Does Your Pet Rat Have Rabies?
WouterWhile a common misconception is that rats and mice carry the disease, experts dispute this. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that small rodents rarely, if ever, carry rabies. Rabies is a contagious disease that spreads by a bite from a large animal. Because of this, people should not be alarmed that their pet rats or mice may carry the disease.
Although the virus that causes rabies in rats is harmless in its early stages, it can be deadly once it reaches the later stages. The disease takes weeks or months to manifest, and symptoms are usually not immediately apparent. Humans are rarely infected with rabies, but rabies has been documented in many parts of the world.
While mice and rats are not commonly thought of as carriers of the disease, rats have been found to be carriers. The virus is spread from mammal to mammal through bites and scratches. However, in the United States, it is not believed that rats can spread rabies to humans.
In addition to rabies, rats can carry several other diseases. Whether they’re infected with plague or not, it is still important to treat your pet with antibiotics and to seek rabies vaccination. However, despite the low risk of rabies, rat bite fever is still contagious and potentially life-threatening. Despite the low risk of rabies, if you are bitten by a rat, you should visit a veterinarian. In some cases, your pet may need to be put under surveillance as well.
