My dog ate dead bird meat. Is she at risk for botulism or sickness?

Hello. Please do not worry about such a small piece. Dogs seem to be able to tolerate things much better than we can, primarily because their digestive tract is much shorter than ours. Bad stuff passes through usually fast enough that no problems will occur. Botulism is found in the soil & very, very rarely affects dogs. I would expect this tiny piece of meat was pretty dessicated & will be totally harmless to Rocket. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for dogs to eat dead animals found in the yard or on walks. Thankfully, in most cases the worst that may occur is some stomach upset (vomiting or diarrhea). Monitor for GI upset ([vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/vomiting-1/) and/or [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/diarrhea-1/)), lethargy, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. If your dog is behaving normally otherwise, you can [manage minor GI upset at home](https://www.petcoach.co/article/6-things-you-can-do-at-home-if-your-pet-has-diarrhea) by first withholding food for 12-24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or unflavored PediaLyte during this fasting period. Resume feeding a bland diet ( boiled boneless / skinless chicken and plain cooked white rice) in small, frequent amounts. Begin with 1 tablespoon of food every hour and gradually increase the amount if there is no vomiting. Continue feeding bland until there is no vomiting for 48 hours and/or the stool is normal then transition slowly to the regular diet. If the vomiting or diarrhea don't stop or if you see other symptoms (lethargy, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, etc.), see your veterinarian.

Hello and thank you for your question. If you were in an exam room setting, I would ask you questions such as “ is this the first bird that cookie has ever killed?” but I am going to go on the assumption that it is and will answer the question accordingly. Dogs are carnivores and their gastrointestinal tract can handle the eating of dead animals. With this in mind, however, she could get sick from eating a dead bird but it is not very common at all. The best advice I can give is to immediately take the bird away from her first. Then simply provide her with her regular food and plenty of water for the next 24 hours and simply wait and watch. If she continues to eat, drink, urinate, and defecate normally, then there should be no problem at all. But if she is acting sluggish, not eating or drinking, and has no interest in playing, within the next 24 hours, please take her to your veterinarian to make have a full physical examination performed. I hope this helps and hope that you have a great day.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Kalli will be fine from eating the big. She may vomit it up because it may not digest well but it won’t harm her. I would leave her alone and it should pass. Kisses to Kalli!

Unfortunately it is possible but Zoe may also be completely fine and not have any problems (especially because she may not have swallowed anything). Rinse her mouth out if you have not already done so and then wash your hands well. Here is a link about the various types of food poisoning in pets: https://www.petcoach.co/article/garbage-intoxication-food-poisoning-in-dogs-and-cats/ Have Zoe examined if needed and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that you monitor her for signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction such as vomiting, nausea and/or abdominal pain. If any of these are observed, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, she could be just fine. Have a great day!

Sure. There is no reason to avoid vaccination after she’s eaten a dead bird. However, none of the vaccines she receives are for diseases that she could get from birds, if that’s what you’re asking. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!