Some may think because rabies is so highly contagious, your dog could contract it just from eating the poop of an infected animal, but this is not possible. The rabies virus is contracted via saliva, so the transmission would actually require a bite or saliva from an infected animal getting in a wound.
Can rabies be transferred through poop?
Bite and non-bite exposures from an infected person could theoretically transmit rabies, but no such cases have been documented. Casual contact, such as touching a person with rabies or contact with non-infectious fluid or tissue (urine, blood, feces), is not associated with risk for infection.
How does a dog get rabies virus?
How Can My Dog Get Rabies? Rabies is secreted in saliva, so it's most often passed through a bite wound from an infected animal. When a bite breaks the skin, the virus can enter the bloodstream. It can also pass through an open wound that is exposed to the saliva of an infected animal, usually by licking.
Is poop toxic to dogs?
Eating their own poop is harmless, but consuming poop from other animals may cause health problems if the stool is contaminated with parasites, viruses, or toxins.
Can dogs get distemper from eating poop?
While distemper cannot be passed onto humans, it is extremely deadly to dogs, particularly puppies. Canine Distemper Virus is spread when dogs come into contact with infected food, water, urine, or feces.
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