# Reasons an otherwise healthy looking raccoon would die suddenly



## bugmankeith (Oct 19, 2012)

I woke up today and in the middle of my yard I found a dead raccoon laying on its side, legs and arms stretched ( not fetal position) It's very odd because usually dying animals hide and die under something, which makes me believe it was a quick death.

We have plenty of raccoons around and all are very healthy and we never had a case of rabies in any animal here.

The raccoon looks to be a young adult, healthy weight, no discharge or crust, no blood, no fur missing or bald spots, teeth look clean, no foul odors.

What could cause sudden death? 

My guess was heart attack, shock, poisoned, or a male raccoon broke its neck in a quick fight. Only other theory, we had rain and 2 minutes of very heavy wind, could it have been on my roof, slipped and fell and hit its head killing it?

I feel bad for it regardless it just bothers me I don't know cause of death.


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## Niffarious (Oct 19, 2012)

Are you worried about diseases, like rabies or something?

In this case I would suspect it's died of trauma like you said (broken neck) or perhaps dropped by a larger predatory animal. 

Unless you have it sent for a necropsy I don't think you will get an answer, unfortunately.


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## bugmankeith (Oct 19, 2012)

Niffarious said:


> Are you worried about diseases, like rabies or something?
> 
> In this case I would suspect it's died of trauma like you said (broken neck) or perhaps dropped by a larger predatory animal.
> 
> Unless you have it sent for a necropsy I don't think you will get an answer, unfortunately.


My first thought was rabies, but after hearing there have not been reported cases in over 20 years here, and the fact I saw no raccoon acting strange days ahead of time, makes me think it can't be rabies.

The largest predator here is red tailed hawk, or someone's dog. I assume if it was a dog attack fur would be ripped out and some blood, this was too big for a hawk to hurt, especially since it was at night I found it at sunrise.


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## Peter Parker (Oct 19, 2012)

My first thought was the roof. It is starting to get cold. Raccoons are notorious for setting up up shop in peoples attics and having and nursing there young.  My first apartment was a converted attic into a apartment. I had a monstrous mama living up in the crawl space. When I would be eating dinner sometimes she would scare me by just staring at me through the kitchen window. as she walked around on the roof.  I found out that she had put the babies in the wall. This was not a easy task for animal control to remove all of them.


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## bugmankeith (Oct 19, 2012)

I still need to put the body in a bag, being I never had a dead raccoon in my yard before, should I wear a mask when handling it, and throw away the gloves after? 

Just realized I posted this in the wrong section too.


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## Formerphobe (Oct 19, 2012)

You should call animal control and not mess with it at all.  There have definitely been confirmed cases of Rabies in your area more recently than 20 years.


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## bugmankeith (Oct 19, 2012)

Formerphobe said:


> You should call animal control and not mess with it at all.  There have definitely been confirmed cases of Rabies in your area more recently than 20 years.


Animal control was called, they don't pick up dead animals unless in the street. AC sucks here, and next garbage pickup is in 4 days, so I have no choice but to do something or it will smell very bad here very soon.


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## Peter Parker (Oct 19, 2012)

Double up on nitrile gloves and get rid of it some way some how


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## Niffarious (Oct 19, 2012)

When my whippets kill rabbits, they grab and shake - the neck breaks nearly instantly with very little, if any mess. So yes, I was thinking coyote or dog.

Regardless, I would still be very cautious, as has been mentioned. If animal control won't take it (wow, yeah they suck in your area) be very cautious and dispose of it yourself.


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## bugmankeith (Oct 19, 2012)

Not sure if it helps, but here are photos before I doubled bagged it while wearing a mask. This is exactly how I found it (it raining out thats why its wet) . I also contacted DOHMH in another county, mine is closed until Monday "facepalms". they said rabies has been reported in my area and the right thing would have been for someone to do an autopsy on it, stupid ass town I live in!

Reactions: Like 1


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## The Snark (Oct 20, 2012)

I'll take a guess. Disease, or accident. It also may have been shot by pellet gun or .22. My money is on the latter as wild animals tend to go hide when feeling ill.


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## Formerphobe (Oct 20, 2012)

Even if hit by car, there are sometimes few if any outward signs.  All the damage can be internal.  It could have run as far as your yard before collapsing.  It looks young.


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## VictorHernandez (Oct 21, 2012)

It also could have been hit by a car, and then ran into your yard. One morning, someone notified me that they saw a cat get hit and run into my yard and die. I saw the cat and it had to bloody mess, or guts squirting out. It looked like it just suddenly died. The eyes were still open though.


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