Bats Tested in West Michigan – Two Positive For Rabies

Each year the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services tests a variety of animals for rabies and has already found that two bats tested positive.

What Can Rabies Do to Animals and Humans?

Any mammal can catch rabies but they are usually found in wild animals like bats, foxes, raccoons, and skunks. This usually happens when one rabid animal bites another.

It is just a matter of days after an animal is bitten by a rabid animal that virus will infect the central nervous system. The bitten animal will begin to have difficulty breathing, show abnormal behavior, experience difficulty swallowing, begin to salivate, experience seizures, become much more aggressive, and some animals will commit self-mutilation.

Read More: Michigan Has Deadly Animals That Kill Humans, But Which Ones?

If a human gets rabies from an animal bite they may experience abnormal behavior, delirium, hallucinations, hydrophobia, and insomnia. The survival of rabies for humans is extremely rare with only 15 known survivors in the world. So needless to say the disease is almost always fatal for a human who gets the disease.

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Two Bats in West Michigan Tested Positive for Rabies

According to WOOD, the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services has captured two bats that tested positive for rabies. One bat was found in Berrien County and the other in St. Clair County.

Several bats, skunks, a cat, and a dog were found to have rabies last year in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, and Van Buren Counties.

To protect yourself and your pets, make sure all are properly vaccinated to prevent the spread of rabies. If you think you have been bitten by an animal with rabies you will need to immediately contact your doctor. Be prepared to get a lot of shots if exposed.