My dog ate all the bird bones, too!
Even if your dog doesn’t have a sensitive stomach–and is plenty large enough to eat a bird with no issues–there’s still a potential risk of problems due to consuming the bones of the bird.
Dr. Kong explains, “Bird bones are light and often easily digested with the strong acid in the stomach, however, sometimes bones can remain undigested and create a foreign body in the stomach or intestines. There is also a risk of intestinal perforation if the bones are sharp-edged or fractured as they pass through the digestive system. Often surgery is needed to remove these bones.”
If you are worried, give your veterinarian a call.
As the owner of a dog that loves to roll in (and eat) anything she finds, I certainly understand the questions that I get about risks to dogs from dead birds. Eating a dead bird is certainly not an appealing thought to us, but overall, the risks to a dog are pretty low. The greatest potential problem is likely gastroenteritis, often referred to as ‘garbage-gut’, which typically causes diarrhea (with or without vomiting) after “dietary indiscretion” (i.e. a dog eating things it shouldn’t have). Another concern is Salmonella. Some birds carry Salmonella in their intestinal tracts and dogs could become infected from eating them. This is a bigger problem in cats that hunt birds – salmonellosis in outdoor cats is also referred to as songbird fever. West Nile virus can cause death in birds, especially species such as bluejays and crows, which may then be found by your dog. The risk of transmission of West Nile virus to dogs from eating dead birds is presumably very low. Further, this disease is very rare in dogs and they appear to be quite resistant to the virus.
What happens if a dog eats a dead bird
Some dogs will get sick while others may get lucky and not experience any symptoms. There is a possibility of your dog getting a stomach upset a few hours after eating a dead bird. This might manifest itself into episodes of diarrhea and vomiting. The dog may also act lethargic and have a lack of appetite.
In more serious cases, harmful diseases could get passed on from dead birds. For example, it could be possible for dogs to catch a salmonella infection after eating a dead bird. Dogs that catch this infection may suffer from symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and watery stools.
There is also a possibility of dogs eating dead birds that have been decaying for a while. These dead birds may have maggots and worms in them. The health risk isn’t necessarily higher in such cases as dogs are generally well-equipped with handling rotting flesh. You may, however, still want to take your dog to the vet if the dog is feeling sick.
For smaller dogs and puppies, there is also the risk of obstruction and choking from the bird feathers.
My dog eating a dead bird
Every dog owner has undoubtedly experienced the moment of panic when their dog picks up or eats something they shouldn’t. Unfortunately dogs sometimes eat dead animals, and birds (sometimes even living ones) are high up on the list. If you’re freaking out right now and wondering what to do because my dog ate a dead bird, don’t worry this is more common than you might think.
If your dog ate a dead bird, he or she will usually have symptoms of an upset stomach, which may include vomiting or diarrhea. These symptoms usually go away within a day or two and should not be a cause for concern. If you notice your dog acting weird or sickly after eating the bird, take them to the veterinarian immediately to be checked out.
Dogs are naturally inquisitive, especially during walks. They can easily pick up nasty things that you don’t want them to touch. If your dog ate a dead bird, don’t panic. Here are tips and advice on what you should do.
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One great way to prevent your dog from getting the chance to eat a dead bird when on walks is using something like the TUG 360° Tangle-Free, Heavy Duty Retractable Dog Leash to keep them away from dangerous things.
Alternatively another safe option would be the Gentle Muzzle Guard for Dogs which won’t allow them to eat dead animals.