We are in bat season again. Last week a bat from the Duvall/Woodinville area tested
positive for Rabies after the veterinarian and cat owner shipped the bat to OSU
for testing.
Testing bats for Rabies in King County:
Bats that have
had contact with humans in King County will be tested at no charge at the
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Laboratory in Shoreline. All
submissions for rabies testing at the DOH Laboratory must be pre-approved by
discussing the case with an investigator at the Communicable Disease
Epidemiology section, 206-296-4774.
Bats with
animal-only contact can be tested for a fee at the Oregon State
University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Owners of animals that have been
in contact with bats are responsible for shipping the dead bats to the
laboratory for rabies testing, or their veterinarian can assist them.
Bats that have
possibly exposed animals can be tested for rabies by mailing the dead
bat to the Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The
laboratory phone number is 541-737-3261.
• Cost of rabies testing: $80 + $5 accession fee =
$85 total
REMEMBER:Never touch a bat (dead or alive) with bare hands. Always use heavy
gloves or a shovel.
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