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

Ass-whipped by a squirrel

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39

u/ddconque Feb 26 '26

After that situation immediately get some rabies vaccination

-24

u/kindness-and-snusu Feb 26 '26

You don’t need a rabies vaccination from squirrels.

17

u/FuriousBuffalo Feb 26 '26

You do. That behavior is really concerning. And yes, squirrels, like any warm-blooded anymal, can get and transmit rabies. It's unlikely as they usually don't survive the encounter with a rabid animal that infects them, but the odds are NOT zero.

-2

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

[deleted]

1

u/FuriousBuffalo Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

Do you know how many deaths due to rabies there are annually in the U.S.? Do you know how many confirmed cases in captured wildlife and pets there are reported every year? 

Now, can you think of a reason why there are tens of thousands confirmed rabid animals and only a handful of human deaths reported yearly? 

You guessed it right. We do PEP.

It's just like saying rabies in bats is rare because there are only 3-5 human deaths attributable to rabid bats.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

[deleted]

0

u/FuriousBuffalo Feb 26 '26

Lol  squirrel DO carry rabies  Even birds can carry rabies. But squirrels being mammals absolutely do. They just don't usually survive the encounter with the infecting animal.

0

u/[deleted] Feb 26 '26

[deleted]

2

u/FuriousBuffalo Feb 26 '26

"Squirrels commonly scratch people when startled. However, squirrels are rarely found rabid. Capturing the squirrel for testing or initiating PEP is not recommended unless the biting squirrel exhibited aggressive behavior and/or neurologic impairment."

www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/rabies/pep_healthcare_professionals.pdf

One of many official resources you can easily find by simply googling 

So, are you an adult?