What are some of the symptoms of a sick opossum?

In many articles you read you will find that the opossum is an animal that can carry a large number of diseases. Most of these diseases are not an issue to the animal as they are just a carrier, but this is not always the case. There are times when an opossum will contract an illness that causes it to get sick.



So what are some of the symptoms that an opossum is sick? That is a good question. Obviously, you are not running over to take its temperature, so you have to see in its behavior or in how it looks if there is an issue. Here are some things you want to look for.

The most common kind of symptom you will notice is a foaming of frothing of the mouth. This discharge is most definitely a sign that the animal is ill, which is a sign to you that you need to stay away from it. This is often a sign that the possum is suffering from rabies, and if it touches, bites or scratches you, you may contact the illness and this can be very serious for you.

Another symptom to watch for is labored breathing. If it looks like the possum is having trouble breathing, then it probably is. This can tell you that the animal is ill. There are a large number of causes of this symptom, but all you need to know is that if they have anyone of these illnesses then you want to be away from the animal.

You may also see that it is throwing up or having diarrhea. Diarrhea in an opossum usually looks like the animal just walking about releasing its waste without any concern. It is just oozing out of it and you may even see a trail following behind. Not only do you want to avoid the animal, but stay away from the waste as well. You can actually get sick from this. If this happens in your yard, make sure that you wash this off immediately, and use some kind of disinfect to clean that area even if it hurts your plants.

One of the other things that will tell you if the animal is sick is if it is out in the day time. Possums are nocturnal animals, meaning they sleep in the day and hunt or forage at night. If they are out in the day this is a telltale sign that something is wrong with the animal. Most likely whatever the issue is, it can be quite serious for the animal to forgo its natural instincts and go out during the day. You should stay away from this animal at all costs, as its unpredictable behavior may lead it to attack you. Read more: Opossum Control, How to Get Rid of Opossums, Opossum Feces.