Help! My Dog Ate a Mouse. What Should I Do? 

Mice are considered some of the most unwanted pests to roam the world. The sneaky critters can make their way through small holes or chew through passageways where food is stored. How do you know that they have been in the house? You can tell by the trail of droppings that they leave behind. Did you know that the Terrier breed was bred specifically to catch rodent pets such as mice? Regardless of your breed type, any dog can catch a mouse and possibly eat it! What should you do next?

We all know that dogs are curious and eat many things they shouldn’t. One of the most significant concerns when a dog eats a mouse, is determining if the mouse consumed poison. The poison usually comes from a bait trap that you have placed in your house. A poisoned mouse can cause serious harm to a dog if it is ingested.  If your dog has eaten a dead mouse, you must immediately call your local pet poisoning hotline or veterinarian.

Depending on the severity of your dog’s symptoms, a veterinarian may induce vomiting to remove as much of the poisoned mouse as possible. This will help eliminate toxins before they are absorbed into the body. It would be helpful for your veterinarian to know which mouse poison (rodenticide) the mouse ingested. This information will help your veterinarian monitor parameters more closely during their assessment. Many people wonder if dogs can catch rabies from mice. The good news is that mice are very rarely found to be carrying rabies. Scientists believe that a rabies infection would kill a mouse too quickly for it to be spread through a bite.

Unfortunately, mice will continue sneaking into places we live, which can pose risks to our four-legged friends. Are you worried about mice in your home? Several dog-friendly mice control options on the market do not use rodenticides. It would be best to keep an eye out for wild mice while enjoying the great outdoors with your dog. Preventing contact with mice will reduce your dog’s risk of ingesting dangerous toxins and help you steer clear of any emergency visits!