Unlike most other wild animals, possums are nearly completely immune to contracting rabies or passing it along. Rabies aggression will show up in the initial stage, or it can come after the virus has reached a dog's nervous system. Opossums have tragically short life spans â two years, average â primarily because urban life with cats, dogs, cars and all manner of dangers isnât good for them. This ⦠Possum with rabies Giselle Trujillo. The virus travels through the body and up to the brain, causing the brain to swell and the aftermath of this is death after a short illness. This is thought to be because the possum has a below-average body temperature, in which the rabies virus has difficulty thriving. This article explains how itâs transmitted, what it looks like, and what to do if youâre bitten by an animal that might be infected. Rabies We all know that rabies is highly contagious and infectious and very common among Harrisburg mammals. Rabies This is an infection which is very contagious and infectious. Loading... Unsubscribe from Giselle Trujillo? According to Dr. Karen Becker , this is ⦠Whether your dog killed a baby possum or an adult possum, the chances of finding rabies in the possums are the same and are luckily very low. If you have an open wound and a rabid possum spits on you, it can pass the rabies virus on to you. In a study from the CDC, possums are the most frequently reported animal species with rabies in the US, specifically the Eastern and Southern Eastern parts of the country. It's not really ever documented in the North American Virginia Opossum (the only possum that lives in the USA). How to know if you have rabies Rabies is a disease caused by a virus, which takes hostage the nervous tissue thus affecting the nervous system. Although theoretically any mammal can contract the rabies virus, opossums seem somehow immune to it. Rating is available when the video has been rented. Additionally rabies is also present in possum saliva. Rabies is a virus that attacks the central nervous system. There are some signs that you can look for in the opossum that tell you there is an issue. The dog will bark at people and other animals, or ⦠If youâve seen a possum out in the middle of the day, you may have been concerned about whether or not possums carry rabies, especially if the possum you spotted was playing dead or visibly drooling. Despite general belief, possums are not very likely to carry rabies, and they are said to be one of the most rabies-resistant animal species on the planet. It can easily be transferred from one Pennsylvania mammal to another such as from the opossum to your pet dog or cat or even to yourself in specifically two ways:-Flea bites-Direct contact with fluids The symptoms of rabies are:-Anxiety It can be transmitted from the opossum to dogs and humans through direct contact with bodily fluids and flea bites. To conclude, if your see an active possum during the day, it doesnât automatically mean it is sick or rabid. However, if you want peace of mind after your dog attacked a possum and you still have the dead animal, you can have them tested for rabies.