Please Read Tularemia !

[mec lineman]

Killed a few rabbits on JAN.22 (Sat) skinned and field dressed with gloves on in woods. Got home and was rinsing and quartering up, when I cut myself on my right thumb on a jagged part of the backbone. I was not thrilled, because when I was a kid my neighbor contacted "rabbit fever" and almost died. Thursday I started getting flu like symptoms and it was getting worse. Called the DR. and told them my symptoms and that I had cut myself cleaning a rabbit. They told me to come in immediately , I was so sick they offered me a wheelchair . I ended up in the ER. they took my blood. I threw up for 10-12 hours straight. Dr. put me on antibiotics for two weeks. I missed 7 days of work. the blood came back neg. for Rabbit fever . I started feeling better and went back to work, but felt very fatigued. 2 weeks later sick again, different dr.,different kind of blood test. He calls me Friday and tells me I am POSSITIVE for Tularemia. Please be careful when handling any wild animal. Anyone with a similar story ?  Thanks Craig

[KyStickbow]

Wow...I hope everything turns out ok for u brother!

I have cut myself many times while field dressing deer and just continued on. Maybe I should be a bit more cautious!

[Wannabe1]

Scary stuff! Hope all gets better for you. Take care out there folks.

[Joeabowhunter]

Sorry to hear about your illness but thanks for posting.  I've never heard of this.

[mec lineman]

I have skinned many, many deer without gloves, heck don't even give it a thought. Bear and rabbits are another story.

[Robert Armstrong]

WOW have'nt heard of that in a long long time. Hope you get well soon.

[el chupa nibre]

JAYZUS! Thanks for the heeding, just sorry that it had to come at your own personal cost! Hope you make a full recovery quickly!

[mec lineman]

Thanks guys, just a word of caution as well Lyme disease untreated can cause major, major health problems 15- 20 years down the road. Done some research and  the findings were scary to say the least. I had a small town physician once that if you were an outdoorsman and got ill he would treat for lyme to be safe.

[mec lineman]

sorry double post

[Thumper Dunker]

Yikes.

[Wudstix]

Yeah I won't even touch a hog if I have cuts on my hands.  Scary stuff.

[Caughtandhobble]

Dang the bad luck, I never heard of that before. Good luck!!!

[Roadkill]

Our season just ended for bunnies, but your warning is good.  Vinyl gloves would not protect fully from a bone prick.  Get well and thanks

[Sam McMichael]

Here's hoping your recovery is fast and complete.

[Whitetail Addict]

I'm sorry to hear that. I've cut myself while cleaning them and been stuck with rabbit bones I don't know how many times over the years, with no ill effects. Just goes to show that you never know. I should be more careful. Hope you feel better soon, and thanks for the eye opener.

Bob

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I never knew you could catch anything.  I guess that rabbit had the last laugh.. I am glad you caught it quick and are recovering. thank you for the heads up.