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teachingmyown
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| Posted: Aug 18 2006 at 2:50pm | IP Logged
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A question for you all-
We found a dead squirrel, at the bottom of our deck stairs.  It is a good 100 feet from the trees. I am thinking it is possible my dog left it there. I didn't get too close yet. I am wondering if I should worry about how it died. Could it have some disease that my dog could get and pass on? It doesn't look like he did anything to it. He isn't exactly talented at catching things and I have never seen him get close to a squirrel. So, maybe it was already dead?
Any thoughts, ideas, advice? Obviously I can't leave it there.
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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shartlesville
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| Posted: Aug 18 2006 at 3:42pm | IP Logged
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The one thing you should worry about is the fleas the squirrels carry. They *can* carry bubonic plague. It isn't very likely, but to be safe you should not pick it up with your hands; use a shovel or something, double bag it, and get rid of it in the dumpster, then wash very well.
We have had one or two cases of the plague here in NM already this year but it/they were up north.
If the dog bit it and it had rabies that could also pose a problem unless the dog has had a rabies shot in the last year. You might check with a vet though. 
Blessings,
Krisann
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Aug 18 2006 at 9:19pm | IP Logged
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Well, I get dead animal "presents" on my porch all the time! Sometimes the culprit is the cat, sometimes the dog. Usually the cat. We just get a shovel and bury them out back.
Just last week we caught the cat bringing a baby bunny into the house. We got it away from him quickly and it was uninjured, but you should have seen the commotion of all of us, followed by a cat and dog, chasing a baby bunny around and around the house! 
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Sarah
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| Posted: Aug 19 2006 at 10:30am | IP Logged
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Squirrels also carry leptospirosis and
tularemia.
Our neighbor's dog got lepto from squirrels and nearly died. It can be passed on to humans, but I'm sure its rare.
My husband (a doc) is nuts about the kids going near dead rodents, especially rabbits, since tularemia can be fatal, and airborne , meaning you can catch it by breathing it in! Never let your kids play with baby rabbits. Sorry I'm getting on a tangent here.
Anyway, I'm sure as long as your dog is up on his shots, he'll be fine. Our lab kills mice, rabbits , and any other thing she can.
Always use a shovel and I would cover my nose & mouth with a handkerchief and discard quickly.
Don't worry, though. . .
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4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: Dead squirrel
