The first thing to do is to check your dog thoroughly for any open wounds. The odds of a healthy, vaccinated dog getting rabies from an opossum bite are next to none. No matter what you hear, opossums are not out there killing people’s dogs, or attacking children. If your living area is greeny, then you might have a few wild guests to visit you. Your veterinarian will be able to medicate the wounds and prescribe any antibiotics or painkillers he feels your dog needs as a result of the wound. If you have existing pets (e.g., dog, cat), an opossum may not be a great addition. Find out if it's a good idea to Pet an Opossum While aggressive dogs can subdue the attack of Possums, cats on the other hand are more susceptible to Possums attacks because of their gentle nature. Dealing With An Opossum When it comes to dealing with an opossum that is becoming a problem, the best option is to trap the animal and either to kill it humanely or to relocate it if your state's rules allow such relocation. The important thing to know is that cats are WAY faster and more agile than opossums. That being said however, a possum will bite if it is cornered or attacked by dog, human, or other predator. By the way, make sure to acquire all the precautions before touching the possum. If your dog has caught a possum, you have to first get rid of it. They just come to your house in search of food. The chances of catching the rabies virus are extremely low if your dog hadn’t killed a possum or contacted an adult possum. Should I take my dog into the vet in the morning. After decades of being warned about the rabies risk associated with wild animal bites, it is only natural for you to wonder if an opossum bite will give your dog rabies. Even if you do all these things, I will always recommend visiting a veterinarian to treat the areas properly. Always wrap the possum inside of a bag. If your dog has a bite from another animal, your best bet is to take your dog to the vet. If your dog gets bitten by an opossum, or any wild animal, your best option is to take him to the veterinarian for an exam and treatment of any injuries. If your dog bites a possum, the possum may go into a comatose state for around four hours as a result of shock. She picked up the possum and started carrying it around. If a possum bites a dog, the dog must have scared them greatly. Things can be worse and thinking that George took some fences and installed them around his yard to prevent this uninvited guest from visiting the house and keeping the dog secure. For another, according to the Humane Society of the United States and the Missouri and Illinois Bi-State Wildlife Hotline, opossums are largely resistant to rabies and almost never carry the disease. Opossums can grow larger than a cat, and an adult may stand its ground more than youngsters. So if your dog messes with a possum, and the possum doesn't play dead, it might bite back. At first she thought it might be a coyote. In this article, I am going to discuss all those essential things that will help you to act quickly with accurate methods. True? It’s a health concern of your four-legged feline, and you will definitely not risk it, will you? That said, in rare instances, opossums will attack, particularly when they have to defend themselves, just like any other animal would. While it’s very unusual for a dog to get ill and get disease from biting a possum, they carry a range of illnesses that can be transmitted to your dog. Even if the possum contains rabies, the evidence will be wiped out completely. Before getting killed, the possum will try his best to get out of the dog’s mouth; this can end up with some scratches or bites. First, if your dog is vaccinated, then there's no worries. Soon the dog gave up his hunting instinct and left the prey. My dog bite a possum and left it on the grass, possum got up and left with a wound on his back. Whereas a dog might provoke an opossum attack in pure defense, a cat won't attack an opossum the way a dog will. Sometimes dogs will pick up the possum in its mouth and carry it around or play with it like a stuffed toy, but this is usually unharmful to both dog and possum as the dog will eventually get bored and let the possum go. Will opossums attack my pets? I tried to bribe the dog with cheese, bacon and fried sweet potatoes. If the rabies shot is up to date, you won’t have to worry about anything. For this, you can use warm water to wash the affected area. If pushed, cornered, poked, prodded, the opossum WILL bite, but it will never run after you, chase you, come towards you in an attacking way. First of all, you need to check for bites or scratch marks. The possum’s body goes limp, and it starts to secrete green mucus from its anal glands. What do I do? I see an opossum sharing a food dish with my cat. Opossums have relatively few defenses, so you can expect your dog to emerge from a fight with an opossum sporting bite marks as well as claw marks. Will an opossum bite my children? If you found blood in your dog’s mouth, then there is a huge possibility that your dog has bitten the possum, and it is not your dog’s blood. You should be aware that certain harmful bacteria and viruses, rabies included, may be contained in saliva hiding in your dog’s coat. These little animals are cute, and most of them don’t cause any harm. Well, that’s the most useful instinct of dogs, until they attack a possum. The good news is that your dog faces almost no rabies risk due to an opossum bite.For one thing, your dog should be vaccinated against rabies.The rabies vaccine protects your dog from the disease and is legally required in many areas of the country.. So, without any delay, let’s dive in! Last of all, if your dog has eaten a possum, then it is a must to test them up. Is this normal? You May Also Read – Why Do Dogs Like Butt Scratches. It will give you peace of mind. Possums bear rabies. Despite this, their jaws are powerful and can inflict crush injuries to soft tissues. The rabies vaccine protects your dog from the disease and is legally required in many areas of the country. If you are asking, “Can opossums be pets?” maybe the better questions revolve around how well you can maintain their natural lifestyle, and if … “Transmission experiments with bat rabies isolates: reactions of certain Carnivora, opossum, rodents, and bats to rabies virus of red bat origin when exposed by bat bite or by intrasmuscular inoculation”. In case if your dog has got wounds, they need to be taken care of as early as possible. Read more: Opossum Control, How to Get Rid of Opossums, Opossum … Why Do Cats Want You to Walk Them to Their Food? But in some rare cases, possum does carry rabies and if you have found scratch marks or bites on your dog, find out when you have given last given them the rabies shot. This defense mechanism is so engraved in their DNA, that it’s not a … Indeed, this lower blood temperature is said to be a part of the animal's protection from snake bites and even rabies, which struggle to take hold in the animal's body. However, your first priority should check your dog’s skin properly if they have caught any possum. Some possums can fight the larger dog breeds back. Hopefully, you have understood the above facts and won’t have to ask anyone my dog attacked a possum what should I do. But if you are still worried about rabies, you can test the possum whether it is negative or positive. Without treatment, the bite wound may become infected and cause complications including fever, vomiting and diarrhea. This is a biological response that is commonly referred to as “playing dead”. Then he took his dog to a vet to find out if he has caught rabies or not. Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. As I have said before, possum doesn’t carry rabies because they are not capable of surviving any predatory attack. With some of these having the potential for fatal consequences, it becomes incredibly important for your dog to be up to date with all of their vaccinations. Hydrogen peroxide is also a good item to prevent further infection. Opossums eat … If this happens, then make sure to wear hand gloves before touching your dog or the possum. Solution: Nothing. The real threat your dog faces from an opossum bite wound is the chance of infection. That said, in rare instances, opossums will attack, particularly when they have to defend themselves, just like any other animal would. Don’t waste time, and don’t put it inside of your freezer. Without treatment, the bite wound may become infected and cause complications including fever, vomiting and diarrhea. If you found blood in your dog’s mouth, then there is a huge possibility that your dog has bitten the possum, and it is not your dog’s blood. “ What should I do if a possum bit my dog? So, you can also use them while cleaning. Australia has one of the highest incidences of pet ownership in the world1 with the rate of dog ownership by household between 35–42%.2,3 Mammalian bites, in particular dog bites, are common. ” Clean the wound and watch for any signs of infection. This went on for an hour, while she tried to figure out what to do with it. In the event that an animal bites your dog -- even if the biter is not a predator, such as an opossum -- you need to handle it quickly and appropriately to minimize the potential damage the bite can cause. You can also call your local animal control and follow their instructions for further help. (Opossum Problems and Solutions) Problem: There is an opossum in my yard. They will bite and claw, not only causing injury to your cat or dog, but also infecting them with whatever illness they are suffering from. Likewise, what diseases can possums give to dogs? She wouldn't come. An uncleaned, untreated bite wound can contain plenty of dirt and bacteria. Explainer: what is tularemia and can I catch it from a possum? The real threat your dog faces from an opossum bite wound is the chance of infection. An uncleaned, untreated bite wound can contain plenty of dirt and bacteria. If your dog has been bitten by a possum, then you need to visit Animal Control and ask them my dog attacked a possum what should I do? Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga. Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images. This is because you are not an expert, and you can miss some spots. Because of a possum’s tendency to ‘play possum’ upon contact with a dog, the dog is very unlikely to actually bite it. So, keep this in mind before moving forward. Article Cited: Constantine DG, Woodall DF (1966). Possums are scared easily and will freeze immediately if they think they’re in danger because it will confuse predators and make them leave most of the time. Scientists are beginning to accumulate evidence that suggests that opossums can harbor and transmit equine protozoal myeloenchephalitis (EPM), a protozoal disease of horses. Considering this, can my dog get rabies from biting a possum? Opossums are notorious for playing dead when frightened; but if your dog corners a opossum who's not playing dead, it is normal for the opossum to try to defend himself. Dog bites, the most common, are responsible for tens of millions of bite wounds every year, but they’re usually more superficial than cat bites; their teeth are relatively dull compared to felines. So, command your dog to leave it or the way you command to drop it. He and my other dog are both up to date on all their s … read more The good news is that your dog faces almost no rabies risk due to an opossum bite. If my dog bites a possum will it get ill? In this case, a possum is dangerous to a dog or any other pet, like a cat. The wound will nee to be washed thoroughly, and cleaned too. Thankfully, the possum tested negative, and that little adventure found a happy ending. This because possums are like those stay animals that contains various diseases in their body. the reason i am asking b/c my dog has some white stuff on his nose but they look like bite marks and last night i found a possum and he was playing with him and i think he got bitten but i am not sure if anyone can help it would sure be helpfull Click to see full answer. Posted by Dilfaza Arefin | Nov 22, 2020 | Resources | 0 |. For one thing, your dog should be vaccinated against rabies. Opossums do not generally carry rabies, their body temperature is to low. When Can I Bathe My Dog After Giving Birth. They do not care about your dog, and they don’t want anything to do with your children. This is why if you see a possum out in the daytime your first instinct should be to get away from it. I heard horses could get EPM from opossums. But that is all it is – a defensive mechanism to scare predators away. Dogs cannot contract rabies from possum bites for two reasons: the Virginia opossum (commonly called a possum) cannot harbour the rabies virus in its body, as its body temperature is too low. So, if you have found any open wounds, you need to pay proper attention to treat them without wasting any time. Opossum Pooping in yard; My dog kills opossums. The chance of rabies is very, very slim (a possum’s normal body temperature is too low for the rabies virus to survive)…but if your dog has NOT been vaccinated, you should take him/her to the vet asap. Opossums make my dog bark! His dog was not an aggressive one, but one day he saw that his dog rushed into the woods and came out with a possum in his mouth. Leave the opossum alone and enjoy watching wildlife in your own backyard. So, make sure to use a glove or something like that. In this case, a possum is dangerous to a dog or any other pet, like a cat. Once you clean the area, use some antibiotics and wrap them up. It was "playing possum". Shiber wishes she had been called right away, though she does not think this animal was rabid. If you touch the bare possum hands, it will be at the same risk as your dog. In addition, opossums are solitary animals and may not get along with other animals. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." What To Do If Your Dog Kills A Possum? In fact, some wounds require alternative therapy or any special medications. Missouri and Illinois Bi-State Wildlife Hotline: Opossum Facts and Fables, Humane Society of the United States: Understanding Rabies, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department: Animal Bites, Louisiana State University: What You Should Know About Animal Bites. In fact, the temperature of their body is also low, which is not suitable for rabies to live. But if you set your dog free during the night time, they might hunt them down for protecting your house from unknown threats. In Australia, it has been estimated that approximately 2% of the population is bitten by a dog annually, of which 100 000 will require treatment and 13 000 will seek treatment in a hospital.4 | RACGP June 26, 2017 8.17pm EDT. It astounds him, and he quickly commanded his dog to leave it. Before getting killed, the possum will try his best to get out of the dog’s mouth; this can end up with some scratches or bites. Later an opossum. Some possums can fight the larger dog breeds back. In 2015 George Wilson had faced something like this. Possums usually come off worst in an encounter with a dog, and at most the dog may have to be treated for possum bites. Opossums may carry internal parasites, such as the nematode responsible for causing trichinosis, but your dog would likely have to eat the opossum to ingest infectious cysts. What can I do? If your cat or dog attacks the opossum and the opossum does not play dead or run away, then it might bite back, and in this case, an opossum is dangerous to your dog or cat. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. The possum may look like it has a big scary mouth in comparison to a cat, but if push came to shove, a cat would win a fight out of pure speed. But if you wish to get any help from me, inform me through the comment section below. Teddy wears a cone while older Portuguese water dog Sake, 12, looks on. George then threw the possum into a trash bag, and he took his dog for a thorough bath as an initial treatment. You vet can then thouroughly clean the wound and place your dog on an antibiotic if needed. Brushtail possums are much more aggressive usually, and are much more easily drawn into battle. Your dog's natural curiosity and his prey drive encourage him to investigate anything that moves, including some living creatures who can harm him. If you, a member of your family, or a household pet has been bitten by a possum, despite the rarity of rabies transmission, we still recommend you take yourself to a doctor. This is the most common fear that accompanies possum bites and it is largely due to the critter’s defensive posture of baring its teeth and drooling from its mouth. These diseases can easily transmit to the human body. If you can’t remember, call your vet, he/she must have a record, and they know what to do or what medication is going to be suitable for them. Even some of them bear rabies, and they are more dangerous for open wounds. I kept waiting for it to bite her while she was mouthing it, but thankfully, that didn't happen. After speaking to Montclair Township Animal Control Supervisor Michelle Shiber, she now thinks it was likely a raccoon. So if your dog messes with a possum, and the possum doesn't play dead, it might bite back.