What to do if your dog eats a bird
If you realize your dog has eaten all or part of a bird, the first question you need to ask yourself is was this bird dead or alive when found by your dog?
Although you may feel far worse about your dog catching a live bird, killing it and eating it, that’s the best option when it comes to the potential risk to your dog.
Dr. Corinne Wigfall, BVMBVS (Hons) and BVMedSci (Hons), veterinary spokesperson for Spirit Dog Training, notes, “It is not uncommon for dogs to eat birds or other small mammals when out for a walk or in the garden.”
And most of the time, that’s just fine.
“It’s safe to say that, in the majority of cases where your dog eats a bird, your four-legged pal will be just fine as they won’t face any consequences for it,” says Dr. Sabrina Kong, DVM.
“Unlike amphibians, birds do not pose any toxic risk to your dog in case he eats one (dead or alive); however, there are still a few other possible risks that you may want to keep an eye on during the following days of your dog eating a bird,” points out Dr. Kong, DVM at WeLoveDoodles. “Some dogs’ digestive systems may not be suited for consuming raw meat which could lead to stomach problems like diarrhea and vomiting.“
Even if your dog has an iron stomach, there’s another risk: parasites. Birds, like other wildlife, carry a wide variety of internal parasites. Giardia, a protozoal parasite, can be carried by birds and caught by dogs. (And, take it from us, you do not want your dog to contract Giardia. Barli had a bout of Giardia once as a puppy, teaching us firsthand that, yes, there is such a thing a projectile diarrhea.)
Dr. Jamie Whittenburg (DVM), lead veterinarian at SeniorTailWaggers.com and Director of Kingsgate Animal Hospital, a full-service animal hospital in Lubbock, Texas, explains, “The risk of eating a live bird is primarily parasitism. Just as with bird droppings, eating a bird may transmit parasites to your dog. Gastrointestinal upset may also occur.”
Your dog’s size–and the size of the bird–may also play a role in the after-effects of your dog’s bird binging.
Dr. Georgina Ushi Phillips, DVM, Advising Veterinarian and Writer for NotABully.org, notes that digestive issues are the most likely issue. “Eating an entire bird could cause GI upset like vomiting and diarrhea, just as you would expect with any large amount of novel food. However, whether or not GI upset occurs will depend on the size of the bird and the dog.“
Although Dr. Phillips explains that most of the time, the bird should pass normally through your dog’s digestive track, “Another concern is a blockage and again the size of the bird and the dog will be a big factor but a smaller dog that tries to eat a large bird could have trouble actually swallowing the bird.“
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.
Can eating a dead animal make my pet sick?
Dead animals and birds can pose many risks to pets. Many pets show no ill effects—other than temporarily losing our friendship and respect because of their gross food choices—but others may require hospitalized treatment. Common health hazards include:
While owners often worry about rabies, the likelihood of this virus transmission is extremely rare, unless your pet was bitten during a fight with the deceased animal.
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.