My dog caught a possum. Is vet's advice on rabies and antibiotics good?

I would recommend cleaning the wound with antibacterial soap and warm water tonight, then having your dog examined by a vet tomorrow to be safe - even if the wound is not actively bleeding, bite wounds from other animals have a high risk of becoming infected so she may need antibiotics to help prevent this. Your vet can also advise you of any rabies quarantine laws that may apply in your state - possums rarely carry rabies and if your dog is current on her vaccines she should be well-protected, but in some states an in-home observation period may be required to make sure there are no problems.

So the good news is that Mercy can't get rabies from the opossum. The chance of rabies in an opossum is very rare. They do carry leptospirosis, however. Signs of leptospirosis may include fever, shivering, muscle tenderness, reluctance to move, increased thirst, changes in the frequency or amount of urination, dehydration, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, lethargy, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes), or painful inflammation within the eyes. The disease can cause kidney failure with or without liver failure. Dogs may occasionally develop severe lung disease and have difficulty breathing. Leptospirosis can cause bleeding disorders, which can lead to blood-tinged vomit, urine, stool or saliva; nosebleeds; and pinpoint red spots (which may be visible on the gums and other mucous membranes or on light-colored skin). Affected dogs can also develop swollen legs (from fluid accumulation) or accumulate excess fluid in their chest or abdomen. If you see any of those signs, take Mercy into a vet immediately.

You should take him to your vet to check how deep the bite wound is, the main concern is an infection that will probably occur if it is left untreated, the vet will prescribe an antibiotic course to prevent that.

Opossums can carry several diseases, but there isn't much a vet would do right now since Ash isn't having any symptoms of disease. I would recommend continuing on like normal. If she starts acting irregularly, or has a change in appetite or bowel or urinary movements, then it is time to see a vet. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/.../trouble_affording_pet... https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant.../ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary.../

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like the bite wound has become infected. Bite wounds typically require the attention of a veterinarian. If the wound is deep enough, it may require stitches and prescription antibiotics if it is infected. Depending on your local animal control and rabies laws, your puppy may need a rabies vaccine now and then a booster in 6 months. I would be sure to have Puppy seen by a veterinarian right away so he can have this wound evaluated.

I would call your vet and ask about this specifically. If she has not yet had a rabies vaccine, she should receive one, and it would also be advisable to keep her inside away from other animals and with only 1 person interacting with her for a period of 10 days as a "quarantine," as a precaution. Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Oddie! I’d definitely recommend getting him in to the vet. My main concern is for infection of those bite wounds- he’ll almost assuredly get some antibiotics (unless the wounds are much more shallow than I’m thinking). Your vet will also know more about local laws concerning reporting suspicious/rabid animals (if that is even a concern in your area). On that note, the Rabies vaccine is extremely effective so I have no concern for Oddie about that. If you can take him to an ER clinic tonight, that would be great. But if Oddie seems comfortable, it can probably wait until tomorrow. In that case, do flush the wounds with diluted iodine if you have it, warm soapy water (followed by plain warm water) if you don’t have it. If you have (or can get) an E-collar for Oddie, I’d put that on to prevent licking. If the collar is on, you may also put a triple antibiotic ointment (eg Neosporin) on the wounds until you can get to the vet tomorrow. Do not use if he can lick it off. This will not work long term but is a decent stop-gap until tomorrow. I do NOT recommend bandages or oral medication of any kind. Instead, leave the wounds open and use ice for pain and swelling control. Icing each spot for 5-10 mins every 4-8 hours will go a long way for both pain and swelling. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Oddie!