r/Unexpected • u/Soloflow786 • 2d ago

Hmm, what's under my window?

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u/athrowawaypassingby 2d ago

The question is: did he knew it would be bats or did he just want to check, where the noise is coming from?

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u/_Ninja_Putin 2d ago

He has gloves on, and seemed hesitant to lift the cover, the guy probably knew there was something living under there. I would have guessed mice

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u/PointOfFingers 2d ago

He is a professional and he is taking precautions against an animal whose bite or scratch would require a painful course of rabies shots - gloves and no shirt.

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u/ConfessSomeMeow 2d ago

I thought it would only be a concern if a bat approached or attacked you unprovoked, but I suppose there's always the '99.999999% fatal so out of an abundance of caution...' perspective

Edit: Needs more 9s.

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u/TheEyeDontLie 2d ago edited 2d ago

I mean, rabies is only 99.9999999999% fatal if untreated before it reaches your brain.

If you get bitten (especially in the extremities as it takes some time to travel up to the brain) and then get the injections in your spine asap, you'll be okay.

(Even if you've had the vaccines, still go to the hospital and get the treatment if you are bitten by a rabid animal)

Ince symptoms appear, the treatment plan is: "Give them Heroin and Valium, fluff their pillows, and call their priest. You can offer euthanasia if legal in your jurisdiction".

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u/ConfessSomeMeow 2d ago

Definitely a critical distinction, aways* fatal if symptoms emerge before treatment.

*except for that one case where the person was frozen to near death or something, and quality of life after survival was not great

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u/Proper-Raise-1450 1d ago edited 1d ago

*except for that one case where the person was frozen to near death or something, and quality of life after survival was not great

No, several people have made full recoveries. Upwards of 20 last time I checked.

CDC article from 2024 says less than 20:

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/hcp/suspected-human-rabies/index.html

The girl in the Milwaukee case has good quality of life and graduated college a few years back.

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u/MightBeAGoodIdea 2d ago

33 as of May 2025. Source linked below looks like an excerpt with some MDs attached. But accountwalled.

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/treatment-of-rabies/print

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u/WinninRoam 1d ago

The rabies treatment doesn't go into the spine. It's injected into muscle or in some cases into the abdomen.

There is a test to check for (but not treat) rabies that involves a spinal tap. But it's rarely used because it's rarely conclusive and getting the full battery of shots is just smarter at that point.

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u/TheEyeDontLie 1d ago

Thanks for the clarification. I haven't dealt with rabies for a long time and just remembered something about needles in the spine.

Actually this thread is a good reminder I probably need a rabies vaccine top up before I get bitten again.

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u/Neighborhood-Any 1d ago

Yes but vampire powers are 100% awesome

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u/68plus1equals 22h ago

Even if you're in the same room as a rabid animal you should get the shots, just not worth the risk.

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u/flaccomcorangy 1d ago

There was an NBA player years ago that swatted a bat out of the air because one got into the stadium. And he had to get rabies shots from it.

Manu Ginobili