Do I need to get a rabies shot if a bat was in my bedroom?
Bats are cute and vital members of our ecosystem, yet they likewise caused 17 of the 19 rabies fatalities in the US between 1997 and 2006. You can be bitten without realizing it, which is why health departments commonly suggest a rabies shot if you wake up with a bat in your bedroom.
Do you need rabies shot after bat in house?
Children should be vaccinated after any direct contact with a bat. There is no change to the recommendation that people known to have been bitten or scratched by a bat or another potentially rabid animal get rabies shots.
What to do if you find a sleeping bat in your house?
Close interior doors and give the bat a way to get outside. If the bat doesn’t exit on their own, it is best to wait until they land to try to catch them. Important: Never try to handle a bat with your bare hands. Wear thick work gloves—but not cotton, as most bats can easily bite through cotton.
How soon after bat exposure do you need rabies shot?
If a dog, cat, bat, or other mammal you might suspect has rabies has bitten you, get to the doctor. The first dose of the vaccine should be administered within the first 24 hours after exposure.
What should I do if I find a bat?
If you find a bat in your home…
- Open all doors and windows that lead outside.
- Close off the rest of the house, leaving a path from the bat’s location to the outdoors.
- Turn out the lights.
- Leave the bat for a few hours to see if it leaves on its own.
- If it does not leave, call your local animal control officer.
Do bats in the Philippines have rabies?
98\% of animal rabies cases are due to dogs while two percent are due to cats and other domesticated animals such as carabao, cattle, pigs and goats. There are no rabies cases involving wild animals and bats in the country.
Can I sleep with a bat in the house?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, of all the bats that have been captured or tested for rabies in the U.S., only 6 percent had the disease. I was referred to county epidemiologist Lisa Yee, who explained that sleeping with bats in your bedroom is considered high-risk exposure.