Possible Rabies Scare!

I have been freaking out!

Monday night around 11PM the dogs went bazerk.
Two were by the side door in their kennel, but I had just let Lola out of the house to potty before going to bed.
Ran outside and there was HUGE coyote standing in the yard stumbling, and dragging it's hind leg. Lola (coydog) thank HEAVENS was cautious and just barking/howling standing on a large rock!
I got her in an grabbed DH, a .22, and a flashlight. It of course hobbled to the horse's gate who were all OF COURSE leaning over trying to attack it!
So no open shot. I chunked rocks at it trying to get it to move away, no go, kept trying to wiggle through the gate. Finally DH shot several rounds into the ground and it moved 10/20 feet away. We got it broad side twice, then ran out of ammo... Didn't drop!! Reloaded while it hobbled behind the cars, OF COURSE, and towards the side of the mountain where we couldn't get a safe shot off being above the hwy (two miles but we don't take chances)! Got one more shot in it's hind but it got away, we've been looking for it for days. Can't be sure that it actually had rabies or was just seriously injured. It just wasn't right though, took two shots square and one hind with no effect, it was like dealing with Kujo. Still looking for the carcass.

So I've been running the dogs to the vet's to get booster shots (Had to make two trips to town yesterday because I can't get all three in the back of the SUV), they were due soon anyways. Lola was the only one out, not bitten but she may have sniffed in places where/if it was foaming. According to the internet it would be possible! Stupid internet freaks me out! The horses are all utd, no bites, and the coyote couldn't have been in with them anyways.

I am just freaked out. Thank Heavens I'm always on top of rabies vacs, you just never know... I couldn't imagine losing my dogs/horses to something so horrific!

My sister, one time, had a wounded coyote come into their barn yard. From the way it looked, they suspected it had been hit by a vehicle. It crawled into one of their graineries as she'd left the door open while doing chores. My sister left it there and when her husband got home they went and checked it out. By that time it was dead. I guess the poor thing was just looking for a quiet place to die.

Odd about the shots not bringing down your coyote - was it on an adrenalin rush? I guess you're also proof that it pays to keep on your rabies vaccinations 'cause you really never do know when you might need that bit on insurance...

I really don't know. The only reason I can think of would be that the possible rabies made it "numb" to the shots or your adrenaline idea. I would think we live too far from the road, up a steep mountain for it to get up here with a broken leg. It just wasn't right you know?

Ugh, there just isn't enough bleach, hand sanitizer, soap, or shots to keep me from still freaking out. We hiked for hours yesterday looking for it, I just can't get it out of my mind.

I'm going to guess it somehow broke its leg. In a fight, fall off a high area, or DID get hit by a car and stumble off. I don't think rabies would make it numb to being shot, but adrenaline would. Rabies causes violent tremors, heavy drooling (Due to the inability to swallow), undue violence and aggression.

For reference, this is a rabid fox. It went around attacking people violently until it was shot and tested.


Rabies is a hell of a disease. I've done reports on it, and it doesn't sound like your coyote had it - BUT it's ALWAYS better to be safe than sorry. I'm glad you got your dogs boostered, and I'm glad you caught it before it could do any damage. Even an injured, otherwise healthy animal can be dangerous. I'm glad everything turned out okay

Oh my word that video was horrible!
At first it was only 15 feet from the patio, hunched up weird, dazed and IDK his body just wasn't working right. Thank heavens the dogs noticed and I didn't go out without a flashlight to go get wood earlier...

I was walking my dog one day, and there was a rabid squirrel in the tree right next to me. It was clinging onto the tree, with its mouth wide open making a noise like a alarm, over and over. Luckily it didnt attack me or my dog, but it was pretty crazy!

Sorry, this might sound super know-it-all like. But how do you know it was rabid? I intern at a wildlife rehab center. We get literally HUNDREDS of squirrels. This is a very common squirrel behavior, they will call an alarm if they think something in the area is dangerous (In that case it would be your dog). Many times they will not move, as an 'intimidation factor' (Even though they're tiny...). He very likely was fine, but thought you and your dog were threatening, and was warning the rest of the squirrels nearby.

Believe me, it's an IRRITATING alarm, especially when all the squirrels in the enclosure outside decide you're a threat... Like I said. I've done extensive reports on rabies. This sounds more like standard squirrel actions than rabid actions. I see behavior like that with the squirrels around my campus - and boy, do we have a lot of squirrels here!

LOL!! Those things do look rabid!
Ever camped close to ones nest? Insanely annoying.

You are probably not going to like this, but if your dogs lived in your house, you really wouldn't have a concern.
I really don't see a reason to have dogs that live outside, at all.

Alex I do my best. All three of my dogs weigh over 100 lbs and are 99% house dogs. What exactly am I supposed to do when they have to potty?
My kennel is under the porch roof with nice warm bedding. The boys only have to go in when they get muddy or decide they want to roll in horse manure and I can't bathe them ASAP. Lola is a 100% house dog, she likes to stay clean.
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