Rabies is not transmitted through the blood, urine or feces of an infected animal, nor is it spread airborne through the open environment. The rabies virus can survive in saliva and body fluids for a few hours outside of the body but can survive for longer Page 2 periods in the carcass of a dead animal.
Can you get rabies from touching 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.
How long can rabies live on a dead animal?
Once saliva is dried, it is no longer consid- ered infectious. The virus also is readily destroyed by bleach, ultraviolet light, and/ or heat. Live rabies virus will not survive for more than 24 hours in dead animals when temperatures reach 70oF.
Can you get rabies from rats?
Small rodents (like squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, chipmunks, rats, and mice) and lagomorphs (including rabbits and hares) are almost never found to be infected with rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies to humans.
Can a dog get rabies from eating a dead rat?
Dogs cannot get rabies from rats and mice, whether that's eating a dead rodent, rolling on a dead rat, or being bitten by a mouse. In the Western World, rodents are almost never found to have rabies, and have never transmitted the disease to humans.
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