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Can animals (including insects) carry or become infected with the "zombie" virus in The Walking Dead?


Can non-human animals (whether mammals, birds, insects, fish... etc) become carriers of, or become infected by, the "zombie" virus in The Walking Dead universe? I have developed this question from an initial thought about whether transmission of the virus through mosquitoes is possible (I noticed that as far as we see on screen, they don't appear to be taking precautions against mosquito bites, which suggests that they aren't a threat, but there hasn't been any definitive indication one way or the other thus far).


I have only seen the TV version and know nothing about whatever is in the comics. I am interested in answers relating to either domain (but please specify which one you are referring to in your answer).


Thus far in the TV series, the exact nature of the disease and its transmission is only partially understood. As of S02 E13, 'Beside the Dying Fire',



it is known that all humans carry the virus and will re-animate after death, as long as they have not suffered head trauma that damages the brain.



Before this information was known, the characters considered whether transmission through scratches in the skin was possible (S02 E10, '18 Miles Out'): Remember that this could STILL be a possibility for...



any human that, for whatever reason, has not yet been exposed to the virus and is not a carrier (there could be someone who was mountaineering/hiking in the wilderness, etc. and thus may not yet have been exposed to whatever source has caused other humans to become carriers).




The scratch idea is what got me thinking about the mosquitoes.


Given the fact that



theoretically ALL humans are already carriers anyway,



I realise that the possibility of transmission through mosquitoes, or any other animal, is kind of irrelevant anyhow, but I'm still interested in whether this has been clearly addressed anywhere. Whenever we see animals in the TV show, they are either alive and seemingly normal (e.g. the deer in S02 E01, 'What Lies Ahead'; the cattle and horses later in the series), or they have been recently bitten by a Walker but have not actually died yet (e.g. the horse in S01 E01, the cow in S02 E11). We never see any animal that appears to have died and re-animated.


Does anyone know of any clear evidence that definitively confirms or refutes the idea of "zombie animals" (or birds, insects etc.), or animals that are carriers (that is, animals who contain the virus in their system but who are not harmed by it, as in the case of mosquitoes carrying malaria)? Speculation is permitted but I would prefer clear, specific in-universe examples, or information from the authors/creators.




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