My dog killed a rat. What are the health risks? Does he need a vet?

The mouth is not the problem, the problem is if they ingested the rat or not and if they are vaccinated or not, these are the two important factors when dealing with a dog the kills a rat, the mouth is irrelevant. if your dog ingested the rat you must take him to the vet urgently, because of the high risk of rat poison (this will likely be deadly if left untreated), the second issue is vaccination, if your dog is not vaccinated he is in risk of contracting a disease called leptospirosis which can cause severe health problems and in some cases can be fatal as well.

In these cases close monitoring is needed both for any possible wound/injury from the fight and possible poisoning (some of these rats can be poisoned with rodenticide). Any external wound, lethargy, inappetence, signs of cough, vomiting or diarrhoea should be checked by your local vet.

A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are usually needed. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking/scratching. 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.

You are correct that the rat can carry diseases. I recommend to call your veterinarian and tell them what happened. They may want to check him for any bites and booster his vaccines. The main concerns for rats are Leptospirosis and fleas who can carry plague depending on where you live. Theoretically, rabies and rat poison ingestion would also be a risk. Your veterinarian will be most familiar with your local environment and the potential diseases. Also make sure Brady is up-to-date on his flea prevention. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

[Rabies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/rabies/) in rats and other small rodents is extremely rare. I would be more concerned with the possibility that the rat had been poisoned elsewhere and its weakness was why your dog was able to catch and kill it. Leptospirosis, an infectious disease that affects the liver and/or kidneys, is also a high risk from contact with rats. Other possible diseases your dog could contract from contact with rats are: • Rat Bite Fever (*Streptobacillus moniliformis* form). Dogs can be infected by the bacteria by biting or eating infected rats. Dogs do not themselves get sick, but serve as carriers for the infection, passing it along to humans. • [Tularemia](https://www.petcoach.co/article/tularemia-rabbit-fever-in-dogs) is caused by the *Francisella tularensis* bacterium. Rabbits, hares and rodents, including rats, are particularly susceptible to the organism, and often die in large numbers during an outbreak. If a dog eats a rat (or other animal) infected by this organism or drinks water contaminated by infected rodent waste, the dog can become ill as well as passing the disease on to humans. Symptoms in dogs include refusal to eat, fever, cough, vomiting, and diarrhea. If not caught and treated, it can lead to death. In humans the symptoms are specific to the mode of infection (deer fly, ticks, contaminated water, handling dead infected animals, etc.) but can include: chills, eye irritation, fever, headache, joint stiffness, muscle pain, ulcers on skin, shortness of breath, sweating and weight loss. • [Bubonic plague](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/plague): dogs can become carriers of the *Yersinia pestis* bacterium if they are bitten by the flea of an infected rat. Dogs do not tend to be sickened by bubonic plague but can pass the disease on to human caretakers. • [Salmonellosis](https://www.petcoach.co/article/small-pet-rodents-can-pose-a-salmonella-risk-to-humans) can be transmitted to a dog that encounters the fecal material of rats, other rodents and especially reptiles. Symptoms in canines include: fever, diarrhea, dehydration and shock. Death can occur if untreated, and the dog can spread the infection to human through its feces.

Poor girl. Rats can carry some nasty diseases unfortunately, so it is best to wash this area with betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water for now and then I would go to your local pet store and rinse it also with an oral rinse that contains chlorhexidine. Ask the pet store employee and they should be able to point you in the right direction. This should be washed daily and then I would recommend scheduling an appt with your local vet to have her wounds checked out further. She likely will need a short course of antibiotics and pain meds if needed. I hope that your furry friend Chullie turns out ok. Best wishes and take care.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Good job Jackson. Probably not but I would monitor Jackson closely since the rat could've scratched or bitten him somewhere. Rats and other rodents don't transmit rabies so that is not a concern. I would just watch for any areas that become swollen, painful, or have some discharge which could indicate infection from the rat scratching/biting. Good luck with Jackson.