Raccoon scratch -- drew blood.

I was taking a frozen Raccoon out of my freezer, and the claw scratched me. Deep enough to bleed. Is there any concern with Rabies from a dead frozen Raccoon?

I'd consult a physician just to be sure, but the virus is reportedly pretty fragile and shouldn't be viable after freezing.

I'd consult a physician just to be sure, but the virus is reportedly pretty fragile and shouldn't be viable after freezing.

If you are worried ask the doc. I have been scratched by dead, live, and
Almost dead animals more than I can count. Some get infected some dont. One day it may kill me who knows. I even been bit a time or two. I have had blood in cuts in my eyes and mouth. Guess I got a good immune system.

I'm with Matt28, I stay scratched and get blood all over me. I've been around people with every disease you can imagine bleeding on me and spitting on me. The worse thing I've had that I know of is worms from eating unwashed veggies from the garden or raw meat not sure which. With that said anything is possible we all watch those TV shows, but I doubt you have anything to worry about.

Clip nails before you freeze em, you won't have that problem. I clip nails on any critters I intend to freeze just for that reason. I dont freeze often but I have been clawed enough to know. Oh, and I am still alive and don't think I have rabies. When your as crazy as I am it is hard to tell. Lol

Just wash it real well with soap and water, put a bandaid on it, add your glove and keep working. I was skinning a coon the other day and when making the money cut with a real sharp hook blade I was holding a leg in my left hand and cutting toward it with my right. Guess what? Slipped and buried the hook in my hand at the base of my thumb. Didn't have time to go get stitches and it was bleeding bad. Went in the house washed it with soap and water dried it with pressure to slow down the bleeding. Super glued it together, added a tight bandaid to help keep it closed, put a nitrile glove back on and kept skinning. Healed up fast. The most important thing is to clean it well.

I have been bit or scratched by most every mammal that I have been in contact with over the years. When you work with all types of wildlife both alive and dead things happen. Just expected encounters of the trade. I have been immunized a few times over the years just to be safe and to keep my antibody levels good.

Always a good practice to keep some basic antibiotics, peroxide,a couple suture kits and a good first aid kit on hand when I travel on the road to trap. A couple cans of good insecticide to spray animals, skinning area if needed and your sleeping quarters is always a good practice.

Hi guys,
The current thought in the medical world is high volume low pressure irrigation of any wound prior to repair (or dressing/bandaid etc). I remember the days we soaked wounds in soapy water and got some pretty bad infections after repair. I think just holding your cut hand under running water for a few minutes and then a good scrub would take care of most of the infection risk.
Beware...an infection will kill you a lot faster than a coon/coyote could.
Carry on

Many years ago an XL bobcat jumped and sunk his teeth through my jeans/long johns and deep into my leg above my knee. He held on long enough for me to unholsted my hand gun, but then turned loose. I thought well, he's healthy, so I skipped the rabies shots. The wound became infected. Doctor prescribed antibiotics and that was successful.

I don't know as you can get rabies from a claw.

Seems to be only if saliva is actively on the claw.

I can relate, i just wash up good and move on.

This is correct. If you're in an area with rabies activity, consult with a physician on any exposure when the skin is broken. Google the video of the man dieing from rabies. It's an old film from like the 50's, but nobody needs to go through that.

If you're a live market trapper and regularly handle live animals, think about pre-exposure treatments.

Insecticides doesn't sound safe tho either. Especially going so far as to spread insecticides in your sleeping area

This is good if freezing kills the disease.

Consulting a Dr is never bad advice, but I kind of wonder if in today's sue happy world the Dr will simply run tests for good measure.




The toenail clipping seems like good advice, perhaps on beaver etc too.

There is no test for a person exposed as far as I know. The suspected animals brain tissue can be examined using xray fluorescence I believe.

I have 25 years experience in public health and have submitted a lot of specimens to the lab for testing over the years.

I cut a bleeder on a coyote neck the other morning and got a mouth and eye full of blood. Kinda worries me. I do have have a sudden urge to urinate on things in the woods since it happened.

You should be ok, unless pillaging through garbage cans or stalking house cats urges start up.

Freezing doesn't necessarily kill the virus and may in fact preserve it. Drying out on the other hand does kill it. Common things like soap and water will kill it also, maybe not all soaps though. Animals that may be infected are not shedding virus the entire time they have the virus.

Google it and read up on it on a official reporting, not second hand rehashed information but an official document.

Myself relating anymore of my interpretation of what I read is no better than a second hand report, prone to interpretation.

Rabies is spread through contact primarily with the saliva of rabid animals. But if in doubt, call your doctor. Insurance should pay for shots. If you don’t have insurance it’s gonna be expensive.

I would not worry especially if it was frozen rabies no worry at all it is a blood or saliva born. Just clean it good and watch for swelling or redness from other bacteria I doubt most stuff would survive freezing.

Rub it down good w/ alcohol might be wise

The official word: Freezing does indeed preserve Rabies. Heating kills the rabies virus. Although rare, there have been cases of 'non-bite' rabies. Meaning an animal licked it's paw, like Raccoons like to do, and then scratch you transmitting the disease. The risk is nil. Especially a dead animal. The question is, how long has the animal been dead before going into the freezer....

Archery guy , You should be O K as long as you don't go around sniffing butts !

were you wise enough to get rabies pre-exposure shots back in the fall or last year or 5 yrs ago?......like many of us do?

If I had to guess I'd say not many trappers get pre-exposure shots

Thinking about for me and daughter before next season. Do you just make an appointment for the shot ?

It may depend on whether your insurance will cover it

I doubt insurance will cover a pre-exposure shot. But they have to cover a trip to the ER. Actually 4 trips to the ER.