gsd eating mice??? - Page 2

Mice often carry Tapeworms so watch for those.  They appear around the anus and look like moving pieces of rice.  Another thing that dogs can contract from mice is Leptospirosis.  This is a serious infection that can cause permanent organ (kidney and liver) damage, and possble death.  Symptoms are usually vomiting and fever.  Treatment is simple antibiotics (penicillin and doxycycline), and it is usually treated without an official blood test diagnosis, because if caught at an early stage the blood tests come back normal/negative.  Many dogs are vaccinated for this, as it is often part of the distemper combination vaccine, but there are several strains and even if they are vaccinated they can still contract the disease.  My first GSD contracted Leptospirosis when she was 8, had been vaccinated against it every year, but contracted a different strain.  Her initial blood tests were negative, but showed she was in kidney failure.  She did recover and lived another 5.5 years.

Biggest concern would be leptospirosis, since that's carried by mice and the organisms are shed in the mouse's urine, and it's not unreasonable to think the mouse probably urinated as it was being swallowed by your dog.  Keep an eye on her and if she should show *any* signs of illness, have her checked out by your vet--it can take a while between the time of exposure and the time clinical signs start to show.  Beyond that, I wouldn't worry about the dog eating the mouse; my dogs generally catch at least a few field mice and a few voles in their lifetimes, and aside from the occasional vomiting back up of mouse parts from time to time, nothing's ever come of it.

My dog works with the cat to get mice.  Yes.  They work together.  Very interesting to see.  The dog will then usually CATCH the mouse and bring it to me.  Her mouth is closed but you KNOW she has "something" in there.   

I ask her "What have you got?" and she will hand it to me.... all limp, warm and quite dead where upon I dispose of it properly.... .......