If you’ve stumbled upon this article, chances are your furry friend recently had an unfortunate encounter with one of nature’s more misunderstood mammals – the possum. As shocking as it may be to find bite marks on your pup, try not to panic.
Here’s a quick answer: Possum bites can cause minor puncture wounds, but serious infections are rare. Clean the wound thoroughly and contact your vet, especially if signs of infection appear over the next few days.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about possum bites on dogs, from signs and symptoms to treatment and prevention.
Signs Your Dog Was Bitten by a Possum
Visible bite marks
If a possum has bitten your dog, the most obvious sign will be visible bite marks, scratches or wounds on your dog’s body. Possum bites can leave clear imprints of the possum’s teeth, usually on the face, ears, legs or torso of the dog.
The bite marks may be red, swollen and oozing from the puncture wounds. Check your dog’s fur carefully for any matted blood or partings in the fur that reveal wounds. Seeing obvious bite marks is the clearest indicator that your dog had a recent possum encounter.
Punctures or lacerations on face, legs or torso
In addition to bite marks, possum attacks can leave scratches, scrapes or lacerations on your dog’s skin from the possum’s claws and teeth. These injuries may appear as ragged tears or holes punctured into the skin, rather than neat bite marks.
Check your dog’s legs, stomach, back and face for unusual scrapes or scratches that were not there previously. Possums have sharp claws that can rake across your dog’s skin and cause cuts. Pay attention to any fresh wounds that resemble claw scratches.
Swelling around bite site
Another common sign of a possum bite is swelling around the wound site. This inflammatory response is the dog’s body reacting to the possum’s saliva and bacteria. A possum bite contains high levels of potentially infectious bacteria that can cause tissue inflammation.
Look for swollen areas on your dog’s face, ears or limbs, especially around visible scrapes or puncture wounds. The tissue may look puffy, red and tender when touched. Significant swelling signals a bacterial infection has likely taken hold.
Bleeding from the wound
Possum bites can make your dog’s skin bleed, especially if the bite was deep. Check your dog’s fur and skin for any bleeding, which may appear as matted blood in the fur, dripping blood, bloody wounds or trails of dried blood from old wounds.
Bleeding indicates the possum’s bite penetrated deep into the skin tissues and damaged blood vessels. Bleeding bite wounds have a high risk of infection and will require prompt medical treatment. Any amount of bleeding is abnormal and a concern after a possum bite.
Risks and Potential Complications
Bacterial infections
Possums can transmit a variety of dangerous bacteria through their bites, leading to bacterial infections in dogs. Some of the most concerning bacteria include Pasteurella, Capnocytophaga, streptococcus, staphylococcus, and tetanus.
Pasteurella is found in over half of animal bites and can lead to systemic infection. Capnocytophaga is particularly worrisome as it can lead to septicemia, meningitis, and endocarditis. Strep and staph bacteria can cause skin and soft tissue infections.
Tetanus, though less common, can cause painful muscle contractions and breathing difficulties.
Abscesses
Abscesses are localized pockets of pus and infection that can develop at the site of the possum bite. They occur when the dog’s body is unable to clear the bacteria that entered from the bite. Abscesses are quite painful and require drainage and flushing by a veterinarian along with antibiotic therapy.
If left untreated, abscesses can rupture internally and lead to sepsis.
Necrotizing fasciitis
Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly spreading infection affecting the tissues under the skin and surrounding muscles. Certain possum bite bacteria like Group A strep can cause necrotizing fasciitis, which progresses quickly and requires immediate surgical debridement and IV antibiotics to avoid fatality.
The mortality rate is around 20-30%, highlighting the need for prompt veterinary care.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of infection where bacteria enter the bloodstream and trigger a dysregulated inflammatory response. Toxins, cytokine storm, circulatory collapse, and multi-organ failure can occur.
It is essential to get veterinary attention rapidly at the first signs of lethargy, fever, rapid heart rate, vomiting, or diarrhea after a possum bite, as delays can be fatal. Sepsis carries a mortality rate of around 20-50% and requires intensive hospitalization for treatment.
First Aid for Possum Bites
Safely restrain your dog
If your dog has been bitten by a possum, the first step is to safely restrain them. Given the pain and distress, the dog may snap or bite in response, so muzzle them if necessary. Have someone help hold the dog still, speaking calmly and stroking them to provide comfort.
This allows you to properly assess the wound and provide first aid treatment.
Clean the wounded area
Carefully clean the bite wound and surrounding fur with mild soap and warm water to remove dirt, debris, and saliva. Possums carry bacteria in their mouths that can cause infection. Use a soft washcloth and pat gently around the injured area.
Avoid rubbing, which may push bacteria deeper into the wound. Thorough cleaning reduces infection risk. After cleaning, apply an antimicrobial spray or solution specifically for pet wounds as an extra precaution.
Apply antibiotic ointment
After thoroughly flushing and disinfecting, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment like triple antibiotic or Neosporin. Antibiotic creams prevent growth of bacteria and help prevent wound infections, which are common with mammal bites.
Be sure to only apply a small amount, and do not rub into the injured area. Avoid topical creams containing steroids, like hydrocortisone, as these slow healing.
Cover with a sterile bandage
Cover the ointment-treated injury with sterile gauze pads or soft bandage wrap to keep clean and protected. Change dressings daily, checking for signs of infection – redness, swelling, oozing discharge or foul odor. Keeping covered prevents the dog from licking or chewing the wound open.
Avoid using adhesive bandages directly on wounds. Monitor bandages to ensure not too tight, cutting off blood circulation.
Monitor your dog closely
For the next few days after the bite, restrict activity and supervise your dog closely. Watch for any signs of infection, significant swelling around the injury, fever, lethargy or loss of appetite. Contact your vet promptly if you observe any concerning or worsening symptoms.
Depending on severity, your vet may prescribe prophylactic antibiotics, additional wound care, pain medication, or other supportive treatment. With proper first aid and monitoring, most minor possum bites heal on their own. Still, veterinary assessment is advised due to potential complications.
Seeking Veterinary Care
If a possum has bitten your canine companion, it is imperative to promptly consult a veterinarian. Possums can transmit dangerous infections, and bites should never be left untreated.
Have the vet examine all wounds
Carefully inspect your dog’s body to locate all bite marks and punctures. Your veterinarian will thoroughly clean each wound to remove debris, dirt, and bacteria. They may shave fur around the injuries for better visualization.
The vet will also check for other signs of trauma like bruising, inflammation, or bleeding.
Tests for infection may be needed
Your veterinarian may wish to run tests to check if the bite introduced harmful pathogens into your dog’s bloodstream. Possums commonly carry bacteria like Pasteurella, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and Capnocytophaga. These can rapidly cause systemic or localized infection.
Your vet may collect samples from the bite wound to culture bacteria and determine suitable antibiotics.
Antibiotics commonly prescribed
Vets frequently prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics after possum bites to clear potential infection. Common choices include:
- Amoxicillin
- Clavamox
- Clindamycin
- Doxycycline
- Enrofloxacin (Baytril)
The medication regimen often lasts 2-4 weeks. Your vet will explain proper dosage and administration of the prescribed antibiotics.
Follow all at-home care instructions
Closely adhere to all your veterinarian’s recommendations for nursing your dog back to health. This usually involves regularly cleaning and disinfecting wounds, applying antibiotic ointments, monitoring for signs of infection, and ensuring your dog finishes the entire course of antibiotics.
Most bites heal fully if treated promptly and properly. However, contact your vet right away if you notice increased swelling, redness, pain, pus, or smell from the wounds. This may indicate a serious tissue infection requiring intervention.
Take preventative steps like possum-proofing your property and supervising your dog outdoors to avoid future risky encounters. However, any repeat bites warrant immediate veterinary reevaluation no matter how minor they may seem.
With attentive at-home nursing and veterinary oversight, most dogs make full recoveries after possum bites. Still, it is critical to seek professional veterinary assessment and care to protect your dog’s health and wellbeing.
Preventing Future Possum Bites
Eliminate food sources that attract possums
Possums are opportunistic eaters and will take advantage of any available food sources. To deter possums from your property, it’s important to eliminate access to things that may attract them:
- Keep pet food inside, especially overnight. Only feed pets what they will consume in one sitting.
- Secure trash in containers with tight fitting lids. Take trash out the morning of pickup rather than the night before.
- Clean up fallen bird seed from the ground under feeders. Consider suspending feeders from poles or hangers to prevent spillage.
- Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables from gardens promptly. Remove fallen fruit from the ground.
- Keep compost in secure, enclosed bins, and avoid adding meat scraps or fatty foods that may attract possums.
Removing these food sources can help divert possums away from your yard and reduce the chances of encounters with your pets.
Keep your dog on a leash outdoors
When a possum feels threatened, its instinct is often to bite. Even a passive possum may attack if cornered or harassed. The safest way to avoid possum bites is to keep your dog under close supervision when outdoors.
Use a leash any time your dog is outside, especially at night when possums are most active. Possums that live nearby will learn to avoid yards where dogs are always leashed.
It’s also wise to go outside with your dog anytime they need to potty late at night. With you there, you can monitor your dog, scan for possums with a flashlight, and prevent your dog from wandering into brush piles or woodpiles where possums hide.
Close off hiding spots possums use
Possums seek out dark, enclosed areas to sleep and hide during the day. They often take up residence under decks, in sheds or crawlspaces, or in wood or brush piles.
Block access to these areas by:
- Installing lattice panels around the base of porches and decks
- Keeping sheds and garages closed
- Removing excess brush, woodpiles, and junk piles
- Keeping areas around the foundation clear of tall grass, weeds, and dense vegetation
Without convenient den sites, possums will be less likely to frequent your property.
Use motion-activated lights and sounds
Possums prefer to remain unseen as they move through their territory at night. Installing motion sensor lights or sprinklers in yards and gardens can help startle and discourage them.
Ultrasonic and electromagnetic pest repellents are also available. These devices emit high frequency sounds or magnetic waves that are unpleasant and disorienting for possums, encouraging them to avoid the area.
Using multiple deterrents like lights, sounds, and habitat modification provides the best strategy. Over time, persistent possums will get the message that your yard is not welcoming territory.
Conclusion
While startling, most possum bites cause minor injuries that heal quickly with proper care. Thoroughly clean wounds and contact your vet, especially if signs of infection develop. With preventative measures, you can reduce risky encounters going forward.
Stay vigilant of your surroundings on walks and address factors drawing possums close to home. If bitten again, don’t hesitate to call the vet, as repeat bites can lead to more harmful infections over time. Stay safe out there!
