Friday, February 5, 2010

How do I treat a raccoon with severe wounds to the face and abdomen?

My baby racoon was injured by another wild animal. He has a large chunck of flesh hanging from the corner of his eye, cut almost to the end of his nose. you literally can see inside his head. His eyeball is still intack, but sunk in a little. Under his tail he also has another wound. He hasn't let me get a good look. from what i can see, it is bruised and swelled badly. right under his tail i've caught glimpses of torn flesh, but can't tell how bad. I've been using ointment (antibiotic ) on his face, he bites when i touch underneath. Im afraid of him having internal injuries. so far his stool looks normal. i don't know what to look for otherwise. I can't take him to a vet, being he is a wild animal. I've raised him since he was a little baby. I know he doesn't have rabbies, but i fear whatever got a hold of him did. My kids and I want to try and save him, please help us. He is our pet.How do I treat a raccoon with severe wounds to the face and abdomen?
Vets treat wild animals, and often don't charge. It is unacceptable for you to refuse him medical treatment.


Get him to a vet at once. He is NOT a wild animal, he is captive. And you are not a vet.


Currently you face prosecution for neglect if you refuse him treatment.





You don't have to mention you keep him as a pet, do you? Just get him help.How do I treat a raccoon with severe wounds to the face and abdomen?
take him to a vet stat!
Trap him and take him to a wildlife rescue vet. Or trap him and have pest control put him down with drugs; he'll fight the ;injections, but will fall asleep and die in his sleep.
either let nature take its course and he will heal with some scars, or since he is your pet and you can get your hands on him take him to the vet. the vet will probably have to sedate him but at least he will have been examined by a professional
Let it go, raccoons are not supposed to be pets. I actually had to shoot one the other day with distemper. I hate those things. They are cute, I will give you that though.
You DO NOT know he does not have rabies, if you've never given him shots to prevent it. And getting attacked by another animal opens up that potential. Now it's likely you and your kids have been exposed to it as well.





If you don't have the balls to take him to the vet then SHAME ON YOU. Your an idiot. coons are pests in my neck of the woods. They are notorious carriers of rabies. In all likelihood if you let him roam it's picked it up some where. A fight with another critter is a good way to get it. They can carry it and not die from it. People die from it and the death is ugly.
Its illegal to harbor a wild animal....you going to have to treat him yourself...clean with peroxide and hope for the best...Good Luck .
Shoot it and put it out of its misery. BTW - wild animals do not make ';pets';.
You should absolutely take the raccoon to a vet for proper medical treatment. You may face some fines or other reprimand for keeping a wild animal, but that's better than allowing your pet to suffer.
Call a wildlife rehabilitator (look in your phone book) and see if they can help you. Also, call vet hospitals as some will treat wild animals.





Finally, check your local laws. Harboring a wild animal as a pet may be illegal.
How about taking him to the vet? Do you have an animal medical degree or something? If not, take him to someone who does.
Take him to the vet, they will treat wild animals.... or they can refer you to someone who can. Otherwise he will probably die of infection without proper medical treatment.





Where do you live?? I found some wildlife rescues but I am unsure of where you are.... http://www.wildlife-rescue.org/about/ser鈥?/a>


http://www.wildliferescueleague.org/reso鈥?/a>


http://www.snowhawk.com/heckhaven/links.鈥?/a>





If you want to find a better link go to Google and type Wildlife rescue in (your area)
You are wasting time here asking apparently a no brainer question. You should of take him to the vet when this first happen, which more important his health or keeping him.





The period between infection and the first flu-like symptoms is normally 3鈥?2 weeks, but can be as long as two years. Soon after, the symptoms expand to cerebral dysfunction, anxiety, insomnia, confusion, agitation, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, progressing to delirium. The production of large quantities of saliva and tears coupled with an inability to speak or swallow are typical during the later stages of the disease; this can result in ';hydrophobia';. Death almost invariably results 2鈥?0 days after the first symptoms; the handful of people who are known to have survived the disease were all left with severe brain damage
If the raccoon was bitten by another animal, no matter what else happens, assume that he has been exposed to rabies, and therefore so have you and your children. Take him to a vet and follow the vet's recommendations. Additionally I would call the family doctor and explain the situation.
Hi





Tough one





You do not sy how long it has been since the attack....


First.. if you are keeping him as a pet he should not be outside alone where another animal can get him.





Since you do not know what attacked him.... you have to assume it had rabies....





As much as you do not want to .. You have to get him treatment..





Look to see if you have a wildlife VET program or Vet in your areas.. CALL your nearest universities with Zoology programs or VET schools... Look for sanctuaries and finally rehabbers.





You have to get him checked and treated.





I know you love him and your family loves him and you are afraid you will lose him...


But iof you dont get him treated you can not only lose him but you can end up infecting everyone..





How sad would everyone be if he dies... BECAUSE you did not get him treatment?





You know the answer to your question already .. so do it.





Get him some help at one of theplaces above..


If you tell me where you live the area I may be able to help you find someplace to get him help...





Also there are ways to legally have a wild animal in your home certain types and certain conditions allow for it with permits... each area of US id different.. But your raccoon in humanized and could not be released now so a rehabber would not release him anyway.





I will put you on my watch list if you decide to let me know where you are I will see if I can find places to go...





Good Luck





Remember.... even a scratch if he is carrying rabies now can infect a human or other animal.... His wounds could be much worse than you can see and he is probably suffering.





Wismom

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