One thing to note is that possums carry some of these pathogens and germs without showing signs of the disease. Therefore, always wash fruits and veggies to keep away from parasites. At this point the opossum is completely unaware of their surroundings, their bodies are completely limp, and they will be entirely unresponsive to any stimuli. Do opossums carry diseases? I agree to receive the Forbes Home newsletter via e-mail. Some of the diseases that possums can carry include: Rabies: Rabies is a severe and potentially fatal disease affecting mammals' nervous systems. Interestingly, having toxoplasmosis before pregnancy protects unborn children because mothers have developed immunity against the disease. Question: Do opossums carry rabies? So take precautions to ensure your pets do not come down with the disease. While no wild animal is entirely immune to rabies and a few cases of opossums with it have been documented, finding one with the disease is extremely rare. Opossums, just like any other wildlife species, can carry disease. Some diseases opossums can carry include: Leptospirosis It is a bacterial disease. Unlike other mammals that carry ticks, and therefore spread Lyme Disease, possums gobble up 90 percent of the ticks that attach to them. They may unintentionally transmit illnesses, worms, bacteria, and viruses through their urine or feces. Because these animals are so slow, running at a maximum speed of just seven miles per hour, theyre more likely to try one of these methods to scare you off rather than attack. Opossums can be tricky critters, and it is right to stay away from regardless whether or not they contain rabies. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Home does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. This mechanism evolved in response to their natural predators: foxes, bobcats, and other. Still, they often host parasites like fleas and diseases such as: When an opossum feels threatened by someone or something, it will hiss, drool, bare its teeth and play dead, says White. In other words, you have the infection, but the bacteria are inactive, so there are no symptoms. Are Opossums Dangerous To Humans, Pets And Property? Lets start with that nasty hissing and copious saliva. In healthy people, toxoplasmosis may show no symptoms, or the symptoms may be mild. There are, however, plenty of other infectious diseases to watch out for when it comes to possums. When pets come into contact with infected feces or ingest contaminated tissue, they are at risk of contracting coccidiosis. Opossums are night roamers, they find and consume all types of insects, bugs, snails, worms, smaller snakes, mice, rotting dead stuff, fallen fruits. Possums clean up your garbage cans effortlessly. Yes, they could be. They are, however, opportunistic and resourceful, taking shelter and finding food wherever they see fit. Others believe that these furry, gray marsupials with hairless tails are scary. That means the more possums that are in your area, the fewer ticks youll encounter. The illness is usually sudden, and it happens in 2 phases. AAAnimal Control is a professional wildlife control company operating in over 500 USA locations. Read on for more opossum facts. So, if you inhale the dust, you can get pneumonic tularemia although this is pretty rare. Yes, some of the illnesses and diseases that possums carry can be fatal to dogs. This happens when they are around four months old. When the opossum is infected, leptospirosis can be transmitted to humans as well as animals through their feces and urine. Make sure your garbage can has a tight-fitting lid and is properly sealed when left out for your neighborhoods garbage pickup day. { Then there is also the possibility of meningitis and death. ", In fact, they are considered to be amongst most rabies-immune animals. It is so terrible that once an infected person or animal starts showing signs of the disease, there is almost no chance of survival. Opossum Diseases - One of the important concerns that many people will have if they come into contact with a wild animal is whether or not they could catch a disease, and how the disease can be transmitted. This article contains incorrect information, This article doesnt have the information Im looking for. Opossums are hosts for cat and dog fleas, especially in urban environments. 2015 Copyright Wildlife Removal USA | Web Design by: USA Opossum Removal Education Guide and Resources. Many of these diseases are treatable, but you should avoid getting them in the first place. Copyright 2003-2020 by AAAnimal Control. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. The Kidadl Team is made up of people from different walks of life, from different families and backgrounds, each with unique experiences and nuggets of wisdom to share with you. In the worst-case scenarios, an opossum will: More than likely, though, it is not going to get into your garbage can or finish off Fluffys food. Therefore, they rarely bite. includes a body temperature that is significantly Even their urine or feces may cause harmful diseases if ingested. One explanation they came up with was that male opossums impregnated females through the nose. This compensation comes from two main sources.

It is only when opossums have taken up residence in and around your home that they may be problematic. There are other diseases that the opossum can transmit, and they include coccidiosis, toxoplasmosis, salmonella, and tularemia. If you live in the countryside with a garden filled with insects and pests, having possums around will greatly help. The infected person may suffer kidney damage, liver failure, or respiratory distress in this phase. Possums have prehensile tails, meaning they are made for grasping and wrapping around things like tree branches. Opossums can, however, carry other diseases like tularemia, tuberculosis, spotted fever and toxoplasmosis. If you have gotten the vaccine against tuberculosis, you are unlikely to get sick from tuberculosis. In such events, do visit the doctor instantly. Like in other marsupials, babies are born underdeveloped, almost fetal stage. While possums are primarily found in Australia, New Guinea, China, New Zealand, and Sulawesi, the opossums are native species to North America and Southern Canada. Consider these rhyming words to the wise: If it has fleas, it can have a disease. Possums may also carry parasites like ticks and fleas, leaving your pets at risk of infestation. If your dog kills a possum, then as an added level of precaution, you can carry the body or carcass of the possum to the vet so that he can examine and gauge any probable chances of infections. As we already mentioned, opossums play host to several ectoparasites, including fleas, ticks and lice. They are passionate about turning your everyday moments into memories and bringing you inspiring ideas to have fun with your family. However, they can carry a variety of other types of disease that can be potentially harmful to your family. Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal. Possums are found in four colors black, gold, silver-grey, and brown. As they are carnivores eating anything from plants, nuts, fruits, insects, and road kills to garden pests, they clean up the space around them. They will crawl into the pouch and continue their development there. Researchers have been trying to harvest possums antivenom powers for decades. From lino cutting to surfing to childrens mental health, their hobbies and interests range far and wide. They also consume rodents like rattlesnakes. ), https://blog.nwf.org/2017/06/opossums-unsung-heroes-in-the-fight-against-ticks-and-lyme-disease, https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/beneficial/benefits-of-opossums.htm, https://crittercontroloftampa.com/blog/how-can-i-tell-if-an-opossum-is-sick, http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html, https://www.terminix.com/blog/home-garden/opossums-facts-rabies/, https://urbanjunglewildliferemoval.com/blog/are-opossums-dangerous/#diseases, https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/symptoms/index.html, https://news.okstate.edu/articles/veterinary-medicine/2018/leptospirosis-in-cats.html, https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/infectious-parasitic/c_multi_leptospirosis, https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/transmission/index.html, https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/signssymptoms/index.html, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tularemia-in-cats, https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tularemia-in-dogs, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chagas-disease-(american-trypanosomiasis), https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/chagas-disease-in-dogs, https://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/blog/posts/chagas-disease-in-pets.html, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351256, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tuberculosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351250, https://www.cdc.gov/otherspottedfever/index.html, https://adobevets.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Newsletter-Tick-Borne-Diseases-and-Your-Pet.pdf, https://www.cdc.gov/relapsing-fever/index.html, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6236141, https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxoplasmosis/disease.html, https://www.msdvetmanual.com/dog-owners/disorders-affecting-multiple-body-systems-of-dogs/toxoplasmosis-in-dogs, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rabies/symptoms-causes/syc-20351821, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/rabies. But then, as the disease progresses, it starts affecting the nervous system. As per scientific research, the chances of possums carrying rabies is eight times less than other species. Toxoplasmosis occurs when infected with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. In reality, it is just a trick to fend off would-be predators. However, someone infected with tularemia will have elevated fever (as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit). They also like roadkill, and are known to eat ticks that they find in their own fur while grooming their bodies. "thumbnailUrl": "https://i.ytimg.com/vi/62A5d5uzzVQ/hqdefault.jpg", But interestingly, possums rarely host the rabies virus. So, sometimes the treatment is comprehensive. All Rights Reserved. If you ever find any of these symptoms, take your pet to the vet at the earliest. Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease.They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. Keep reading to discover three diseases spread by opossums and how Critter Guard can help you keep these marsupials at bay. We mentioned earlier that tularemia can affect rabbits. As the name says, relapsing fever follows a relapsing pattern. Opossums are omnivores who prefer to set up camp near readily available food sources. This means that, when it comes to possums, rabies is not a disease you should fear. How Thankfully, there are treatments for the disease. Do opossums carry diseases? Chagas disease: Caused by the tiny one-celled parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, a possum may bring this parasite into your garden where it then transfers onto your Coccidiosis: Caused by a parasite that lives in the wall of your dog's intestine, it may not cause any symptoms, but it can be fatal for young pups as it causes a severe infection. These may then become grave resulting in cranial nerve dysfunction, aggression, respiratory issues, seizures, abnormal salivation, etc. Even if the dog eats a possum, you must rush to the vet as they may transmit disease or parasites to your furry baby. THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. We know it can be confusing: Google Images show you opossums when you search "possum," and it is very common to call the North American animal "possum." At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. But they take cleanliness seriously: The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife writes that possums, like housecats, use their tongue and paws to groom themselves frequently and thoroughly. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers offers appear on the site. The transmission of these pathogens and germs to humans happens when humans touch infected urine or body fluid. Urban Jungle Wildlife services residential and commercial properties in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. Only once theyve grown big and strong enough do they venture out, transitioning between their mothers back and the warmth of the pouch until they mature into adults. Officially known as the Virginian opossum, opossums are the only marsupials native to the United States. If a tick bites a possum infected with any spotted-fever-causing Rickettsia bacteria, it will pick up the bacteria. Rabies is a viral disease . Though they seem to prefer deciduous forests, they also like farmland, open woods or urban areas, White says. Their low body temperature makes them kind of immune to the rabies virus. Exploration Squared is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. These pathogens cause various diseases when transmitted to humans, and some of them affect pets too.

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