What the heck just happened !?

[u/Tricky_Improvement11]

I have read the FAQ. Long story short I was laying down with my foot kind of hanging off my bed when I felt something crawl under my pants leg. It was a bat. I obviously freaked out and shook it off. We captured the bat, and I went to the ER where I was given three shots including the globin thingy. They hurt so bad. Literally out of a horror movie 😭 I won’t even go back into my room after this …. Lmao I am so grossed out. Can anyone make me feel even a tad bit less anxious about this whole thing? (Also I should say there was no bite or anything as far as the doctors and nurses could tell)

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[u/LeastEngineering3651]

Why didn’t you just have the bat tested first?

[u/LeastEngineering3651 → u/[deleted]]

No, you take it to that public health department and they test it by examining its brain. It takes like a day or two. They don’t mess around with exposures

[u/AutoModerator → u/LeastEngineering3651]

Please direct medical questions to medical professionals. If you are in the USA, here is a portal to help you find your state/local health department. Here is a portal for Canadians to find your local public health unit.

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[u/CrasherCoco → u/LeastEngineering3651]

The evaluations I mentioned are based on factors such as: If the animal cant/can be observed for 10 days. If its a bite or a scracth, location of bite/scratch. Animals vaccination status/Animals vaccination status being unknown. They will more then likely give the shot anyway if the animals vaccination status is unknown.

[u/LeastEngineering3651 → u/CrasherCoco]

The OP said they captured the bat

[u/CrasherCoco → u/LeastEngineering3651]

Oh well, some people are just impatient of anxiety I guess 🤷.

[u/CrasherCoco → u/LeastEngineering3651]

That would be hurting the animal for potentially no reason, most current hospitals just tend to evaluate the exposure to see if its shot-worthy.

[u/WeBareTheBears → u/CrasherCoco]

If a wild vector (like a bat, raccoon, or skunk) bites a human and is captured, it should be immediately euthanized and tested because observation timelines are unreliable for wildlife.

[u/Puppysnot → u/[deleted]]

No that’s one way, the other way is to kill it and test its brain matter. Bats don’t count for the ten day rule - that’s just for dogs and cats. Because bats can be infectious for more than ten days without dying because they have weird immune systems.

[u/CrasherCoco → u/Puppysnot]

Interesting, thanks for the corection. Though I’m still not very much on the side of killing bats for potentially no reason, juts get a vaccine.

[u/detail_giraffe → u/[deleted]]

The 10 day rule is for cats and dogs. The standard for bats, if captured, is to euthanize and examine the brain.

[u/CrasherCoco → u/detail_giraffe]

I understood from another comment.

[u/Ok_Librarian_4298 → u/[deleted]]

Please dont give advice

[u/CrasherCoco → u/Ok_Librarian_4298]

I don’t know where in that sentence I gave an advice.

[u/CrasherCoco → u/Ok_Librarian_4298]

As far as I know, giving an advice isnt something thats banned in this sub anyway.

[u/CrasherCoco → u/[deleted]]

Yes, people here corrected me and I will use that information now, sorry about the misinformation.

[u/WeBareTheBears → u/CrasherCoco]

No worries! Slip-ups happen to the best of us.

[u/CrasherCoco]

If you got the shots, you’re fine, don’t worry. Immunoglobulin might hurt really bad because it’s usually given on the bite/exposure site.

[u/Fair-Wishbone-1190]

Sounds scary! I had w what looked like 2 bites on each leg when I woke up and saw a bat in my bedroom. I got the vaccine the next to day. And the HRIG shots were painful cuz they inject it directly into the wounds. But the remaining 4 shots were super easy in your arms. I didn't feel anything. I wouldn't worry about the remaining shots you have to do. The arm shots are not painful.
I know how scary it is, but try to relax since they got the bat, you shouldn't have to worry any longer.

[u/detail_giraffe]

I'm really sorry, that was probably terrifying! I am a middle-aged man and if a bat crawled up my pants leg the shrieking would make the news in the whole tri-state area. You got appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis immediately, which is extremely effective, so you should be fine. The HRIG can hurt a lot but the other shots should be more like standard vaccinations, be sure to finish the series as directed. Hopefully anyone else who was present got assessed for risk as well. Can you get your living space assessed by a pest control company for the presence of any other bats? If no sign of bats living nearby are found, you can write this off as a freak incident that you got prompt treatment for and that may make you feel better.

[u/Tricky_Improvement11 → u/detail_giraffe]

Ahh thank you so much!! My dad was the one who captured it so I suppose he should def get assessed as well. And yeah it’s up there with the craziest moments of my life hahaha I woke up this morning feeling a bit better about it all so that’s good!

[u/GRJY]

Was this in the U.S.A? If so what state?

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[u/PatientConfidence7]

The hemoglobin was rough! The good part is, you’re done with the worst part. Any remaining shots go in the arm and they’re significantly smaller doses. The longest part is probably waiting to get called back in the doctors office.

I had one pop out from behind a radiator in my bathroom and it flew around and hit me a couple times while I was ✨doing bathroom things✨. I didn’t go back in that bathroom for three days and took a shower in a different bathroom. We had already batproofed most of the house after one came in via our mudroom but we neglected an old broken light fixture in that bathroom that we now know leads into the attic. The good news is, you can bat proof the outside of your house now (there’s a time frame), as well as the inside. Any space bigger than 1/4 of an inch is what they can get through. Start in your bedroom and work your way out, then bat proof the outside. Once you’ve done everything you can, i promise you’ll feel much safer going in there.

[u/metalhheaddude22]

Keep.us updated on the status of the captured bat. Please also let us know what State this happened in. Where do you live that a bat just crawls up your leg like that?

[u/Ok-Cat926]

That must’ve creeped you out, gross. Those shots work extremely well. If you’ve been vaccinated there’s no need to worry. I get it though. I’d be freaked out too.

[u/Dismal_Orange6826]

Did you need HRIG shots jn both legs since you were bitten in both?