A Mystery...Anyone know about this?
From an email....
This morning while walking Pebbles along River park, she was
excitedly picking up (and quickly eating) somethin). My daughter
said it was dog treats, and the first 3-4 times I ignored it, then we
started taking them away from her, and I have no idea what it is. It
appears to be very small (1 1/2" x 1/4") packets filled with bright
pink liquid. From the debris we could pull away from Pebbles, it
looks like 3 or 4 of these packets were folded in half and covered
with a wax box (about a 1/4 inch thick). Here is the weird part.
The wax was covered with a substance that I thought at first was
cardboard, and my daughter thought was dog treats. It is an organic
composite that smells like fish emulsion (ugh - but obviously the
reason Pebbles was so excited).
We found these along the sidewalk from Crest all the way to the south
end of the park, where Pebbles pulled me through the bush, towards
the houses that are on therfiver at the south end of the big walking
loop.
What are they? If they are poisonous (perhaps rat bait?) we are very
lucky that Pebbles is large, she so far seems to be fine.
If any one can help us solve this mystery, we would appreciate it.
Molly
1 comment:
See http://www.pascocountyfl.net/pubser/comser/animal/ORV.htm
Oral Recombinant Rabies Vacine.
What does Raboral VR-G® oral rabies vaccine bait look like?
A rabies vaccine packet is inserted into the hollow center of fishmeal polymer bait and is held in place by wax. The bait weighs 23 grams and is 1.25” x 1.25” x .75” in size.
The vaccine packet contains 2 ml. of oral rabies vaccine.
What if my dog or cat eats a bait?
The bait is not harmful to pets or livestock if they find one and eat one. Because additional baits may have been dropped nearby, check the area for more. Any other baits can be removed and placed where they are more likely to be found by a raccoon, not your pet.
Are these baits or vaccines harmful to people?
The bait shell is made of fishmeal, an ingredient in animal feed so it is not harmful to touch an intact bait. However, the bait does have a strong odor, so wearing gloves is recommended. The vaccine (red liquid) inside the shell contains vaccinia virus. People with eczema and immunosuppressed conditions may be prone to a local infection from vaccinia if the vaccine (red liquid) gets into a wound or abrasion. Use soap and water to wash any skin area exposed to the vaccine to prevent this. Please call the Florida Oral Rabies Vaccine Information Line at 1-866-4USDA WS (1-866-487-3297) for further advice.
What if I find a bait near my home?
Leave it alone if it is intact and in an area where pet or child contact is not likely. However, if the bait is out in the open or where contact by pets or children is possible, put on gloves and toss it into deeper cover. If the bait is broken open or damaged, wear gloves or protect your hands by using a plastic bag before picking it up. However, a person should not touch the bait if they are less than 18 years of age, pregnant, or immunosuppressed.
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