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My dog ate a dead raccoon paw. What health risks should I watch for?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Australian Shepherd | Male | neutered | 1 year and 3 months old | 50 lbs

There is a dead raccoon on the side of the road that was run over a long time ago and was never cleaned up. Today, I walked my dog by there forgetting about it. Before i knew it he'd snatched up the dead raccoons dislocated paw. I told him to drop it and tried to get it out of his mouth but he didn't listen and swallowed it down before I could do anything. Should I be worried? Anything I should look out for?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 27th, 2018

If your dog is vaccinated against rabies, you do not have to worry about rabies.
Dogs can eat stinky things without getting ill. Sometimes they get a tummy ache. If he starts vomiting or gets diarrhea, you can withdraw all food for 12 hours, then put Minho on bland food for a day or two, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to his regular food slowly over a few days. If this does not clear up the diarrhea or if the vomiting increases, or if he gets lethargic, he needs to see a veterinarian for an exam as there may be something more serious such as an infection going on.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Published on January 21st, 2020
Rabies infection seems unlikely at this stage.This may be more related to a gastrointestinal inflammation/infection.
As a first approach, I would suggest to withhold food for the next 8-12 hours and then start feeding with a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice in small portion every 6 hours for the following 48hours. Then gradually reintroduce the normal diet over 5 days.
I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhoea, more vomiting, lethargy or inappetence.
Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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