Dog killed posusm

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PoorMansWrangler
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Dog killed posusm

Post by PoorMansWrangler » Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:03 pm

Hey guys,
This evening while on a walk my GSP has a run in with a possum, and it ended badly for the possum. I check the dog over, and didn’t see any bite marks or blood on him, and he is up to date on his rabies shot. Never had this happen before, should I be worried at all? Or just keep and eye on him? Thanks!

averageguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by averageguy » Mon Jan 28, 2019 5:14 pm

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Last edited by averageguy on Tue Oct 27, 2020 7:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

Bowguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by Bowguy » Tue Jan 29, 2019 6:01 am

Possums aren’t going out of the way to mess w your dog. I’d bet he initiated it. GSP originate partially from hounds. If it was me I’d break him off anything you didn’t want him to mess with. Nothing worse than trying to hunt one game and you’re dog is hunting something else. If he didn’t get bit I’d assume no worries

Bowguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by Bowguy » Tue Jan 29, 2019 6:04 am

You said GSP right? On my phone which I guess is small pic wise the dog looks hairy?? Maybe it’s my phone??

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isonychia
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by isonychia » Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:19 am

Possums are marsupials and have a body temp that doesn't really agree with rabies. Common misnomer but the honest truth is they just aren't likely carriers, unlike raccoons and skunks.

https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/bl ... ry-rabies/

JONOV
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by JONOV » Tue Jan 29, 2019 10:43 am

Bowguy wrote:You said GSP right? On my phone which I guess is small pic wise the dog looks hairy?? Maybe it’s my phone??
Different posters. OP didn't post a picture.

My dog's taken out a couple of them sneaking around my brooder box. The Possums don't fight back like raccoons. But even still my dog is up to date on shots and I don't worry too much.

averageguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by averageguy » Tue Jan 29, 2019 10:58 am

In relatively warmer late afternoons from Feb through early April where I live, just about every possum in the woods will crawl out of their dens and start traveling around in the remaining daylight. I used some humor in my post but to perhaps be more helpful: when I am running my dog around timber areas during those conditions it is very common for him to work down a hot track and retrieve a possum to me which is what occurred in that photo. This has occurred for decades across all of my GWPs and not once have any of them suffered an illness from it. Coons are a different story and it would be common for a dog to sustain an injury when tangling with healthy adult raccoons. Possums have a defense mechanism built in where they effectively faint, hence the term "playing possum" and they present no threat to a medium or larger sized dog, injury or health wise.

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Sharon
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by Sharon » Tue Jan 29, 2019 2:49 pm

Strange how their presence can kill horses but not dogs . ???

https://www.thesprucepets.com/equine-pr ... is-1886437
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PoorMansWrangler
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by PoorMansWrangler » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:02 pm

I appreciate it everyone, he seems to be doing just fine! Yesterday was significantly warmer, so I am sure it had them out of their dens. I had him on the lead walking and next thing I know he jumped into a brush pile and cane out with this fella. Never a dull moment!

averageguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by averageguy » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:11 pm

Sharon wrote:Strange how their presence can kill horses but not dogs . ???

https://www.thesprucepets.com/equine-pr ... is-1886437
I won't challenge the claimed Science presented there, but can tell you the pratical of it is a horse is more likely to die of any other possible cause than it is from a possum.

My entire family - Uncles on both sides, my immediate family, my Wife's Family have had herds of horses in Mo, Ks and Al for 60 years, where we are overrun with possums, and we have not lost a single horse to a possum. :D

Steve007
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by Steve007 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:34 pm

Possums are pretty dumb. We had a house teardown the end of my street (big mansion built) and it stirred up the wildlife. Possums would run along the top of my 6' wood fence while my big Gordon leaped at them. Before he got his timing down,he missed a few and they didn't even get off the fence or(that I could tell) speed up. They just gave him a second chance. He didn't need another one. That was the Year of the Great Possum Invasion. Took him two tries on the first two, then he ran four straight. Haven't seen one since, ,but no more teardowns. Ugly beasts.

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greg jacobs
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by greg jacobs » Tue Jan 29, 2019 7:19 pm

Fur and feather.
Better than killing porkies

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BuckeyeSteve
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by BuckeyeSteve » Thu Jan 31, 2019 5:37 pm

Not to ask a dumb question...but are you sure he actually killed it. My dog carries me possums on a regular basis. As soon as he grabs them, they do what they're known for and "play possum". I know he's carrying one when I see him moving slower and straight lining towards me. I say "drop", he immediately drops the thing and runs off. I've never done a thorough evaluation of possum health, but when I come back by the area a couple hours later, every single one has gone about it's business. He seems to soft mouth them and just carry them around for a bit.

On a side note, as mentioned, the possum is not only a marsupial, but it's out country's only marsupial. They may not be the prettiest (according to some), but they aren't a troublesome animal, don't carry disease, and they serve multiple purposes including cleaning up dead animals and eating TONS of ticks. Possums are great animals, it's good to have them around. I wish my dog wouldn't terrorize the poor things the way he does.

PoorMansWrangler
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by PoorMansWrangler » Thu Jan 31, 2019 6:33 pm

Well, I haven’t gone back to check since it’s been super cold here, so it could be alive but he got it a couple times and gave it some mean shakes. I like possums for the most part, they seem to mind their own business but if I remember correctly they also are a big predator for ground nesting birds. On another note, the dog seems fine, quite cantankerous due to the -10 degree weather we’ve had, and he hasn’t been able to go on a walk for two days!

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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by shags » Fri Feb 01, 2019 5:54 am

If you have a horse barn, possums are bad. They carry EPM, and horses get it when they eat contaminated hay.
Possums also carry lepto.

They can live in the woods all they want, but they better stay away from here. Hey you! Get off my lawn! :lol:

averageguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by averageguy » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:37 am

shags wrote:If you have a horse barn, possums are bad. They carry EPM, and horses get it when they eat contaminated hay.
Possums also carry lepto.

They can live in the woods all they want, but they better stay away from here. Hey you! Get off my lawn! :lol:
Horses get struck by lightning too. More often than they die from Possums.

birds
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by birds » Fri Feb 01, 2019 8:43 am

I have a soft spot for possums.
Their hides kept me in shotgun shells when I was a kid growing up in Missouri. And they are pretty unique animals really.

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gundogguy
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by gundogguy » Fri Feb 01, 2019 2:28 pm

Sharon wrote:Strange how their presence can kill horses but not dogs . ???

https://www.thesprucepets.com/equine-pr ... is-1886437
Got that right Sharon, I eliminated 9 of them so far in Dec and Nov. They were trying to get into the hay barn, me wife was having a fit. Live trap baited with cat food, and a .22 short in the noggin does them quite nicely have not seen any this month, December and November were busy months. But they will be back!
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bustingcover
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Re: Dog killed posusm

Post by bustingcover » Sat Feb 02, 2019 8:04 pm

Your dog should be fine possums rarely carry rabies and don’t put up a fight. They will mostly just lay there and get chewed on until they get a chance to escape. Pretty peaceful little things do way more good than harm.
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