Maia and Oppusom

[kshort49]

Hi everyone-Well, today something different happened. After Maia had her breakfast, as usual, I took her out to do her business. She wandered around as usual, sniffing around and all. After a few minutes, she came out of the corner of the yard with something grey in her mouth. I immediately thought it was a dead squirrel, and told her to drop it. She dropped it right on the patio. When I looked at it, I saw it was a possum-about half grown, with it's mouth open and lots of sharp teeth showing. I quickly picked it up with my "poop shovel" and dropped it over the fence, where Maia couldn't get at it. I thought it was dead-not moving at all. I totally forgot about them "playing possum" until I was talking with my daughter tonight. When I ran through the house to go to the front yard, I couldnt find it anywhere. I'm sure it wandered off somewhere-hopefully not back into my yard.
Anyway, Could Maia get sick from picking up this animal? I think it was playing dead when she picked it up cause it didnt move when she dropped it, and she didn't act like she had been bitten or injured by it. She is up to date with all her shots-another year on her rabies. Is there anything else she could pick up, or do you think she will be ok. I've never had a dog do this-the possoms aren't usually around here-at least we don't see them. Anyway, is there anything I need to worry about? Thanks!

[bulletsnbait]

1: Opossums are very clean animals and are not often supceptible to fleas and other external parasites that you find on raccoons and skunks, mostly because they are not solitary den dwellers, and do not live in groups.

2: Secondly, Opossums are marsupials. Rarely do they contract rabies. As long as your dog is current on vaccs (which are required in NY) then you shouldn't have a problem.