Has your puppy eaten a rat? Are you worried the rat will make your puppy sick? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. It’s scary when a puppy eats something he shouldn’t.
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To help you and your puppy, we’ve put together some information about rats and whether or not they can make your puppy sick. Let’s get started!
The Danger of Puppies Eating Rats
It’s not uncommon for a puppy to find a rodent, such as a rat, and chase it. Depending on the puppy’s age and size, it’s even possible he could kill the rat! And because puppies are such curious little creatures, a puppy could choose to try eating the rat. Yuck!
While it’s gross, you do need to be aware of some issues that can develop if your puppy has eaten a rat. For one thing, the rat could have been poisoned, which was why it was easy for your puppy to kill. If the puppy ate some portion of the rat, then he also ingested the rat poison. This is called secondary poisoning, and it can cause death. Puppies are small, so it doesn’t take much poison to make them very sick very fast.
Rats also carry pathogens, which can be contagious to other animals, including dogs. Rats can carry:
- Hantavirus
- Leptospirosis
- Plague
- Tularemia
- Salmonella
- And more
Any of these could lead to death in a puppy. The puppy’s immune system isn’t strong enough to fight off such major infections.
Another problem that a rat could cause in a puppy is an intestinal blockage. This is because rat bones can be large and become lodged in the puppy’s small digestive tract.
What to Do If Your Puppy Has Eaten a Rat
If your puppy has eaten a rat, then call the vet immediately. Don’t wait for symptoms to show up.
The vet may induce vomiting if the rat was eaten recently. And if the rat bones have caused an intestinal blockage, your fur baby may require emergency surgery to remove the blockage.
If the rat was poisoned, there are treatments the vet can use to help your puppy.
The key in this situation is to get medical assistance for your puppy as soon as possible. Don’t wait to see if symptoms develop or worsen. You could save your puppy’s life by getting him to the vet as soon as possible.
To prevent these issues in the future, be sure to always keep your puppy monitored when he’s playing. You never know what he may find as he explores his new world!
Connect with a verified veterinarian in minutes. Licensed vets are available 24/7 to answer your questions. No need to worry about your furry family member.
Julie
Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.
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