Beware of Dogs Playing or Eating Mice

It is no surprise that dogs can be very playful sometimes and killing or playing with a dead mouse can be enjoyable to them. These rodents are toys that dogs can munch on. What the dogs and their owners do not realize, however, is that these mice can make dogs sick.

So, what can we do to protect our pets from the infections caused by mice infestations? Before we dive into that, we should first know what diseases can dog acquire after killing a mouse.

Diseases Dogs Can Get After Killing A Mouse

Secondary Poisoning

If you happen to see your dog killed a little mouse or played with a dead mouse, your dog may be a victim of secondary poisoning.

Rodenticides, or poison used to kill rodents such as mice and other pests, are highly toxic and fatal to dogs and cats, especially if pets who ingest them are not treated immediately.

The effect of toxicity on dogs caused by secondary poisoning depends on the amount of poison indigested, what kind of poison the rodent has ingested, and how long since the dog came in contact with the rodent.

According to a study conducted in New Zealand, dogs that have been repeatedly exposed to pesticides for five days show signs of toxicity and treatable if detected sooner before adverse effects show.

Signs of rodenticide poisoning may appear within a couple of hours, up to 24 hours of contamination. The more an animal eats the rodent poison, the faster the effect will be visible.

Leptospirosis

Another way your dog may be harmed by having contact with a dead mouse is through a disease called Leptospirosis.

Also known as Weil’s disease, Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection commonly carried by mice and can be transferred to humans and other animals.

If not treated, it can then lead to a more serious illness in your pet’s kidneys, liver, and other intestinal organs.

Salmonellosis

Other diseases that your dog may acquire upon biting a dead mouse is salmonellosis, which is an infection from common bacteria called salmonella.

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This type of bacteria is commonly found in animals such as mice, rats, chickens, dogs, cats, and other animals. This is also the type of bacteria that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Rabies

This disease commonly originates from animals such as dogs, cats, rats, and other small rodents. It is somehow rare that your dog might get this from killing a mouse, but it is still possible.

If your dog contracted rabies from mice, it could affect your dog’s kidneys and liver.

Rat Bite Fever

This type of bacteria can be transmitted from a mouse to a dog and possibly to humans. Your dog can acquire this type of bacteria by ingesting contaminated rodents.

Parasites And Roundworms

Mice are always infected with parasites and roundworms because of their habitat. It is not a hidden thing that mice are dirty beings; that is why we call them pests or rodents.

They are not welcome in our home because of where they came from. It is all but the opposite of cleanliness. They go through garbage, sewage, dirty canals. They are just over-all dirty.

Unluckily, these parasites and roundworms can be passed on to your dog once they came into contact with these mice. Once your dog bites these mice, even without killing them, your dog may be infected.

Toxoplasma Gondii

Mice can also be infected by a protozoan parasite, which may have been caused by dirty water and contaminated food.

This type of parasite can also be transmitted to your dog once they touch a mouse that has been infected by this parasite.

Animals that are infected by Toxoplasma Gondii may experience problems in bowel movement and nervous system.

Signs Your Dog Is Sick After Killing A Mouse

One way to know if your dog is sick after killing a mouse is to watch for signs of secondary rodent poisoning or any other bacterial contamination. Watch out for sickness signs within 24 hours and then contact your veterinary doctor once you see these symptoms manifest.

  1. Bleeding in several parts of the body like the nose, eyes, lips, gums, and urine
  2. Difficulty in breathing with occasional coughing and sneezing
  3. No appetite but increased thirst and urination
  4. Diarrhea or difficulty passing stool
  5. Episodes of seizures, paralysis, and collapsing
  6. Swollen different parts of the body like joints, face, privates
  7. Vomiting and unpleasant smell
  8. Overall weakness of the body

What To Do If Your Dog Is Poisoned

No matter what owners do, no matter how much humans take care of their pets, sometimes accidents still happen, and poisoning among pets is inevitable.

We can always prepare ourselves if ever these bad circumstances happen to our loving pets and are equipped with the knowledge once we are already in that situation.

Here’s what you should do once you realized your dog might be poisoned.

1. If your dog is poisoned by killing a poisoned mouse, keep the packaging of the rodenticides you used. Remember to carry it along with you when you bring your dog to the veterinary clinic, so the doctor will know what kind of poison or chemical has affected your dog. This way, it will be easier for the veterinary to give proper medication to your dog.

2. Call the veterinary clinic as soon as you realized your dog might be poisoned. As much as possible, do not wait until the symptoms have manifested. Instead, call the veterinary immediately to provide proper guidance on what first aid methods you can use. Remember that in poisoning, time is always of the essence. It is always better to be early than to be late in these kinds of situations.

3. With the guidance of your veterinary officer, you may have to induce vomiting to release toxins that your dog may have ingested. One at-home remedy used to counter poisoning is through the use of hydrogen peroxide. Ask your veterinary officer first before doing this to be safe. Never try this at home without the guidance of the veterinary.

4. Prepare your dog’s medical history records that include his past and current medications and vaccinations. You will need this once you are already in the veterinary office.

5. You may also need to clean your dog’s mouth to remove any possible contamination from the dead mouse or the poison. Do not forget to wear gloves when doing this to protect your hands from acquiring any disease from the animals.

How To Prevent Your Dog From Hunting Mice

Dogs, by nature, are carnivorous, plus they are also curious and playful creatures. These are just some of their adorable characteristics why they tend to get drawn to little mice lurking around the corners of our home.

This is also why it is sometimes very hard to keep our dogs away from these pests. So, what can we do then to prevent them from biting, killing, or even get poisoned by a mouse?

1. Begin by making your home mouse-free. Try to look for holes or cracks around your house to see where these mice could enter your home. Seal these holes to prevent pests from entering your home, thus, protecting you, your family, and of course, your dog.

2. Always sanitize your home properly. Thorough cleanliness is required to make your place free from mice. Make sure there are no crumbs, opened food packages, leftover food hanging around everywhere your home.

3. As much as possible, try to put mouse traps away from where dogs cannot reach them. Try putting these traps in corners where dogs cannot fit. You may also put barriers so dogs won’t reach these traps.

4. You may also search for alternative rodenticides that are more organic to prevent your dog from poisoning if ever it accidentally ingests any of these chemicals.

5. Put mouse traps in an enclosed box that has a cover so your dog won’t get curious and avoid them from getting near those pets.

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