Baby skunk brought home by family had rabies

A northwest Iowa family’s tale of befriending a baby skunk had a bad but predictable ending, according to the state medical director. Dr. Patricia Quinlisk of the Iowa Department of Public Health said five family members, whose names and hometown were not made public, are undergoing treatment for rabies after the baby skunk they brought into their home to raise as a pet became ill several weeks later.

Another 20 people, mostly relatives and friends, who came in contact with the skunk that was tested and found to have rabies also were being assessed for rabies exposure and at least six are receiving rabies vaccine and immune globulin treatments, she said. The family’s unvaccinated dog also was exposed and will have to be placed in quarantine for six months or euthanized, she added.



“Most people don’t take in skunks so it’s not really that common,” Quinlisk said in an interview. She said the consequences the family members and others now face are a painful reminder that wild animals should stay in the wild. “This is a classic example of a good-hearted person trying to help a wild creature,” she said. “Unfortunately, even the cutest of wild animals can carry a variety of diseases that are harmful to humans and other animals. In Iowa, skunks are the reservoir for the rabies virus and all Iowa skunks should be considered potentially rabid.”

The same generally is true of bats, she added. Quinlisk advised that the best way to prevent rabies is to avoid contact with all wild animals, especially skunks and bats, and to vaccinate family pets against rabies to reduce the risk of human exposure. Animals that have had contact with any animal acting strangely or that might have rabies should be reported immediately to a veterinarian, she added.