Monika Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Towards the end of a lovely walk down the beach, my Lab found a dead possum burried in the sand. She promptly ran away with her "treasure" and ate the whole thing. I got a quick look at the possum and it looked like something else had killed/attacked it (human, bird, cat, dog?). However, I have no idea why it was at the beach. Should I be worried? Can she catch anything from the possum; worms, diseases, etc? What signs of illness should I look for? Currently she looks pretty alert and happy. In between snoozing, she is coming when called and wagging her tail. She is definately sleeping outside tonight! I don't want to clean up possum vomit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~*Shell*~ Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 The main thing i would be watching for would be a gastro infection from eating spoiled meat. My dog did the same thing one day (he only ate 1 bite before i called him off - i didn't notice the possum before he had it in his mouth) and the next day he was vomiting, had diarrhoea and there was blood in both. Other than that, he seemed completely well - tail wagging, not sluggish or wanting to sleep or anything like that. I took him down to the vet who gave him some antibiotics and he was as good as new in a few days. A couple of worm tablets will take care of anything she might've got worm-wise, and i would be checking her over for ticks (another thing my vet did when i took Zero in because apparently they're carried on possums) and then just keeping an eye on her. I don't know about diseases - hopefully someone will know about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 When mine have eaten a possum or a lizard I give them a double dose of tapeworm tablets, just in case of any nasties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 When mine have eaten a possum or a lizard I give them a double dose of tapeworm tablets, just in case of any nasties. Why a "double" dose? Wouldn't one dose do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 (edited) Why a "double" dose? Wouldn't one dose do it? Poorly worded on my part - I meant an extra dose. My dogs get Sentinel Spectrum which has tape wormer in it, but if they have consumed a lizard i will give them a dose of plain tape wormer on the day they ate it, on top of their usual monthly all wormer. Edited January 19, 2009 by New Age Outlaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonElite Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 monthly all wormer. I belive that allwormers should be given every 3 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 monthly all wormer. I belive that allwormers should be given every 3 months. Correct. Heartworm every month if you use a spot on like Revolution and intestinal wormer every 3 months for adult dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 I use Sentinel Spectrum for intestinal worms & heartworm. It is administered monthly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamgoldn Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 A friend of mine got scratched and biten by a live possum and she has to have a techness shot. Not sure if a dog would need one two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evolving Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 A friend of mine got scratched and biten by a live possum and she has to have a techness shot.Not sure if a dog would need one two. You would not have to worry about tetanus unless the dog had some open wounds in the mouth when eating it. If eaten it is killed by digestive enzymes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dackel Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 A friend of mine got scratched and biten by a live possum and she has to have a techness shot.Not sure if a dog would need one two. Dead Possums don't bite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 someone is going to be wishing they didnt eat dead possum and thats probalby you when you have to pick it up 'after' :D think yourself lucky that she didnt roll in it first Very unlablike :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotwyr Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 My real concern is that possums (most certainly here in NZ) carry Tuberculosis. Also possum claws are very sharp and notoriously difficult for the body to digest.... In saying that - my sibes are masters at playing tug 'o'war with a possum and then finishing it off.....every last bit (and they have been doing this for years - now at 15 and 12 they still try it on) Rae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeckoTree Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Ewwww lol, I would definatly worm her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 I've been bitten and scratched by a live possum and didn't get a tetanus shot! It was pretty minor, though. I think possums can get mange and other similar problems. I was helping treat one in captivity once that had a very bad skin condition that made her itchy and scabby. She lost a lot of fur and her skin was excessively dry and crusty with sores. In the end she died. The vet she was taken to did not know the cause of the condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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