My Dog Licked a Dead Bird What Should I Do?

Is your dog attracted to dead things? If so, you’re not alone! Many dogs can’t avoid it when they find something dead, including dead birds. We don’t understand their gross fascination, but some dogs simply love dead birds. Yuck!

What happens if a dog licked a dead bird? Will the bird make him sick?

Has your dog licked a dead bird? Are you worried the dead bird will make your dog sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. We understand it can be scary when your dog does something like this.

In this article, we’ll take a look at dead birds and whether or not they can make a dog sick. Let’s get started!

Dead Birds, Yuck!

While we find dead birds to be pretty gross, some dogs will head right over to them. Seeing your dog even nosing a dead bird is enough to turn your stomach. But what if your dog licks the dead bird? Can the bird make your dog sick?

Dead Birds & Dogs

Dead birds can carry some things that can make your dog sick, including:

Botulism: this is especially prevalent in water birds.

Toxins: it’s possible the dead bird could have eaten poison, which killed the bird. Toxins can include poison, pesticides, environmental toxins. It’s even possible the bird could have eaten a poisoned animal.

Salmonella: this is a common bacteria found in many types of birds.

West Nile virus: this is another infection that’s common in some birds. It is possible that the virus could infect a dog if he licked or ate the bird.

Now, this may sound all doom and gloom. We don’t mean to scare you! However, we want to make sure you know the risks your dog faces, even if he only licks a dead bird.

Having said that, we must say that if your dog just licks a dead bird, changes are very small he will get sick. However, read on to the next section to learn what symptoms to watch for in case your fur baby should become sick. Rather than getting sick with one of these (it’s possible), your dog may come down with some gastrointestinal issues.

Symptoms to Watch For

You may notice these symptoms in your dog if he becomes sick after licking a dead bird:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Abdominal pain

If your dog develops these or any other concerning symptoms, then do call the vet. They will have the best advice on what you need to do next to help your dog.

Just to recap, in most cases, your dog will probably be just fine. While licking a dead bird is gross, chances are your fur baby won’t get sick! But do watch for any symptoms that may develop afterward and seek treatment from the vet.