aka. The Vampire Veterinarian ๐ฆ ECC, Public Health and DEI ๐ Bisexual nonbinary femme ๐๐ค๐๐ค *VIEWS ARE MY OWN*
- Tweets1.4K
- Following85
- Followers782
- Likes5.2K
ALT A Minnesota pest Control company operated in the Twin Cities metro area has potentially not been consistently submitting animals for rabies testing / 10 September 2026
ALT A photo of the mdh announcement titled "Health officials request information from people who used ASAP Wildlife Services MN amid potential rabies exposure investigation". Below it is a screenshot of the MDH Facebook announcement that reads "State health officials are attempting to contact customers of ASAP Wildlife Services MN who had bats or other mammals submitted for rabies testing on their behalf from Sept. 1, 2025, through today. If you used ASAP Wildlife Services MN from Sept. 1, 2025, through today and had a bat or other wild mammal submitted for rabies testing on your behalf by the business, please call MDH at 651-201-5368. Minnesota Department of Health rabies disease specialists will assess whether testing was performed and advise you on the need for rabies prevention shots. https://www.health.state.mn.us/news/pressrel/2026/rabies090826.html"
ALT MDH Announcement: Pest control company ASAP Wildlife Services MN operating out of the Twin Cities metropolitan area of Minnesota is under investigation for not submitting animals for rabies testing appropriately. From the Minnesora Department of Health: โState health officials are attempting to contact customers of ASAP Wildlife Services MN who had bats or other mammals submitted for rabies testing on their behalf from Sept. 1, 2025, through today. Based on information provided to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), officials believe ASAP Wildlife Services MN operates in the Twin Cities metro area and has not consistently submitted animals for rabies testing. At least one customer has been told of negative results from a laboratory that does not perform animal rabies testing."
ALT ASAP Wildlife Services MN Customers: If you used ASAP Wildlife Services MN from Sept. 1, 2025, through today and had a bat or other wild mammal submitted for rabies testing on your behalf by the business, please call MDH at 651-201-5368. Thus far, the business has not been responsive to state outreach, which is why state health officials are directly reaching out to the public.
ALT Rabies testing in MN: Animals in Minnesota are submitted for rabies testing at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in St. Paul, MN; the test is subsequently performed at the Minnesota Department of Health Public Health Laboratory. Only state public health laboratories or designated university veterinary diagnostic facilities are approved to perform animal rabies testing. Per MDH, if a Minnesota animal is tested in an out-of-state laboratory, both negative and positive results are reported to both the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. It is unclear at this time if the animals โsubmittedโ by the company for rabies were actually tested.
ALT MDH Comment on Bats: Given that ASAP Wildlife Services MN retrieved and removed bats, a lack of appropriate testing is especially concerning. Bats are rabies reservoir species and their teeth are so small, a bite may not be felt or leave a mark. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reiterates that if a person has any physical contact with a bat or finds a bat in the room of a sleeping person or unattended child, the bat should be captured safely and submitted for rabies testing. NEVER touch a bat with bare hands. Information, including a video, on how to safely capture a bat for testing can be found on the MDH website. The MDH also states that if someone has been bitten by or exposed to a bat, it is very important to test the bat for rabies. If this is not possible, then rabies prevention shots should be given as soon as possible.
ALT Rabies is a 100% fatal illness. Vaccination saves lives.
ALT A picture of Kate in front of a pink cloud gradient background with green text in the sky that says "iveccs 2026 Savannah" with a sweetbay magnolia near the bottom of the S, and a second semi-lucent flower in the background amongst the clouds. The mid-ground has large green leafy trees, and the foreground has Kate in a pink dress with a black cors and their blue hair braided. The foreground has a green semi-lucent text box that reads Savannah Convention Center September 14-17, 2026.
ALT A pink cloud gradient background with green text in the sky that says "iveccs 2026 Savannah" with a sweetbay magnolia near the bottom of the S, and a second semi-lucent flower in the background amongst the clouds. The mid-ground has large green leafy trees. The foreground has a golden semi-lucent text box that reads "I'm attending!" and at the bottom a green semi-lucent text box that reads Savannah Convention Center September 14-17, 2026.
ALT A pink cloud gradient background with green text in the sky that says "iveccs 2026 Savannah" with a sweetbay magnolia near the bottom of the S, and a second semi-lucent flower in the background amongst the clouds. The mid-ground has large green leafy trees. The foreground has a golden semi-lucent text box that reads "I'm speaking!" and at the bottom a green semi-lucent text box that reads Savannah Convention Center September 14-17, 2026.
ALT A pink cloud gradient background with green text in the sky that says "iveccs 2026 Savannah" with a sweetbay magnolia near the bottom of the S, and a second semi-lucent flower in the background amongst the clouds. The mid-ground has large green leafy trees. The foreground has a golden semi-lucent text box that reads "I'm exhibiting!" and at the bottom a green semi-lucent text box that reads Savannah Convention Center September 14-17, 2026.
ALT A pink cloud gradient background with green text in the sky that says "iveccs 2026 Savannah" with a sweetbay magnolia near the bottom of the S, and a second semi-lucent flower in the background amongst the clouds. The mid-ground has large green leafy trees. The foreground has at the bottom a green semi-lucent text box that reads Savannah Convention Center September 14-17, 2026.
ALT IVECCS 2026 Walkout Info ๐๐ป ๐ง๐๐ฒ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐, ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ญ๐ฑ๐๐ต Savannah Convention Center, Chatham B room The event starts at 4:45PM ET. We will walk out at 4:50PM ET.
ALT The keynote speaker for the 2026 International Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Symposium (IVECCS) is Dr. Betsy Grunch, best known under her moniker LadySpineDoc online. Dr. Grunch's online history includes repeatedly documented unethical behavior, promoting unregulated products to consumers, and practices that can put consumers at risk; if she was a veterinarian, her conduct would be a violation of the Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics. In response to complaints, IVECCS representatives have cited contractual obligations and limitations as to what they can act on at this time. If they want/have to give her a platform, walking out communicates that was the wrong choice.
ALT North Carolina just had rabies-positive baby goats expose people across several counties via a mobile petting zoo
ALT Text from the NCDHHS announcement titled "NCDHHS Confirms Rabies at Mobile Petting Zoo" from https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/08/28/ncdhhs-confirms-rabies-mobile-petting-zoo (The body of the text is too long for alt text)
ALT Text in Spanish from the NCDHHS announcement titled "El NCDHHS confirma la rabia en el zoolรณgico de mascotas mรณvil " from https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/2026/08/28/ncdhhs-confirms-rabies-mobile-petting-zoo (The body of the text is too long for alt text)
ALT What happened: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services confirmed multiple cases of rabies in baby goats at a mobile petting zoo located in Iredell County. At least four goats at Farm Adventures have tested positive for rabies and may have been in direct contact with people at events while infectious. The presumed exposure involved a skunk on the farm late July 2026. Anyone who had contact with the goats from the Farm Adventures mobile petting zoo either at their location in Harmony, North Carolina, or at an off-site event, between July 28 and August 27, 2026, should contact their local health department to determine what medications are needed to prevent infection. The investigation is ongoing as of August 30, 2026.
ALT Difficult conversations: In 2025, a dog that had attended doggie daycare several days exposed 30+ people in Illinois to rabies. Health officials identified 13 people who had direct contact with the puppy (ranging from being bitten to being licked on the face). All 13 individuals initiated PEP and no one died. Timely intervention can save lives, but navigating the process can still be challenging.
ALT What to do if you're exposed to a rabies vector: Rabies is preventable with timely & appropriate intervention. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) must be pursued ASAP after a human is exposed. The CDC has Rabies PEP Guidelines for healthcare providers. If someone exposed is not vaccinated for rabies, they may need human rabies immune globulin (HRIG). If a person has been vaccinated before, the CDC doesnโt recommend HRIG. PEP also includes several doses of the rabies vaccine (the number depends on the vaccine status of the person exposed and immunocompetency). TLDR seek care ASAP!
ALT What to do if your pet is exposed to rabies vector: Check out the Rabies Aware site for what is legally required for your animals and what is recommended post exposure. Track your local and state ordinances for any changes. Many states recommend/require that dogs & cats are revaccinated ASAP after exposure (<96 hours of exposure). Many emergency veterinary hospitals will carry the rabies vaccine for this reason. Other post-exposure recommendations for other species that can be vaccinated (like ferrets, horses, cattle, etc.) are not well established, so contact your veterinarian for guidance in those instances.
ALT Rabies is a 100% fatal illness. Rabies vaccination saves lives.
