Featuring Dr. Tony Taylor, MD, EMBA, Emergency Physician, Vancouver BC

Duration: 1 minute, 25 seconds

Encounters with wild animals are becoming more common, whether it’s in the city or in the country or back country.

The most common wild animals that we tend to see in the emergency department are people who are bitten by bats or raccoons, skunks, foxes - or in rare cases, mongooses.

These animals are of a higher concern than others because of the potential of them being infected with rabies, and then transmitting that infection to humans.

If you are bitten by a wild animal, it’s important that you come to the emergency department immediately. At that time an assessment can be made about the extent of the injury, your tetanus status, as well as whether or not you’re at risk for rabies.

Rabies is a scary disease. It’s a disease that can affect the neurological system, and if undiagnosed or untreated, can lead to paralysis or death of the patient.

As such, if you’re bitten by a wild animal, and you’re concerned about rabies, it’s important to be assessed as soon as possible - and ideally within 24 hours - by your health care provider or emergency physician.

Presenter: Dr. Tony Taylor, Emergency Physician, New Westminster, BC

Local Practitioners: Emergency Physician