Rabies is short-lived in the open air: Rabies can only live outside of the body for a couple of seconds, meaning it's unlikely to be present on the corpse of a dead animal.
What happens if my dog sniffs a dead animal?
A dead animal may grow more interesting after it's had a few days to ripen. Sniffing and nosing at a dead animal, even one that's well rotted, is unlikely to do a healthy dog any harm. The two big things to worry about if Zippy actually takes a bite are poison and infectious disease.
Can my dog get rabies from eating a dead animal?
Could my dog or cat get rabies from a dead animal that had rabies? Yes, through an open wound or by chewing on the carcass. Have your vet administer a booster shot within five days. If your pet is unvaccinated, it must be confined for four months, or euthanized.
Can you get rabies from a dead animal?
Rabies transmission from dead animals has been documented, however, such as a couple cases of rabies from people preparing dead animals for food. So, if you see a dead animal by the road, leave it alone. If you are going (for some reason) to touch it, first make sure it's really dead.
Can you get rabies from smelling?
Inhalation of aerosolized rabies virus is one potential non-bite route of exposure, but except for laboratory workers, most people won't encounter an aerosol of rabies virus.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
Can you get rabies from a dead rat?Why do dogs bring you gifts?
