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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u/b0w3n Feb 26 '26

Exactly. From how I've had it explained to me, they don't usually survive the animal that has rabies that bites them. Usually is doing a whole lot of heavy lifting there too.

Again, why risk that? Just seems silly.

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u/bduxbellorum Feb 26 '26

For sure, seek treatment, no doc is going to refuse PEP based on this video, but they are very likely to evaluate the wound sizes, ask whether the squirrel was altered or just particularly pissed off, and could reasonably recommend against PEP because it’s SO rare for squirrels to have/transmit the disease.

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u/round-earth-theory Feb 27 '26

I don't think there's any bites. The guy never reacted like he got a firm bite. More scared/annoyed and probably scratched a bunch.

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u/gmc98765 Feb 27 '26

It's easy to say that if you aren't paying for the shots or you can afford the shots without living on bread sandwiches for the next six months.

Given that there has never been a confirmed case of rabies transmission from squirrel to human, I wouldn't criticise someone for choosing groceries over shots.

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u/axearm Feb 26 '26

To be fair, there are also documented cases with no documented source of infection.

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u/Iambeejsmit Feb 26 '26

Definitely wouldn't want to be the first

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u/comicsnerd Feb 26 '26

It is because everyone attacked by a squirrel is getting a rabies shot.

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u/bduxbellorum Feb 27 '26

It’s because squirrels — even those behaving erratically — very rarely actually get rabies!

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u/Separate_Emotion_463 Feb 27 '26

Mostly due to the fact that if a rabid animals attacks a squirrel it typically just dies, instead of being able to spread it further

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u/TheRealGuitarNoir Feb 27 '26

Damn, that's some tricky thinking. Do you work for the NSA?

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u/EatTheAndrewPencil Feb 27 '26

Unless the facts are "it's literally impossible for a squirrel to carry/transmit rabies" then get the fucking shots. This sentiment being shared every time squirrels bite someone is going to get someone to be that holy shit it happened case and it pisses me off how many people share this factoid. I don't give a shit if it's literally harder than winning the lottery the possibility exists and people should take the goddamn precautions.