A rabid bat was discovered in northeast Portland on Wednesday, the first time an animal has tested positive for the disease in Multnomah County since 2014, county officials said.
The bat was discovered Saturday in a garden in the Grant Park neighborhood after a dog was found playing with it, according to a county spokeswoman. The dog had the rabies vaccine, received a booster shot and will be in quarantine for 45 days, the county said.
“Rabies is a deadly disease. Fortunately, it’s rare for pets to be required to be aware of the rabies vaccine, ”Lisa Ferguson, Multnomah County Communicable Diseases Services Manager, said in a statement.“ Make sure your pets are to the day of their vaccines to protect them “.
Another rabid bat was found in Beaverton on Friday, Washington County officials said later Wednesday. The bat was euthanized, although it may have had contact with some pets, officials said.
No human being is believed to have been exposed to the disease in either case.
Anger attacks the nervous system of infected mammals and symptoms can include lethargy, aggression, irritability, seizures, and loss of coordination. The disease is uncommon in Oregon, with only ten more animals that have tested positive for the disease this year, none of them in the Portland metropolitan area.
Bats usually hunt at night, so seeing them during the day can be a cause for concern, county officials said. Sick bats may also appear sedentary or floppy on the ground.
Experts strongly advise against trying to handle a bat. If the animal appears to be sick, children and animals should be brought inside. If the animal is suspected of biting a person or pet, rabies should be tested.
Bats, whether alive or dead, should never be handled without proper protection.
The best way to act is to contact Multnomah County Animal Services at 503-988-7387 or Washington County Public Health at 503-846-3594.
“If you see a bat, avoid it,” Ferguson said. “If you think you may have been bitten, scratched, or concerned about contact with a bat, let them know because you may need rabies vaccines just in time.”
county officials also reminded the public that bats are valuable members of the ecosystem and that a large portion of their diet consists of mosquitoes.
– Kale Williams; [email protected]; 503-294-4048; @sfkale