Peanut the squirrel question

[struggles_inc]

Everyone has probably heard about Peanut being euthanised for a rabies test.

I'm not a veterinarian and I have no medical education so I must ask. Does anyone know why they didn't take blood samples to test for rabies? Why kill on the spot? Or was it proven that Peanut had rabies?

Thanks.

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

Rabies can only be tested for 100% reliably by checking brain tissue, blood tests can't do shit.

 

[struggles_inc]

Rabies can only be tested for 100% reliably by checking brain tissue, blood tests can't do shit.

Ohhh ok, I understand now. And an operation to do so without the animals death is either impossible or too expensive, right?

 

[NearlyIrrelevantCake]

Ohhh ok, I understand now. And an operation to do so without the animals death is either impossible or too expensive, right?

You need a cross-section of the brain stem and cerebellum to make a concrete diagnosis and getting that cross-section is fatal. A living creature cannot survive that.