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Bat tests positive for rabies
There are two kinds of bats in the North Texas area, the Eastern red bat (above) and the Mexican free-tail bat./Submitted photo
By BLAINE CRIMMINS, Staff writer
Monday was World Rabies Day. The Colony’s Animal Control Center is “celebrating” the occasion by monitoring a recent positive case of rabies found in a bat.
Animal Control Manager Patricia Barrington said a family’s house pets in the Legends were exposed to a bat that later tested positive for the disease.
“We’re keeping watch on those animals and following our protocol for monitoring (rabies cases). Everyone’s doing well. The case was reported immediately, and we were able to get everything going in time to make sure everyone was going to be healthy,” Barrington said.
The presence of coyotes and other wildlife in the area is well-documented but not all residents may be aware of the bats. The Colony has a large mosquito population given its proximity to Lewisville Lake, and mosquitoes make great bat food, Barrington said.
As for rabies cases, “here in The Colony, with the number of bats that we have, that’s what we see most frequently,” she said.
The primary danger comes from downed bats, perhaps in a resident’s back yard, coming into contact with dogs or cats. And with many residents utilizing city park facilities, like the new Shoreline Trail, there’s more potential for incidents where humanity interacts with Mother Nature.
“We really want to get the word out to people that if you have contact with bats, you don’t necessarily know if you’ve been bitten because their teeth are so fine. There might not be blood but there could still be a bite” Barrington said.
Texas Master Naturalist and The Colony resident Donna Cole said there are two kinds of bats in the North Texas area, the Eastern red bat and the Mexican free-tail bat. Eastern red bats roost in trees, often by themselves. They have a reddish-brown color and are more common in this area. Mexican free-tail bats roost in colonies under bridges or other structures with suitable cavities. They are dark brown and get their name from the small tail on the end of their body.
Neither species is endangered and either is equally apt to carry rabies, Cole said.
“Most of the time people see them around a water source, such as a swimming pool,” Cole said. “They come out at dusk. Bats could come by the pool to dip in for a drink of water. They’ll buzz around if disturbed but mostly they’re out hunting for water or food.”
If you see a bat on the ground, that does not mean it has rabies but bats should never be touched with bare hands, Cole said.
“If the bat is in the middle of the yard, keep it away from kids (and pets),” Cole said. “And if it’s on the ground in the daytime, it’s probably sick.”
Any animal bite or scratch should be reported to The Colony Animal Control Center at 972-370-9250.
Bats in The Colony are tested for rabies two to six times a month by the State Department of Health Lab in Austin, Barrington said.
According to the health department, rabies is the most deadly disease known to humankind and there is no known cure. Most animals that die from rabies were either never vaccinated or did not receive appropriate vaccines in a timely manner.
Most humans that die of rabies did not understand the necessary steps required to prevent rabies or did not seek medical treatment after exposure.
World Rabies Day is backed by the Alliance for Rabies Control, a foundation working globally to improve awareness of the disease.
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