East Charlotte Teen May Need Rabies Shots After Rottweiler Attack

[Miakoda]

East Charlotte Teen May Need Rabies Shots After Dog Bite

POSTED: 6:23 pm EST January 8, 2007

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Animal control officers in east Charlotte are trying to track down a dog that a 14-year-old boy says bit him over the weekend.

Henry Jennings’ left leg is all bandaged up, but he will have to endure a lot more pain with a series of shots unless the dog’s owner can give doctors and animal control valuable information.

Jennings says he had just gotten a haircut and was heading home, but instead of going down The Plaza and onto Milton Road, he cut across the Cochrane Middle School campus and ran into a Rottweiler.

“It started to growl real bad and I started to run,” he said. “I was running real fast to get away because I was thinking it might kill me.”

Then, as he was trying to jump a fence, the dog bit him.

The teen, a junior ROTC member at Independence High School, had to leap over the fence two more times before the owner finally got his dog.

“He told the dog to come here, then he said, ‘Come here, Tasha,’” Jennings said.

The dog's owner gave Jennings a phone number and then walked away. When his mom called -- she found out it was the wrong number.

“We just want to know if the dog is up-to-date with its shots, that's all,” his mother said.

Jennings had to have 5 stitches and several shots, and without information about the dog's vaccinations, he’ll have to go through a series of rabies shots. It’s more than his mother can bear.

“I don't want my son to go through rabies shots; I know it’s a painful thing,” she said.

Jennings said the man also had another dog with him that looked like a miniature German Sheppard. Anyone who knows who the man might be should call Mecklenburg County Animal Control.

Police in many parts of Charlotte now keep track of potentially dangerous dogs, even before they attack anyone. The effort started after four pit bulls in mauled a west Charlotte boy to death in 2004. Police look out for dogs while on routine patrols and note animals that seem aggressive. They then share that information with animal control.

The city of Charlotte also has a strict leash law to keep residents safe from other people's pets. All animals except cats must be on a leash or contained within a fence. The only time an animal can be loose is in its own yard with its owner, and only if the animal responds to verbal commands.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/10698676/detail.html?rss=char&psp=news

[adoptashelterpettoday]

What an idiot. GRRR..Hope that find that guy & fine him BIG time. My guess is his dog wasnt up to date on his shots. :(

It seems like if the dog was rabid it would have been foaming at the mouth or is that only an urban legand?

[jess2416]

I dont remember hearing about that one the news ???....hmmmm.....

[Julie]

Animals do not neccesarily foam at the mouth when infected with rabies.
I have a post on chaz somewhere about our experience with the dreaded disease. Some animals become aggressive and some do not.

Our dog pound puppy was diagnosed with parvo (many years ago), he was never aggressive, did not foam at the mouth... his symptoms were very similar to parvo.... but when my instincts told me to have him tested for rabies, after he died... I was in shock when it came back positive.

All my friends, neighbors, and family had to go thru shots. They are much better than they used to be.... The only one that really hurt was first one in the hip...the rest of them were in the shoulder/arm and didn't hurt much.

I feel anyone working/volunteering in shelters should have a pre exposure vaccine....much better than going thru the post exposure ones.

Anyway..... Hate to hear about more irresponsible dog owners!:rolleyes:

[squirtsmom]

Oh man, that sucks. Hope they find the man and the dogs.

[JFrick]

And they just had to mention pit bulls in the story....

I thought that anytime anyone got bit by a dog and went to the doc, the doc by law has to give them rabies shots? Even if the dog that bit them is up to date with the shots.....

[J's crew]

From what I know if a person is bit by a dog that has not had a rabies vaccine the person has to undergo the treatment by the vaccine being injected directly in the wound. At least that has been my experience. Following that a series of shots over a few weeks.

Why would they be looking for the owner/dog before starting treatment? Isn't rabies fatal in humans if not treated right away?

I think they are just looking for the owner, which is good.

[Miakoda]

From what I know if a person is bit by a dog that has not had a rabies vaccine the person has to undergo the treatment by the vaccine being injected directly in the wound. At least that has been my experience. Following that a series of shots over a few weeks.

Why would they be looking for the owner/dog before starting treatment? Isn't rabies fatal in humans if not treated right away?

I think they are just looking for the owner, which is good.

OUCH!:yikes:

I had the rabies vaccines back in 1987 after being bitten by a feral cat. At that time, I got 11 shots in the stomach. But I know times have changed, yet I thought it was around 7 shots in the upper arm now. I haven't heard about the shot in the wound itself........just thinking about that makes me nauseaus! (I won't let them do the lidacaine injections in wounds needing stitching either. it hurts less just to stitch the darn thing)

[Julie]

And they just had to mention pit bulls in the story....

I thought that anytime anyone got bit by a dog and went to the doc, the doc by law has to give them rabies shots? Even if the dog that bit them is up to date with the shots.....
Not true. By law a dog has to be quarentined for a certain amount of time..depending on your state, sometimes the quarentine can be carried out by the owner, sometimes not. If the dog has current vaccs. then rabies shots won't be started on a person.... If the dog is not current on vaccs. then rabies shots will be started and sometimes not finished if the dog shows no symptoms after the quarentine period. If the dog cannot be found the shots are started and finished.

From what I know if a person is bit by a dog that has not had a rabies vaccine the person has to undergo the treatment by the vaccine being injected directly in the wound. At least that has been my experience. Following that a series of shots over a few weeks.

Why would they be looking for the owner/dog before starting treatment? Isn't rabies fatal in humans if not treated right away?

I think they are just looking for the owner, which is good.
As long as a person isn't showing symptoms the post exposure vaccines will work. We were exposed for at least 12 days before anyone started vaccinations.
What experience have you had? I have NEVER heard of getting a shot directly into the wound. As a matter of fact it was pretty standard:
First one in the hip...contained gamagoblin
3 or 4 more of vaccine spaced out over a period of time... and to be given in the arm.

There is a small window of time when rabies is transmitted. If an animal is not showing symptoms after 10-14 days then it is safe to say rabies could not be transmitted...even if the same animal starts showing symptoms months later.

[J's crew]

OUCH!:yikes:

I had the rabies vaccines back in 1987 after being bitten by a feral cat. At that time, I got 11 shots in the stomach. But I know times have changed, yet I thought it was around 7 shots in the upper arm now. I haven't heard about the shot in the wound itself........just thinking about that makes me nauseaus! (I won't let them do the lidacaine injections in wounds needing stitching either. it hurts less just to stitch the darn thing)


Well, I guess I should say it was my husband who got the shots. He had about a 2 inch wound on his hand and they injected the vaccine about 20-30 times directly into the wound on the day of the bite. I held his hand, poor thing. He says it was the most painfull thing he has ever gone through. The doctors agree that it is way more painful than childbirth. And he couldn't have anything to numb the area at all. Poor guy. :(

[J's crew]

Just wanted to add that the dog that bit him was never found. Hence the reason for him getting the vaccine instead of observing the dog for signs of rabies.

[Zoom]

Poor kid...

Rule #1 of confronting a strange dog though...NEVER EVER TURN YOUR BACK AND RUN.

[Miakoda]

Poor kid...

Rule #1 of confronting a strange dog though...NEVER EVER TURN YOUR BACK AND RUN.

Again, that's why my ultimate goal with Sukari (cert. therapy dog & YES a "pit bull" to boot) is to develop a dog safety program & go into the school systems & possibly even daycares with older kids & teach the proper etiquette to have around dogs. Such as the proper way to pet a dog, what to do when a dog is eating/sleeping/chewing on something, what to do if see a strange dog nearby or even coming towards you, how to behave around other people's dogs, etc.

Prevention is key here and ALL attacks could have been prevented in some form or another. Maybe when people will accept responsibility & others will accept reality then we can join forces & teach about preventative techniques.

[Zoom]

I did a "Summer Dog Safety" program with my mom's 1st grade classroom last year (brought both Sawyer and Aubrey) and what to do when you come up against a strange dog was one thing I made to cover.

[schurpug]

That was the first thing that came to my mind - why wasn't this kid taught not to turn and run? Ugh.

And why is it we never see stories about Miniature Pinschers or Pomeranians attacking people? I've been bitten by more of those little suckers (no offense intended) than I have ever even so much as been growled at by a "Pit Bull", a Rottie, a Dobie, etc.

*rolls eyes*

Gotta love it.

[adoptashelterpettoday]

From what I know if a person is bit by a dog that has not had a rabies vaccine the person has to undergo the treatment by the vaccine being injected directly in the wound.



Oh, that is gross!

The stomach thing is gross too. I guess I am just "sheltered" because I had NO idea rabies was still relevant at all!

*l* I almost passed out when I got my tetanus shot, and that was one shot in the arm. I cant imagine!!


Not to be gross or anything but I am curious. I thought the potentially rabid animal's head was removed & then was tested. I guess things have changed?

[RedyreRottweilers]

Rabies shots are given after a bite if an animal cannot be recovered for quarantine or rabies vaccination verified.

You get one chance with Rabies.

I'd like to know who the expert is that ID'd the breed.

>:-[

Just what I need. More proposed BSL in my area.

>:-X

[RedyreRottweilers]

Re: Rabies, there are hundreds of documented cases in wildlife in my state, NC EVERY year.

One woman was attacked by a rabid fox in her own yard inside the city limits in the last couple of years.

In this area it's seen most often in foxes, raccoons, and skunks.

[Julie]

Rabies is prevalent where I live too.
When warm weather starts so do the rabies cases.

Last year a raccoon even attacked a woman while in her garden...Her dog and husband both were exposed too, by trying to fight off the coon.
A little later that day a neighbor shot the coon after it tried attacking his son while on a four wheeler.

It is so common that animal control tells you to shoot it, and pick it up with a shovel and bury it. They do not even test them unless it has come into contact with a domestic animal or person.

About 13 years ago I adopted a puppy from our county dog pound....it had rabies. The whole story is on a thread somewhere... I will try to look it up.

As I said before those working with animals from unknown backgrounds should have pre-exposure vaccinations against rabies, in MY Opinion!
(In the US anyway).
Although post exposure vaccines have come a long way... They are still a pain.
If you have the pre-exposure vaccinations and are exposed to rabies then all you need is a booster shot afterwards. Not a whole series of post exposure vaccines.

[Giny]

Julie, here's your post about the puppy with rabies. I've never forgotten that story, the frightening though of what happened to you and your family stayed with me.

http://www.chazhound.com/forums/showpost.php?p=272775&postcount=9

[Julie]

Thanks Giny,
I was just searching for that! :)

[Giny]

Thanks Giny,
I was just searching for that! :)

You're welcome!

You had posted the link on one of my threads a while back. I haven't started many threads so it was quick for me to find.:)

[casablanca1]

[B]“He told the dog to come here, then he said, ‘Come here, Tasha,’” Jennings said....“We just want to know if the dog is up-to-date with its shots, that's all,” his mother said....Jennings said the man also had another dog with him that looked like a miniature German Sheppard. Anyone who knows who the man might be should call Mecklenburg County Animal Control.

When Hen got mauled, the only way I got some peace about the possibility of disease was by forcing animal control to cough up the info that the thing was licensed and, since in NJ you need to provide proof of rabies vaccination to get a dog license, I knew at least it wasn't rabid. I had the owner's name which made it easier. But although this person is so far unidentified and Rotties are what, #1 or #2 most popular by breed, maybe the Animal Control can track the dog down through licenses - someone who owns a female Rottie named Tasha and a GSD/mix. Of course they might not be licensed, but I hope they try. This guy needs to lose his dogs.

Based on the House episode where the homeless woman gets bitten by bats, rabies is a really horrible way to go.

[Sunnierhawk0]

Julie,

That is truley a horrific story. I have never read a more gut renching story, and even thou its been 13 years, I am so sorry that you expereinced something of that magnatude.


I just have to shake my head at this post. It saddens me to know that its another strike for the breed that I share my life with and adore.

But as long as thier are people out there who love the breed and fight for them, I know its a uphill battle that WILL be won.

All you can do is blame bad ownership. I have 3 girls in this house that tell me so.

Punish the deed. NOT the BREED