Do Possums carry rabies? Dog Related

[Baron24]

One of my dogs killed 2 Possums this week. I have a beagle named Brandy and Germand Spephard named Geronimo. My Germand Shephard is always barking at Possums that we have in a tree in our backyard and is alway's trying to get at them.

Does anyone know if Possums carry rabies or any type of diseases?

 

[joce]

I'm pretty sure they do.

My husky kills them all the time.

I think if the dog has its rabies shot it is ok but if she got scratched up i'd probally take her in jsut to make sure she is ok.

 

[Baron24]

Thanks. Yea he has his rabie shots but he has killed a couple of possums since then. My dog is alway's barking at them at like 2am in the morning. You can hear the possum making those seething noises trying to fight back.

 

[FoxyWench]

possums DO carry rabies. if your dogs up to date on its rabies shot it SHOULDNT be an issue, but PLEASE just in case try to keep your dogs away from the possums, they can be very nasty when cornered if playing dead hasnt worked for them and ive seen BIG dogs loose their eyes to a possum scratch. ive also heard of a few cases where the rabies vac hasnt protected for various reasons.
Possums, Skunks, Cyotes, Racoons and Foxes are the current top vector (rabies carrying) species.

 

[Charliesmommy]

Not only do they carry rabies, but also distemper and other diseases. You'll want to be very careful about making sure your dogs are current on their vaccines. Also, possums can carry mange and other things that there is not a vaccination for, so please try to keep your dogs away from them altogether.

 

[Baron24]

It's hard though because we have Possums that are alway's in our backyard or on the fence. There are a lot of trees in the area close by our house and the Possums are alway's coming out at night. I might try and keep my dogs in the house at night and let them back out in the morning.

 

[Charliesmommy]

No idea if this stuff works, but you might try it. I'd hate for your dogs to catch something:

http://www.critter-repellent.com/possums/possums-in-my-garden-flowerbed.php

 

[Sweet72947]

Around here if your dog attacks a vector species, the animal is taken to be tested for rabies and your dog must be kept in Quarantine (usually in your house) for 2 months or something, regardless of whether the dog has shots.

 

[oc_spirit]

Cant all mammals get rabies???

 

[Laurelin]

Pretty sure they can OC. Possums can carry lots of nasty things like people have already said, and they can get quite defensive if agitated.

 

[ToscasMom]

Thanks for reminding me that the rotten lousy skunk that hangs out here in summer should be "rearing" his ugly butt again soon. I lucked out last year with Tosca not tangling with him, but she's smarter this year...or dumber...depending how you look at things. Possums don't hang out here, thank heavens. Fugly things, really, even without rabies.

 

[Baron24]

The Possums around here are huge and i agree very ugly.

 

[FoxyWench]

baby possums are so ugly there cute unfortunatly.
and there MEAN big buggers when they want to be.
I was called for a pickup on a possum that had been hit, the perosn thought it was dead but here vector species have to be picked up by a vacinated person just in case and i was the only one local that could go.
got to sceene and the posum was a female im mid baby season. Wildife rehabber kicks in so i go to check the pouch and what do you know, momma possum was just playing dead she srung up like a jack rabbit snarling hissing all claws and teeth and rather a large female at that!

if you can keep your dogs in the house at night, PLEASE do! ive seen the damage even a young possum can do just in a fight let alone all the nasty things they can carry...
possums arnt the worst thing out there (a tanlge with a large male coon is always interesting) but there pretty close.
They are good at their job though and a gardeners dream they LOVE slugs and snails as well as many other plant and vegatable eating bugs and nasties.

All Mammals can carry rabies, however its unsual for small rodents or "hoof stock" (ie deer) to get and transmit rabies.