Do Mice Have or Carry Rabies? (What Health Experts Say

Rabies is one of the most feared diseases, and it’s spread through animal bites. If a mouse bites you or your pet, or if you find one acting strangely in your home, you might worry about rabies exposure. Do mice have or carry rabies?

No, mice very rarely carry rabies. While it’s technically possible for a mouse to get rabies, it’s extremely uncommon. Mice and other small rodents are almost never found to be infected with rabies, and there are no documented cases of rabies transmission from mice to humans.

Public health experts don’t consider mice a rabies risk. The diseases you should actually worry about with mice are completely different ones.

Why Mice Rarely Have Rabies

There are scientific reasons why mice almost never carry or transmit rabies, even though they’re mammals.

When a rabid animal bites a mouse, the mouse usually dies from the bite wounds before the rabies virus can multiply and spread. Mice are small and fragile, and bites from larger rabid animals are often fatal.

The rabies virus needs time to travel from the bite site to the brain and then to the salivary glands. This process takes days or weeks. Most mice don’t survive long enough for this to happen.

Even if a mouse gets infected with rabies, it would die from the disease before it could spread it to many other animals. Rabies is fatal, and a mouse’s small size means it dies quickly once symptoms start.

Mice also don’t typically bite large animals or humans unless they’re cornered and defending themselves. This defensive bite happens before the mouse is sick, not after it’s developed rabies.

The behavior changes that rabies causes (aggression, lack of fear) would make a mouse more visible to predators. A rabid mouse would likely be caught and eaten before it could bite a person.

What the CDC Says About Small Rodents and Rabies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clear guidelines about small rodents and rabies.

According to the CDC, small rodents like mice, rats, squirrels, hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and chipmunks are almost never found to be infected with rabies.

The CDC states that these animals have never been known to transmit rabies to humans in the United States.

Because of this, the CDC doesn’t recommend rabies treatment (post-exposure prophylaxis) for people bitten by small rodents unless there are very unusual circumstances.

Health departments across the country follow these CDC guidelines. If you’re bitten by a mouse and call your doctor, they’ll likely tell you that rabies testing isn’t necessary.

This doesn’t mean you should ignore a mouse bite completely. There are other health concerns with mouse bites, but rabies isn’t one of them.

Animals That Actually Carry Rabies

While mice aren’t a rabies risk, other animals definitely are. Knowing which animals carry rabies helps you understand where the real danger is.

• Bats are the most common rabies carriers in the United States. They account for most human rabies cases.

• Raccoons are major rabies carriers, especially on the East Coast. A significant percentage of raccoons in some areas carry rabies.
• Skunks are also common rabies carriers. If you see a skunk acting strangely or active during the day, it might be rabid.
• Foxes carry rabies in many parts of the country. Both red foxes and gray foxes can be infected.
• Coyotes can carry rabies, though it’s less common than in the animals mentioned above.
• Domestic animals like dogs and cats can get rabies if they’re not vaccinated. Unvaccinated pets can get rabies from wildlife.

• Livestock like cattle, horses, and goats can also get rabies, usually from bites by rabid wildlife.

These are the animals you should actually worry about when it comes to rabies, not mice.

What Diseases Mice Actually Carry

Even though rabies isn’t a concern with mice, they do carry other diseases that can make you seriously sick.

• Hantavirus is one of the most dangerous diseases mice carry.

It’s spread through mouse droppings, urine, and saliva. You can get it by breathing in dust that contains dried mouse waste.

Hantavirus can cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a severe respiratory disease that can be fatal. It’s rare but really serious.

• Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease spread through mouse urine.

You can get it by touching contaminated surfaces or water and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.

• Salmonella bacteria are commonly carried by mice.

They contaminate food and surfaces with their droppings, and eating contaminated food can make you sick.

• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) is a viral disease carried by mice.

It causes flu-like symptoms and can be serious in pregnant women.

Plague (yes, the disease from the Middle Ages) still exists and can be spread by fleas that have bitten infected mice or rats.

Tularemia (rabbit fever) can be transmitted by mice through tick bites or handling infected animals.

These diseases are much more common and dangerous than rabies when it comes to mice.

What to Do If a Mouse Bites You

Even though rabies isn’t a concern, a mouse bite still needs proper care.

1. Wash the bite immediately with soap and warm water.

Scrub gently but thoroughly for at least 5 minutes.

2. Apply an antibiotic ointment like Neosporin to the bite after cleaning.

This helps prevent bacterial infection.

3. Cover the bite with a clean bandage.

Change the bandage daily and keep the wound clean.

4. Watch for signs of infection over the next few days.

Redness, swelling, warmth, pus, or red streaks spreading from the bite are all signs of infection.

If the bite seems infected, see a doctor. You might need antibiotics.

Even without infection concerns, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor about tetanus. If your tetanus shot isn’t up to date, you might need a booster.

The doctor will likely ask about the circumstances of the bite but won’t recommend rabies treatment unless there are very unusual factors involved.

Why People Worry About Rabies in Mice

Even though mice rarely carry rabies, many people still worry about it. There are understandable reasons for this concern.

Rabies is terrifying. It’s almost always fatal once symptoms appear, which makes people extremely cautious about any potential exposure.

People know that rabies is spread by animal bites, and mice can bite. This logical connection makes people worry, even though the actual risk is nearly zero.

Movies and media often portray rabies incorrectly, showing any animal acting strangely as potentially rabid. This creates fear around all wildlife and pests.

Some people confuse mice with rats. While rats also rarely carry rabies, they’re slightly more likely than mice to have it (though still very uncommon).

People also might not know the CDC guidelines about small rodents. Without this information, it’s natural to assume all mammals can carry rabies equally.

When Unusual Mouse Behavior Isn’t Rabies

If you see a mouse acting strangely, your first thought might be rabies. But there are many other reasons a mouse might seem “off.”

• Mice are naturally shy and avoid humans.

A mouse that doesn’t run away when you approach might be sick with something other than rabies.

• Poison is a common cause of strange behavior.

A mouse that has eaten rat poison might move slowly, seem confused, or be less afraid of people.

• Injury can make mice act unusual.

A mouse that’s been hurt by a cat, trap, or predator might not be able to move normally.

• Starvation or dehydration can make mice lethargic and less fearful.

A sick, weak mouse might not have the energy to run away.

• Young mice that have just left the nest might not have learned to fear humans yet.

Baby mice are often slower to react to people.

Environmental stress (like flooding or extreme weather)  also can push mice into unusual situations where they seem to act strangely.

None of these situations involve rabies. While the mouse might be sick or dying, it’s not rabid.

Pet Mice and Rabies

If you have pet mice, you might wonder about their rabies risk.

Pet mice bred in captivity have essentially zero risk of having rabies. They’re not exposed to rabid wildlife.

If your pet mouse bites you, you don’t need to worry about rabies. The bite might hurt and could get infected, but rabies isn’t a concern.

You don’t need to vaccinate pet mice against rabies. There isn’t even a rabies vaccine approved for use in mice.

If your pet mouse escapes and comes back, or if you adopt a mouse that was found outside, the rabies risk is still extremely low.

The main health concerns with pet mice are the same as with wild mice: Salmonella, LCMV, and other diseases spread through their urine and droppings.

Proper hygiene (washing hands after handling, keeping cages clean) prevents most health issues with pet mice.

Rabies Risk from Mouse Bites to Pets

If a mouse bites your dog or cat, should you worry about rabies?

No, a mouse bite doesn’t pose a rabies risk to your pets. The same reasons that mice rarely have rabies apply here.

However, you should make sure your pets’ rabies vaccinations are up to date. This protects them from the animals that actually do carry rabies (like bats, raccoons, and skunks).

If your cat brings home a mouse it caught, that mouse isn’t a rabies risk either. But your cat could get other parasites or diseases from eating mice.

Dogs that hunt and kill mice face similar risks. Not rabies, but potentially other diseases or parasites that mice carry.

The bigger concern with pets and mice is actually the opposite direction. Cats and dogs can kill mice, and some rodent control methods (like poison) can be dangerous if your pet eats a poisoned mouse.

Historical Context of Rabies and Rodents

Understanding the history of rabies and rodents helps explain current guidelines.

Rabies has been recognized for thousands of years, but for most of history, people didn’t understand which animals spread it.

Early rabies research focused on dogs because dog bites were the most common source of human rabies.

As scientists studied rabies more carefully, they discovered that different animals had different risks. Carnivores (meat-eaters) and bats were the main carriers.

Rodents were studied extensively, and researchers found that while they could theoretically get rabies, they almost never did in real-world situations.

This led to the current CDC guidelines that small rodents aren’t considered rabies vectors (animals that transmit disease).

These guidelines are based on decades of research and surveillance data from around the world.

Regional Differences in Rabies Risk

Rabies risk varies by location, but mouse risk remains low everywhere.

In the United States, bat rabies is the biggest concern. Most human rabies cases come from bat bites or scratches.

In the eastern U.S., raccoon rabies is common. In the southwest, skunk rabies is more prevalent.

In some developing countries, dog rabies is still a major problem. But even in places with high rabies rates, mice aren’t significant carriers.

Some countries have eliminated rabies completely through vaccination programs. The UK, Japan, and Australia are rabies-free.

Even in rabies-free countries, the guidance about mice is the same. They weren’t rabies carriers before elimination and aren’t a concern now.

No matter where you live, mice aren’t on the list of animals to worry about for rabies.

When You Should Seek Medical Advice

Even though mice don’t carry rabies, there are situations where you should see a doctor after mouse contact.

• If a mouse bite becomes infected (red, swollen, painful, or oozing pus), see a doctor. You might need antibiotics.
• If you develop flu-like symptoms after exposure to mice or their droppings, see a doctor. This could be Hantavirus, LCMV, or another disease.

• If you have a weakened immune system (from HIV, cancer treatment, organ transplant, etc.), take mouse bites and exposure more seriously.
• Pregnant women should be especially careful around mice because some mouse-borne diseases can harm unborn babies.
• If you’re bitten by an animal and you’re not sure what it was (maybe it was dark and you didn’t see it clearly), describe it to your doctor. They can assess whether rabies is a concern.

Your doctor might recommend a tetanus booster if you haven’t had one recently, but they almost certainly won’t recommend rabies treatment for a mouse bite.

Preventing Mouse Bites

The best way to avoid any health concerns from mice is to avoid being bitten in the first place.

• Don’t try to catch or handle mice with your bare hands. If you need to catch a mouse, use a trap or wear thick gloves.
• If you find a mouse in your home, don’t corner it. Give it an escape route or wait for it to leave on its own.
• When cleaning areas where mice have been, wear gloves and a mask. This protects you from diseases spread through droppings and urine.

• Keep your home sealed so mice can’t get in. Seal gaps and cracks, and repair any holes in walls or foundations.
• If you have a mouse infestation, use traps or hire a pest control professional. Don’t try to catch mice by hand.
• Teach children not to touch mice. Kids are more likely to try to pick up a mouse, which increases bite risk.
• If you keep pet mice, handle them gently and learn the signs of stress. Stressed mice are more likely to bite.

Other Myths About Mice and Disease

The rabies myth isn’t the only misconception about mice and disease.

Some people think you can get rabies from mouse urine or droppings. You can’t. Rabies is only transmitted through saliva, usually via bites.

Some believe that all mice carry Hantavirus. Actually, only certain species carry it, and not all individuals of those species are infected.

There’s a myth that mouse bites always cause serious infection. While infection is possible, most mouse bites heal fine with proper cleaning.

Some people think wild mice are inherently “dirtier” or more disease-ridden than pet mice. While wild mice do carry more risks, pet mice can also carry diseases if not properly cared for.

The myth that mice intentionally attack humans is false. Mice bite only in self-defense when they feel trapped or threatened.

Conclusion

Mice very rarely carry rabies, and there are no documented cases of mice transmitting rabies to humans. The CDC doesn’t consider small rodents like mice a rabies risk, and rabies treatment isn’t recommended for mouse bites.

While rabies isn’t a concern with mice, they do carry other diseases like Hantavirus, Salmonella, and Leptospirosis. These diseases are much more common and present a real health risk.

If a mouse bites you, clean the wound thoroughly and watch for signs of infection, but you don’t need to worry about rabies. Focus your rabies concerns on animals that actually carry it, like bats, raccoons, skunks, and unvaccinated dogs and cats.