My puppy ate a rat. Is it dangerous? What symptoms should I watch for?

You probably do not need to be concerned since Puppy did not actually eat the rat. However, if you feel like she is acting abnormally, like vomiting or coughing excessively or acting more lethargic than normal, I would recommend taking her in to the vet just to make sure nothing is going on. There are some diseases that can be spread from rat to dog but with such limited interaction Puppy is probably fine. My only other concern would be if there was any rat poison around that the rat or Puppy could have gotten in to. If so, this could cause some bleeding issues in Puppy. Your vet can run a simple blood test to make sure this is not an issue.

There are two things you can do: 1) nothing, just watch your dog for diarrhea and/or vomiting or paleness. If yoru dog vomits/gets diarrhea do the following: I would fast Bandit for 12 hours and then put her on bland food for two days, such as boiled white rice and boiled white boneless chicken meat, fed in small quantities over several feeds and then transition back to her regular food slowly over a few days. Should he get lethargic, and/or pale (check his gums), he needs to be seen by a vet as the rat may have died of rodenticide. OR 2) if your dog ate the rat within the past 90 minutes, take him to a vet to have him regurgitate the rat with a medication called apomorphine.

Make sure the ingested animal did not die from rodenticide. If so, it is possible your puppy will suffer secondary exposure and may require veterinary attention. If not, monitor for vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or lethargy. See your vet if you notice any of these signs.

There are a couple things you should be concerned about, if your dog is not vaccinated then leptospirosis is a concern as Rats carry it and it is a serious disease in dogs (affecting the kidneys and liver). the main second concern is rat poison, if the rate ingested rat poison in the past couple weeks, then your dog could be poisoned too, these poisons are usually blood thinner which cause an animal to bleed to death, often it has a delayed action and the treatment for that is vitamin K, which must be given by your vet by injection first.

Killing the rat shiuldnt be an issue, my only concern would be if she had eaten the rat and it had been baited with rat poison. If she didnt ingest any i wouldnt worry, but if she did eat it you could have the vet make her vomit just in case.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Silly Camper! My primary concern is actually the status of the rat. If it was dead or lethargic, or if there has been rat bait placed anywhere Camper could have gone, you need to see your vet first thing in the morning for Rat Poison antidote. Taken as a preventative, it should prevent any problems from occurring. Rat Poison is often FATAL in dogs if not treated and early treatment is very successful. So if there is ANY possibility, please see your vet. Otherwise, continue to monitor Camper. As long as he remains playful and energetic, with normal stool and no vomiting, you do not have much cause for concern. If any of that changes, its time to see your vet. Best of luck to you and Camper!

Mice and other rodents can transmit disease and parasites. It is best to make sure Ember is up to date on all vaccinations and deworming, and to watch out for any signs of illness that could indicate a problem such as vomiting, diarrhea, etc. If you notice these symptoms or she isn't up to date, seeking care from your vet is best.