Question about rabies?

Question

The question I have is, is there any animals that actually carry rabies. That means the animal actual does not have to have it to bite you and give it to you. Ive always heard a skunk carries it and actually doesnt have to have it to transmit it to you. I have read numerous articles about it and all are different some say a bat for instance isnt actually a carrier and die from it also. Then other article Classify them as a carrier. Some say skunks raccoons bats fox and coyotes are the main carriers. Someone please classify a carrier to me. I can not find anything that actually answers my question as to if an animal can be perfectly healthy with no signs of it ever and still transmit it to a human or other animal if bitten. The reason why Im asking this is I have had pet raccoons all my life and theyve all bitten me at one time or another. Im 40 years old and still have one today. Thanks for any information

Answer 1

Just about any mammal can carry the disease and not exhibit any symptoms. That's not to say that 100% of one particular species of animal carries it 100% of the time. It would have to be transmitted to that animal somehow.

Think of it this way: Say I got a vaccine for the flu. Then somebody with the flu gets their dirty flu germs on me. I won't get the flu because I'm vaccinated, but I would be a carrier. Then if I shake the hand of John Q. Not-Immune, he might get it.

Answer 2

All mammals can get rabies bar none. When they are talking about certain animals being carriers for rabies they are refering to the high number of percentage of those animals with in a given area who have rabies.
A lot of times people will say that an animal in the first stages of rabies is a carrier becuase it has yet to show symptoms of rabies or classic behavior patterns of animals with rabies.
In some locations you will also hear it called quiet rabies in that the animal who has rabies doesn't show any classic symptoms such as foaming at the mouth.
Whatever the case if an animal is infected with rabies it can transmit rabies to you just by licking your hand if you have sore on that hand.
One of my distant cousins got rabies and died that way.

Answer 3

I have never heard of an animal being a 'carrier' of rabies and not actually having the disease ... but I suppose there could be some. As for you, since you obviously love animals and 'take them in' as members of your 'family,' I have GOOD NEWS for you. Even if you were bitten by a 'carrier' and caught the disease, you would be able to 'identify it' and 'isolate it' and you'd also have time to 'get the shots' to prevent you from getting rabies. WHY? Because you have been 'bitten' by 'wild animals' your immune system is HEALTHIER than if you were a 'clean freak' who never goes near an animal for fear they'll 'catch something' ... so, if you would give your 'family' each a treat and a nice loving 'from me' I'd be really happy ... and now it's time for me to go feed my hedgehog and get ready for bed!

Answer 4

Animals can indeed carry the disease and show no signs of it whatsoever.