Our topic of discussion is “My dog killed a mouse but didn’t eat it.” We will tell you why your dog is doing this, what you can do if your dog has eaten a mouse and how to prevent your dog from eating a mouse.
Why did my dog kill a mouse and not eat it?
This is probably because your dog only likes to prey on animals and does not like the taste of it. If we look at the ancestors of your pooch, you will observe that they originated from wolves, and it is their habit to hunt their prey and eat it.
Although dogs are now domesticated and kept in the household as a part of the family, they still have their innate behavior in them to hunt whenever your dog gets a chance to prey on something like a lizard, rat, or frog do it.
We all know that dogs love to play catch and chase games with you, so they do the same regarding small creatures. So, we can say that praying is a dog’s behavior. It is called prey drive.
What should you do if your dog has eaten a mouse?
- First, you should check your dog’s mouth to ensure that your dog has eaten a mouse. There will be a specific odor coming from your dog’s mouth.
- If you have seen your dog eating a mouse, instantly command your dog to stop eating that mouse.
- Make sure they drink a lot of water.
- Don’t let your dog eat the bones of rats; they can get stuck in your dog’s throat, stomach or intestines.
- Contact your vet immediately, and while on the way, you should give first aid to your dog.
- Take a wet towel and try to clean your dog’s mouth so that the toxins can be removed from the mouth.
- The vet will probably try to induce vomiting in your dog so that your dog vomits out the mouse he has eaten.
What if your dog eats a dead mouse?
If your dog has eaten a dead mouse, that is something you need to worry about because usually, the mouse is dead because of the anti-mice poisons that are kept in the house. It is equally poisonous for your dog too.
Some rodenticides are used to kill mice. They are concentrated Vitamin D that removes calcium from bones and leads to kidney failure; some have Bromethalin. It directly attacks the central nervous system and paralyzes the rat. If the mouse is dead due to these pesticides and your dog eats that, that position will affect your dog too.
The mouse usually dies after six days of eating poison; during that period, it becomes weaker and more prone to being preyed on by a dog. If you have rodenticides in your home, you should provide your bet with that information so that he can provide better help to your dog.
Can a mouse transfer some disease to my dog?
Yes, your dog can get many pathogens and bacteria from eating a mouse. Following are some of the diseases:
Leptospirosis:
The mouse usually has this bacteria, and when your dog comes in contact with contaminated urine or feces of rats, it can get leptospirosis. It is caused by a bacteria called Leptospira. If you observe that your dog is lethargic, weak, and anorectic, you should contact your vet.
Toxoplasma:
It is a blood parasite; if your dog gets this, he will be exposed to fever, diarrhea, and even liver failure in severe conditions. The treatment includes antibiotics, therapy, and other medications to help control the symptoms.
Roundworms:
Rats are a widespread carrier of intestinal parasites. The parasites live in the muscles of the rats, so when your dog eats a rat, it gets infected by these parasites. Your dog will have these parasites in their stomach. The symptoms of intestinal parasites are weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
To diagnose roundworms, the vet will take a sample of your dog’s poop from its rectum and observe to see if it has eggs or roundworms not. Usually, dewormers are used in the tablet firm to treat these parasites. Always take advice from your vet before giving any medication to your floof.
How to prevent your dog from eating mice?
Following are the tips that might help you in keeping your dog away from rats:
- Keep your dog on a leash whenever you take it for a walk.
- Use rodenticides to prevent rats in your house.
- Vaccinate your dog so that it won’t get a disease from rats.
- Avoid food scraps in your house so rats won’t penetrate your home.
- Do not keep rat baits in your house.
- Train your dog to listen to your command. This way, you can prevent your dog from eating a mouse.
Conclusion:
Today we discussed your concern, “My dog killed a mouse but didn’t eat it.” We also talked about why your dog is doing this, what you can do if your dog has eaten a mouse and how to prevent your dog from eating a mouse.
References:
https://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/dog-killed-mouse-she-need-shots-6875.html
