FML...Apparently dead raccoons are great toys!

[dungrulla]

Why can’t I just have NORMAL HORSES?

This encounter started with “what are they playing with…is that…aw no it’s a dead animal you have to be kidding me”

I expect this out of my dog but not them. Ugh.

Not sure if they tried to play with it too hard and it died or if it wandered in and croaked but it wasn’t there at breakfast. My husband of course touched it so now the health department has to come tomorrow and take it away for testing…which likely would have happened anyway but now is considered urgent.

Horses are likely on quarantine until results come back pending what the health department says because they hate me…guess no lesson on Wednesday!

I already have a VM into my vet letting her know they may need boosters this week.

why oh why do they do this?

[Denali6298]

From your multiple threads you should just board. I’ve never seen someone get so aggravated.

[dungrulla]

@Denali6298

From your multiple threads you should just board. I’ve never seen someone get so aggravated.

I’m actually just having a bad couple weeks. This is a lot better than boarding both in time and expense, and also in some ways aggravation. I am also fairly new to owning a farm and when people are new to doing things they tend to have a lot of questions.

I guess I’ll just stop posting if I bother people so much that their conclusion is that I shouldn’t own one.

Had they been boarded and found a dead animal the result would have been identical except I would have had to have the vet to a location I have to drive to. Ditto for the gate–everywhere I’ve boarded I still would have had to pay for a new one. Same with wall to wall matting, and plus had I been boarding I still would have been allergic to wood dust except then I would also have no control over its presence.

I have seen other users here have a crap couple weeks and feel as if it’s not unusual. I also have a hard time believing you’ve never seen a mildly aggravated person before.

[BoyleHeightsKid]

I’m not sure why the health department would need to get involved for a dead raccoon? Is there evidence it had rabies? Did it attack or bite anyone before dying? Did your husband pick it up then take a bite out of it? Did the horses eat it?

[dungrulla]

@BoyleHeightsKid

I’m not sure why the health department would need to get involved for a dead raccoon? Is there evidence it had rabies? Did it attack or bite anyone before dying? Did your husband pick it up then take a bite out of it? Did the horses eat it?

One of the horses had it in his mouth. My husband handled it with no protection because he wasn’t thinking. Unfortunately we are in a rabies-endemic area and I have taken enough infectious disease classes to not want to take chances with a dead rabies vector. The test is free through the health department (who wouldn’t even bother to come out with no cause) and shots are cheap, rabies is fatal.

I’m just a bit annoyed because it seems like in the last couple weeks I just cannot catch a break, between my horses and other animals (one of which is in kidney failure and the other of which randomly got a salivary gland infection and had to have an emergency vet visit Thursday night).

It’s just life I guess.

[Vyce]

I know this is very aggravating OP, but I think once its all said and done, it will make an amusing story. “Remember that time I caught Dobbin playing with a dead raccoon?” This also makes me think of that youtube video of a horse playing with a rubber chicken.

[dungrulla]

@Vyce

I know this is very aggravating OP, but I think once its all said and done, it will make an amusing story. “Remember that time I caught Dobbin playing with a dead raccoon?” This also makes me think of that youtube video of a horse playing with a rubber chicken.

The worst part is I know in three weeks this will be hysterical. Sigh.

Unfortunately I did not get video. I guess horsie is just going to be denied the chance to be the next youtube sensation.

[trubandloki]

@Denali6298

From your multiple threads you should just board. I’ve never seen someone get so aggravated.

If you search back, boarding did not go any better.

[dungrulla]

@trubandloki

If you search back, boarding did not go any better.

I actually boarded in the same place for four years and am still on good terms with the owners of that property. I had a lot to learn when I first got a horse. Now I have a lot to learn again as a new property owner. I will stumble my way through stupid newb mistakes and come out better on the other side, at the moment I’m just slightly frustrated that everything has decided to go incorrectly at the same time.

[trubandloki]

Well, on the good side… I was thumbing thru the tested cases sheets and your county pretty much was all negative (I found one positive). (The sheets I found are from 2016-2017.)

[dungrulla]

@trubandloki

Well, on the good side… I was thumbing thru the tested cases sheets and your county pretty much was all negative (I found one positive). (The sheets I found are from 2016-2017.)

I thought my county listed 7 for last year and all were raccoons. It’s possible I’m looking at the wrong one…also not sure I listed what county I’m actually in but I may have. It’s good to know that positive tests are uncommon. I’ve been vaccinated prophylactically anyway and had no contact with the dead animal, but I’m sure my husband is not in the mood to go get a bunch of shots.

[trubandloki]

@dungrulla

I thought my county listed 7 for last year and all were raccoons. It’s possible I’m looking at the wrong one…also not sure I listed what county I’m actually in but I may have. It’s good to know that positive tests are uncommon. I’ve been vaccinated prophylactically anyway and had no contact with the dead animal, but I’m sure my husband is not in the mood to go get a bunch of shots.

I gave up before finishing reading the whole document. It was like 134 pages long. So maybe there were several more on the last 50 pages.
The one I did find was a raccoon.
Hopefully your hubby now knows not to teach dead things anymore.

You did not list your county, but you have listed the town and since I live in the same general part of the world…

I admit it, I giggled at the mental image of your horse playing with the dead raccoon. It sounds like you need to buy some horse toys. Some of the videos online with horses playing with stuffed animals and such are a great laugh.

[dungrulla]

@trubandloki

I admit it, I giggled at the mental image of your horse playing with the dead raccoon. It sounds like you need to buy some horse toys. Some of the videos online with horses playing with stuffed animals and such are a great laugh.

Now I’m laughing which is totally unfair and I’m just gonna let you know that I now resent that you made me laugh at my own misfortune, sarcasm implied;)

I moved recently unless I posted where I move to which is possible…I believe I’ve stated buffalo but I’m actually quite a bit outside of there. I can’t believe that the nearby counties would be incredibly different in their reporting though.

They do have some toys. A couple of which were stolen by the dog. They also have like three acres of pasture to play in–most of which still has grass in it actually–so I’m unsure what was so compelling about the dead raccoon.

[Vyce]

@dungrulla

The worst part is I know in three weeks this will be hysterical. Sigh.

Unfortunately I did not get video. I guess horsie is just going to be denied the chance to be the next youtube sensation.

I got a chuckle out of it, but if I was in your shoes I wouldn’t be amused right now either. I’m glad you posted it though- its given me some fodder for my writing project.

[S1969]

I would have to think it is quite possible that the horses killed the raccoon, which might be reason enough to think it had rabies. Time to tell that husband to use common sense though - no touchie!

Although, the fact that he touched it and expedited the testing probably will work out to your benefit. Less time to worry/wonder.

[dungrulla]

@S1969

I would have to think it is quite possible that the horses killed the raccoon, which might be reason enough to think it had rabies. Time to tell that husband to use common sense though - no touchie!

Although, the fact that he touched it and expedited the testing probably will work out to your benefit. Less time to worry/wonder.

Fortunately, the number of properly vaccinated domesticated animals diagnosed with rabies stands at zero. So I’m not that worried about the horses themselves, though slightly annoyed I probably won’t make my lesson on Wednesday because they may have won themselves shots and quarantine.

As for husband…he’s a brilliant man but yes, sometimes occasionally lacking in the common sense department.

[downen]

I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain waiting for the results. A month or two ago we woke up to a wild squeaking and our indoor cat had a bat! My husband was able to get it under a towel and stomp it to death (I know, poor bat, but you can’t take chances). Anyhow, he thankfully didn’t touch it, but they wanted us to quarantine our cat so it couldn’t lick us (too late, she’s a licker and that ship had sailed by the time I called the county). Long story short the bat was negative, but waiting for the results is hell. And ours only took a few days, I feel for you having to wait weeks! Hang in there!

[dungrulla]

@downen

I just wanted to let you know I feel your pain waiting for the results. A month or two ago we woke up to a wild squeaking and our indoor cat had a bat! My husband was able to get it under a towel and stomp it to death (I know, poor bat, but you can’t take chances). Anyhow, he thankfully didn’t touch it, but they wanted us to quarantine our cat so it couldn’t lick us (too late, she’s a licker and that ship had sailed by the time I called the county). Long story short the bat was negative, but waiting for the results is hell. And ours only took a few days, I feel for you having to wait weeks! Hang in there!

The test itself should only take a couple days, thank god. The big problem is if it does come back positive they may be on a 30 day quarantine which is going to be annoying since I trailer in once a week for lessons. Not critical or devastating, just kind of a pain, you know?

The health department isn’t here yet, I’ll ask them what we are supposed to be doing when they arrive.

[downen]

@dungrulla

The test itself should only take a couple days, thank god. The big problem is if it does come back positive they may be on a 30 day quarantine which is going to be annoying since I trailer in once a week for lessons. Not critical or devastating, just kind of a pain, you know?

The health department isn’t here yet, I’ll ask them what we are supposed to be doing when they arrive.

Oh, I’m sorry, I misread that! Well, even a couple of days sucks so hang in there, the odds are in your favor. Unfortunately, rabies are something you just can’t mess around with. Good luck!

[dungrulla]

Health department came out. No quarantine regardless of results, but if it’s positive everyone (including husband) will need post exposure. Animals are not confined to property since they have known vaccine status.

Phew, this is easier than I presumed it might be!