Afraid I might have had a run in with a bat.

[Walking Circles]

Last night around 11:30 pm I finished my workout and went outside to cool down. As I was walking on the side walk I stretched my arm up and something fluttered in to it, seemed to sort of get stuck and spaz out for a second then disappeared. I never got a look at what it was.

At first I thought it was just a bug of some sort because I was sweaty and it seems like they are attracted to that. However today I'm worried it could have been a bat. We have them in the area, you can seem them near the street lights sometimes at dusk. Our next door neighbor has a bat box in his back yard (though I don't know if any live in it).

What worries me is that I didn't get a look at all at what it was. I can't find any wound in the area. Should I make an appointment with my doctor to start the Rabies vaccine course? My understanding is that time is of the essence and you should get it within 24 hours. Or am I just out on a limb here and it was likely a bug?

The common bat in my area is very small, less than a pound and about 3 or 4 inches long at the body so I'm afraid that it wouldn't have felt much different than a bug.

 

[E.B]

I've dealt with this phobia so I sympathize, however I have always read that you would be well aware of a bat bite especially walking and awake and that touching a bat does not put you in danger.

 

[bin_tenn]

Nah, you're good, dude.

 

[Walking Circles]

So it seems more likely that it was a bug? Y'all think it's worth calling my doctor over?

 

[Cuchculan]

If you can't see any bite marks or anything on you for that matter I see no reason to worry. If it was a bite and you could see the markings, then you would at least know that something did bite you. if there is nothing to see at all, there would be nothing to show the doctor either.

 

[Walking Circles]

Kinda freaking out, today my throat is a bit sore. Which I understand is often the first symptom. Not sure what I should do.

 

[blueberries]

Most likely it wasn't a bat. If it were flying it would have spread its wings and those would be very obvious. Do you have a county health department in your area? I've had run-ins with bats before and that is who I've called. They seem to err on the side of caution more than doctors do and both times they've recommended I get the vaccine.

 

[Walking Circles]

Most likely it wasn't a bat. If it were flying it would have spread its wings and those would be very obvious. Do you have a county health department in your area? I've had run-ins with bats before and that is who I've called. They seem to err on the side of caution more than doctors do and both times they've recommended I get the vaccine.

Yeah the county I live in has a health department. However they are notoriously hard to get a hold of and unhelpful. I asked over on another forum and an actual doctor there said they wouldn't recommend I start the vaccine course based on my description of the event.

My understanding is that you only have 24 hours to get the shots started, and I'm basically at 48 hours now.

 

[Walking Circles]

This evening I've started to feel flush and have a bit of a headache. I'm terrified that I really screwed up and I should have ran and got the shot.