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?
