JACKSON, Wyo. — A bat from Teton County has tested positive for rabies, marking the first appearance of the disease in the county since 2020.
Dr. Myrna Miller of the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory confirmed to Buckrail that a “small brown bat” from Teton County had tested positive for rabies at her lab last week.
The bat was found at a residence in Teton County and brought into Jackson’s Animal Care Clinic, where it was euthanized and sent to the state lab for testing. Vets were unable to determine the bat’s exact species, since variations in size and age can make it difficult to pinpoint a precise species without DNA testing.
Miller noted that since June 1, the beginning of what she called “bat season,” her team had studied one other bat from Sheridan, Wyoming, that tested positive for rabies.
These specimens were consistent with what Miller sees as the state’s average for rabies cases among bats, estimating that in a typical year she sees a rate of about 2%, sometimes rising as high as 7%. She noted that rabies in Teton County’s bat population was in line with the rest of the state’s, saying it “isn’t frequent” locally.
This is not the first time a local bat has tested positive for rabies. The county’s first infected bat was reported in 2017, and two more were found in 2019.
Wyoming’s only rabies death was attributed to bat exposure. A Riverton woman died from a bite in 2015. Dr. Miller said that case was a cautionary tale, noting that the woman noticed a bat in her home but set it free because she did not detect any wounds on herself. A few weeks later, she died from rabies.
“These bats weigh less than one ounce,” Miller said. “Their bites are tiny. Even if you cannot find a scratch or a bite, it’s worth sending the bat in for testing. It’s free.”
The Wyoming Department of Health issued a rabies warning in April, reminding residents to follow these guidelines:
- Don’t touch or feed wild or stray animals.
- Treat animal bites with soap and water and contact a medical professional immediately.
- People waking to find a bat in their room or a child’s room should contact a medical professional immediately.
- Vaccinate dogs, cats, ferrets, horses and other selected livestock for rabies and keep vaccinations up-to-date.
Rabies is not the only threat facing local bat populations. The northern long-eared bat is at risk of extinction due to white-nose syndrome, decimating entire colonies of the species via rapidly spreading fungus.
