# Help! Puppy ate a dead bird!



## 2maltesebabies (Jul 21, 2010)

Help. We found my little puppy maya with a dead bird in her mouth. She was chewing on it and running away from us. After several attempts to get it out of her mouth she finally let it go. 
I was just wondering what I could do to sort of disinfect her mouth. I don't know what kind of diseases that bird was carrying and now I am worried for my little girl. 
Does anyone have any suggestions?


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Well, eating anything out of the ordinary can lead to GI upset (vomiting, diarrhea). Just monitor her for that. The big bird parasite is Coccidia. So if she gets diarrhea definitely let your vet know she's been into a bird when you drop off the stool sample.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Have no idea but did you put the bird into a baggie. Maybe you could speak to your vet and if they want to run any tests they'd have the bird. Hope all is well.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

:chili:


Snowbody said:


> Have no idea but did you put the bird into a baggie. Maybe you could speak to your vet and if they want to run any tests they'd have the bird. Hope all is well.


That's really not necessary. You can chuck the bird LOL


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

jmm said:


> :chili:
> 
> That's really not necessary. You can chuck the bird LOL


For the past few years in our area they've found birds with West Nile virus. That's why I mentioned it.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

In that case you would need to get the bird to your local health department. Usually if you call animal control they can help you with that. 
My dogs, over the years, have found many a dead thing...so we've learned its usually no big deal. Just gross!


----------



## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Hope all is well and Maya has had no adverse reaction to the 'snack" she found!


----------



## 2maltesebabies (Jul 21, 2010)

Thank you all for your posts. Maya is doing well and has had no adverse reactions to her tasty yet gross snack. I called the vet and they said that if she seems fine she most likely is. If there is any vommiting or diahrea then to bring her in immediately. Thank you all for posting.


----------



## Cheri (Jan 7, 2008)

my boys (lab and lab mix) love chasing down the wild turkeys and other birds in our yard. Even found a few raccoons. They like to chase it, kill it, and play with it. The only one that I've ever found that wasn't just dead, was a baby turkey, and MOST of it was still there.
Vet said it's normal and not to worry too much about it unless, like they said above, there's vomiting or diarrhea. 
As I understand it, dogs have a completely different digestive system that humans and they can eat raw (fresh) food and already dead things because that's what their bodies are made for.
I agree. Mega gross, but it's who they are.
Of course, if VI was ever trying to eat something dead I would freak too. Labs are hunters...maltese are...just pretty LOL


----------



## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

my daughter's cat has carried bloody death birds to her bed (my daughter's bed) and has never been sick. Gross I know. My daughter was not very happy with the "gift".


----------



## gopotsgo (May 21, 2009)

MalteseJane said:


> my daughter's cat has carried bloody death birds to her bed (my daughter's bed) and has never been sick. Gross I know. My daughter was not very happy with the "gift".


Kind of off the main subject but this post interested me as the last couple of times we have gone to our beach house there have been "parts" of something (rat?) right outside the back door. One time it was a just a decapitated head and a tail. :w00t: The other time it was just "innards", as the hubs calls them. :w00t::w00t: DH thinks it is a cat. I'm not much into cats and don't know much about them. But shouldn't it be doing that to his OWN home? Yuck! Plus, the dogs kept sniffing at the area after we cleaned it. Wondering what we will find when we go back next time. 
BTW, West Nile Virus is spread by a vector, usually a mosquito, oral transmission is pretty nonexistent.


----------

