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Author
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Topic: A little diffrent.
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keekee
Knows what it's all about
Member # 465
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posted October 04, 2006 09:00 AM
Got a call yesterday from a bowhunter that said he had killed a sick coyote. And wanted to know if I had any idea of what was wrong with it.
I went down to take a look. He had allready shot the coyote. But he said after setting in his deer stand for 3 hrs and hearing what he thought was a dog, barking and growling, he desided to go have a look. About haft way down to the sound he desided he better get a gun and take the bow home.
after his return he walked over in the hollow to have a look. He found a large male coyote, around 40 pounds. The coyote had a stick 3" or so round chewing it to pieces. The coyote never looked at him, he said it was like it could not hear.
He also said it was breathing real hard like it was out of air. He slipped in behind the coyote and shot it.
When I got there, I had a look at the coyote. No signs of anything being wrong with the coyote, but the area around it was torn all to pieces. Looked like he had chewed on everything that touched him. The area was torn all up.
I took a good look at it, no blood in the mouth or foam, the coyote seemed healthy, no fleas, or ticks, fur was nice, no broken limbs, and the throat was clear, eyes were normal. Everything looked normal.
I called the DNR and they never did respond, so I desposed of the coyote.
Very interesting!
Thoughts?
Brent
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Kee's Custom Calls
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Posts: 295 | From: Southern Ohio | Registered: Dec 2004
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted October 04, 2006 09:39 AM
Rabies? Contact your health department and ask if any cases have been reported lately. They may want the coyote for testing, if thats still possible.
We have had several cases of rabid bats around here lately. Some neighbors had to go through the series of shots when they found their dog playing with a sick bat. Before thinking about it, they played with the dog and may have been exposed. The dog had to be put down and all their cats.
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Q-Wagoner
FREE TRIAL MEMBERSHIP
Member # 33
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posted October 04, 2006 10:41 AM
I put down a coyote like that once. He exhibited some of the same symptoms you described but not to that degree. I skinned the coyote and found a couple of BB holes in his flank. No blood on the fur but he got a couple of shotgun BBs in the guts.
Good hunting.
Q,
Posts: 617 | From: Nebraska | Registered: Jan 2003
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Cdog911
"There are some ideas so absurd only an intellectual could believe them."--George Orwell.
Member # 7
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posted October 04, 2006 11:01 AM
Rabies would be my first guess, but by the time they reach the furious stage, they can be a little emaciated but not always. The virus does attack neurological tissue in the brain, thus the failure to recognize things around him.
Also, as Q mentioned, the coyote may have had an injury that made it septicemic in which the toxins in the bloodstream can affect behavior. I've had several people in my care that were septic due to ulcers, infections, etc., where the foreign proteins being dumped into their bloodstream resulted in very bizarre behavioral traits due to the affects on the brain.
In either event, and regardless, I would never handle an animal like that without exam gloves, eye protection and appropriate covering of the mouth and nose to avoid all airborne and blood borne pathogens.
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I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; and, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.
Posts: 5438 | From: The gun-lovin', gun-friendly wild, wild west | Registered: Jan 2003
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Rich
2,000th post PAKMAN
Member # 112
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posted October 04, 2006 11:25 AM
"I've had several people in my care that were septic"
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Hey SeeDog, they wasn't from texas was they?
Oh shucks THAT ain't right!
Lord, I apologize for that right there, and please be with the starving pygmy's--Amen
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If you call the coyotes in close, you won't NEED a high dollar range finder.
Posts: 2854 | From: Iowa | Registered: Feb 2003
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keekee
Knows what it's all about
Member # 465
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posted October 04, 2006 01:30 PM
Rabies was my first though. My second thought would of been some kind of bood desease or something that would cause the brain to swell or something.
I check the coyote over pretty good for shot holes and diffrent things, had a look in the ears and throat, all checked out well, but sometimes small holes are hard to see.
I made sure I used gloves and all that, I looked like I was going to do major sergery on that coyote....lol I dont know enough about deseases to not be careful!
I checked to see if we had any reported cases of rabies here and there is a few but most are in Bats and coons.
Brent
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Kee's Custom Calls
http://www.keescalls.com
Posts: 295 | From: Southern Ohio | Registered: Dec 2004
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted October 04, 2006 01:56 PM
You should have a center for disease control somewhere, and they should be interested? Around here, we can get an insect identified for nothing. I think a necropsy is called for because it sounds like dumb rabies, to this kid, and that is by far, the most serious of various conditions. Go get it and drop it off, the state or the county needs to do it, not ignore it. Even if you just take the head, I think they only need to look at brain tissue, but if you can bag the whole animal, it is worth your time and effort to get some answers.
Good hunting. LB
PS, if it is rabies, the coyote probably got it from another vector, like a coon or fox, maybe a bat? But, anything eating on that carcass can contract rabies, so it is not a good idea to dispose of it where birds or any other scavenger can reach it.
[ October 04, 2006, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 31478 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted October 04, 2006 02:49 PM
Brent, Leonard is right on about contacting the health department. I found a dead bat in on my deck several weeks ago. I discovered the bat just after the neighbors were exposed to rabies from their dog playing with a rabid bat. I called the health dept. and they wanted me to freeze the bat and bring it in. Like Leonard said, they were VERY interested. I didn't think it was a big deal, but these guys took it very serious. They tested the bat for free and it came back negative. As long as the brain has moisture still in it they can get a test to confirm if it is indeed rabies.
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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PAyotehunter
Knows what it's all about
Member # 764
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posted October 04, 2006 03:37 PM
Distemper maybe?
Normal symptoms are high fever, muscle twitching, diarrhea, and a discharge from the nose and eyes. Animals with distemper have no fear of people and are not aggressive. Most times an animal with distemper will walk right by you like your not even there. In the late stages of distemper most animals will search for a creek to cool down.
There was just a rabid coyote reported in Berks county PA last week.
Posts: 57 | From: Northeast PA | Registered: Dec 2005
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keekee
Knows what it's all about
Member # 465
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posted October 04, 2006 05:27 PM
I bagged it pretty well in Ind garbage bags. I we took it around to a sandy creek bed and dug a nice deep hole.
I called the guy this eve, we got ahold of the local department and he went and dug it up and dropped it off to them. If they can still test it, we will find out pretty soon what was wrong with it.
I never thought to call the health department? Dont know why, brain fart I guess...lol
Brent
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Kee's Custom Calls
http://www.keescalls.com
Posts: 295 | From: Southern Ohio | Registered: Dec 2004
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