Prevent Your Dogs From Poking Around Dead Animals

Q:
 I like to hike with my lab, Barney, and we go all over the
hills near Mount Madonna. Barney is like any other dog and he likes
to pick up
”
things
”
in his mouth. We found a dead fox the other day, and he was
licking the carcass. Are there any dangers to this when he finds
something that smells good (at least to him)?
Q: I like to hike with my lab, Barney, and we go all over the hills near Mount Madonna. Barney is like any other dog and he likes to pick up “things” in his mouth. We found a dead fox the other day, and he was licking the carcass. Are there any dangers to this when he finds something that smells good (at least to him)?

A: Please don’t allow Barney to ingest anything from a dead animal. This is far too dangerous for several reasons. First, there can be nasty bacterial overgrowth that might give him a bad case of gastroenteritis. The indigestion and dehydration that goes with this could be severe enough to put him in the hospital.

But there are more serious dangers. Certain contagious organisms and toxins can be found in the flesh of a dead animal. Leptospira is a bacterium that occasionally infects wildlife. It causes life-threatening problems with the liver and kidneys. It can survive for a long time after the death of its victim.

Another bacterium, Clostridium, also can be found in a dead animal’s carcass. There are several different clostridial types, but the one that causes the most concern is Clostridium botulinum, the organism that causes botulism.

Finally, let’s talk about Bacillus anthracis, the anthrax bacterium. Anthrax organisms are in the soil in many parts of South County, and they survive for many, many years. Anthrax thrives in necrotic flesh (a dead animal’s carcass), so be careful. The best advice is to keep Barney away from any dead animals. You never know what he might pick up and bring home.

Q: Our older dog, Manfield, has a lump in his mouth. The vet says it’s a benign tumor. He called it an epulis. What is this? Should we worry?

A: Epulis is a benign hyperplasia, an overgrowth of the gum tissue. We aren’t entirely sure why it occurs, but it appears to affect certain breeds more than others, and boxers and bulldogs are high on the list. Surgical removal is the only effective treatment for this condition, but it’s usually simple and effective. Most veterinarians have the lump examined by a histopathologist to confirm their diagnosis.

By the way, you should be aware that these growths often reappear after removal, making them somewhat of a persistent problem. And it’s possible that hygiene (brushing teeth) plays a role in the prevention of this condition. So talk to your vet about what you can do to help prevent the recurrence of epulis growths in Manfield’s mouth after his lump is removed.

Q: Our neighbor told me that his dog has been vaccinated to protect against the poisonous venom of rattlesnakes. Is there really a vaccine for this?

A: There is, indeed, a vaccine available for dogs that will help lessen the severity of a rattlesnake’s bite. The Crotalus vaccine has been available for a while now and has generated good reports. People have stated that their dog’s snake bite symptoms (swelling and pain) have been mild compared to that of other, unvaccinated dogs. Vaccinated dogs have a higher survival rate if they are bitten.

The inoculation is given once and then boosted 1 month later. After that, it’s given annually. If a dog is out in open spaces where snakes are encountered, this vaccine is probably a good idea. But as the old saying goes, nothing works better than avoidance. So even if your neighbor’s dog is vaccinated, tell him it’s still best just to avoid contact with any rattlers.

Q: I saw a news report of that fire in San Martin, and it showed a dog rescued from the scene. Were there any animals that were killed in that mess?

A: Not that we know of. But one poor pooch suffered smoke inhalation and had to be hospitalized for a few days.