There are many misconceptions about rabies and the animals that carry it. One common misconception is that only mammals can carry rabies. This is not true!
Birds, including sparrows, can also carry rabies. However, the disease is very rare in birds and there have only been a handful of documented cases.
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions about rabies. One of the most common is that only feral or wild animals can carry the virus. The truth is, any mammal can carry rabies – even sparrows.
While it’s true that the majority of rabies cases are found in wild animals like bats, raccoons, and skunks, there have been a few documented cases of sparrows carrying the virus.
In fact, just last year, a woman in Texas died after being bitten by an infected sparrow. So why are people so quick to believe that only wild animals can carry rabies?
It’s likely because we see them as more ‘dangerous’ than domestic animals like dogs and cats. But the truth is, all mammals have the potential to carry this deadly disease. So what can you do to protect yourself from Rabies?
The best way to avoid exposure is to vaccinate your pets and avoid contact with wild or stray animals. If you must handle an animal, be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.
And if you’re ever bitten by an animal – no matter what kind – seek medical attention immediately, as time is of the essence when it comes to treating rabies.
What Animals Cannot Get Rabies?
There are a number of animals that cannot get rabies. These include chickens, ducks, geese, and other poultry; most reptiles; amphibians; fish; and rodents such as squirrels, rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rabies is primarily a disease of mammals.
The virus that causes rabies is transmitted through saliva or brain tissue from an infected animal to another animal, typically via a bite wound.
Once inside the new host’s body, the rabies virus travels up nerve cells to the brain where it begins to replicate. This process can take weeks or even months.
The incubation period (the time between exposure to the virus and onset of symptoms) for rabies is usually two to three months but can be as short as 10 days or as long as several years.
In animals other than mammals, the incubation period is often shorter and symptoms may be less severe. For example, in chickens infected with the avian form of rabies, symptoms typically appear within four to eight days and death follows soon thereafter.
Clinical signs of rabies vary depending on the stage of the disease but can include fever, weakness/paralysis, increased vocalization, aggression, difficulty swallowing, and convulsions.
Ultimately, death occurs due to respiratory failure. Rabies is a serious viral infection that affects the central nervous system and is almost always fatal once clinical signs develop.
The good news is that there are a number of animals that cannot get rabies including chickens, ducks, geese, most reptiles, amphibians, fish, and rodents such as squirrels, rats, guinea pigs, and hamsters.
So if you have any of these animals as pets, you don’t have to worry about them contracting rabies from another animal.
Can You Get Rabies from touching a Bird?
There is no risk of contracting rabies from touching a bird. While birds can be infected with the virus, they are not known to transmit it to humans.
The only way to contract rabies is through contact with the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite or scratch.
How Can You Tell If a Bird Has Rabies?
Rabies is a serious viral infection that affects the nervous system and can be fatal. It is most commonly spread through the bite of an infected animal, such as a dog or bat.
However, it is possible for rabies to be spread through the saliva of an infected animal coming into contact with an open wound or mucous membrane (such as the eyes, nose, or mouth).
Birds are not known to carry rabies, so it is very unlikely that a bird would transmit the disease to humans.
What Animal Spreads Rabies the Most?
Rabies is most commonly spread by animals, and the vast majority of rabies cases reported each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes.
However, domestic pets can also contract and spread rabies if they are not properly vaccinated. In the United States, more than 90% of all reported rabies cases occur in wild animals.
The animal that spreads rabies the most is the striped skunk. Skunks are common carriers of the disease, and they can infect other animals and humans through bites or scratches.
If you come into contact with a skunk that has rabies, you should immediately wash the area with soap and water and seek medical attention.
Conclusion
No, sparrows do not carry rabies. There have been no reported cases of rabies in sparrows in the United States.