SAFELY REMOVING ANIMAL HEADS FOR RABIES TESTING

Wyatt Frampton, DVM, MPHUtah Department of Agriculture and Food

WHY SUBMIT?

• Exposure history– Bite (Large rodents*, and all other mammals)– Unknown exposure – Bats– Do not send exposed animals

• Surveillance– Raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes– No exposure but abnormal behavior

* Beaver or similar sized

WHERE TO SUBMIT?

• Rabies testing only:Unified State Laboratories: Public Health4431 South 2700 WestTaylorsville, UT 84119-8600Phone: (801) 965-2584

WHERE TO SUBMIT?

• Disease diagnostic purposes– Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Main Laboratory Central Utah Branch Laboratory

950 East 1400 North 1451 South MainLogan UT 84341 Nephi UT 84648Phone: 435-797-1895 Phone: 435-623-1402

WHAT TO SUBMIT?

• Whole carcass – Bats (Preferably dead)• Specie identification

– Rodents• Only submitted on rare occasions• Small rodents

WHAT TO SUBMIT?

• Whole heads– Dogs– Cats– Wildlife (Raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes)

WHAT TO SUBMIT?

• Brain– Large dogs– Livestock (Horses, Cattle, Pigs, Sheep, Goats)– Big game

WHAT TO SUBMIT?

• Brain– Fresh– Frozen delays the

process– Not fixed– Include brain stem and

some spinal cord

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Whole animals – Bats– It must be assumed that all bats may be infected

with rabies virus• So use caution to prevent exposure

– Use an acceptable method of euthanasia• Freezing is not an acceptable method

– Ship to laboratory using approved shipping procedures

Acceptable methods of euthanasia - Bats

• Inhalant anesthetics (liquid)– ex: halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane,

desflurane • Barbiturates

– intravenous or intraperitoneal – Limitation: DEA Controlled substances, must be licensed to

administer

• Potassium chloride– intravenous or intracardiac, in conjunction with an inhalation

anesthetic

• http://www.batworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/BWSposition_statement-euthanasia.pdf

• http://michigan.gov/documents/emergingdiseases/Humane_Euthanasia_of_Bats-Final_244979_7.pdf

APPROVED SHIPPING PROCEDURES

• Goals of shipping– Must not expose others to infectious materials– Prevent leakage of potentially infectious material– Arrival of specimens in an state that will allow

accurate results• Three layers– A leak proof primary receptacle– A leak proof secondary packaging– An outer rigid packaging of adequate strength for its

capacity, mass and intended use

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Whole heads– Remember that in collecting heads for rabies

testing, the collector should have two primary goals• Submit a good specimen that will allow for accurate

testing• Prevent human infection

– Remove head in the neck region– Insure that the brain stem is included

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Supplies needed– Sharp knife and sharpener• Optional - sharp hacksaw or back saw, pruning shears

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Supplies needed– Protective clothing:• Waterproof gloves (preferably disposable)• Mask (disposable or launderable)• Safety glasses or goggles• Coveralls and/or waterproof apron

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Supplies needed– Cleaning Supplies• Detergent• Disinfectant• Paper towels• Plastic trash bags

– Pesticides• Fleas and ticks

HOW TO COLLECT?

• Lay animal on its back and extend the head by pushing top of nose toward ground or bend neck back over edge of table.– Locate larynx (voice box)– Using a sharp knife, make an incision through the

skin and continue cutting down through the trachea and esophagus to the backbone

– Disarticulate the atlanto-occipital joint– Cut remaining muscle and skin with the knife to

completely free the head from the body

HOW TO COLLECT?

HOW TO STORE AND SHIP?

• Keep refrigerated– Do not freeze

• Ship early in the week so laboratory gets it before the weekend– Prevents it from being held at room temperature

in a shipping room for extended purposes• Depending where the victim was bitten, may

require delivery to the lab ASAP

LAST THOUGHTS

• When in doubt – call the laboratory for procedures to ship

• Include complete form• Be safe

• Questions?