Aww yes! Catching that annoying squirrel; the coveted goal of every dog that has ever lived. You thought it was cute how your dogs chase the squirrel across the yard or fence. And I will give it to you; it was cute, right up until pup actually catches the squirrel. After that it all goes down hill pretty fast. Then you are left wondering, “Oh My God my dog just killed a squirrel, is he going to get sick now?!” That’s a great question and we’re are going to answer that for you. 

We won’t leave you hanging in suspense by only answering that important question at the very end of the post. That would be just rude but the truth is unfortunately not a simple Yes or No answer. The most accurate answer is there is a High Probability Your Pup Will Not Get Sick.

If you are like most Pup Parents your first thought goes to, “Is my dog’s rabies shots up to-date?!” First, we must say if they are not up to-date, Bad Pup Parent! Bad! (sorry just a cheesy Bad Dog Joke) No in reality, keeping your dog’s rabies shots up to-date is extremely important and must be done on a yearly or biyearly basis. If you have happened to let your dog’s rabies shots expire, fret not because according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) squirrels are almost never found to have rabies and have not been known to transmit rabies. This is quite amazing actually because technically all mammals can be infected with rabies, except if you are one of the seven people who have natural immunity to rabies in Peru (interesting random fact alert!). Anyway, back to your squirrel killing dog, Pup Parents you can release your major concern for rabid squirrels. 

Now squirrels are carriers of another pretty nasty bacteria that can cause some really serious health concerns, Leptospirosis. While squirrels can transmit Leptospirosis, it is also extremely rare. Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is transmitted by an infected squirrel’s urine. Typically, upon death the bowels evacuate, so there is a change of your dog being exposed to this if the squirrel was already infected. Moreover, if there is an infected squirrel that lives in and around your yard, there is a chance your dog could be exposed to Leptospirosis without ever killing a squirrel. Dogs that become infected with Leptospirosis will present the following symptoms: 

• High Fever
• Vomiting with possibility of blood 
• Sore or Stiff Muscles 
• Lack of Appetite 
• Diarrhea with possibility of blood
• Dehydration 
• Jaundice 

If you see your dog exhibit any of these symptoms you should take him into the veterinarian as soon as possible. If Leptospirosis goes untreated it can cause kidney or liver failure which can be fatal, it also attacks the central nervous system, brain, eyes, lungs, heart and reproductive systems. There is an effective treatment for this bacterial infection that your veterinarian will put your pup on that includes an antibiotic and fluids. Now there is a vaccine for Leptospirosis, commonly referred to as the Lepto Vaccine. Some veterinarian’s make this part of their annually recommended vaccines, so check with your veterinarian to see if your dog has been vaccinated for Lepto. Either way, this is a rare bacterial infection found nowadays so not much to worry about on this one either. 

Yes, there is one major concern that you should really pay attention to after your pup introduces that squirrel to the Undertaker, and that is infections from any scratches. I mean squirrels do know how to throw hands!! So, there is a good chance that squirrel didn’t go down without a fight. Be sure to check your dog for any cuts or scratches that feisty squirrel may have gotten in before going down for the long-count. These scratches should be cared for just like any other cut to avoid routine infections. Clean with hydrogen peroxide, treat with an antibiotic ointment and then cover so your dog does not lick off the ointment. If any cut is deep, has puss or continues to bleed, you should pack up pup for a check up at the veterinarian’s office to be on the safe side. Other than that, your tough dog will be just fine as long as you keep the wound cleaned and continue to apply the antibiotic regularly. 

One last thing, actually things, are the diseases that come along with fleas and ticks that may be living on the unfortunate squirrel. Again, if you keep your dog on a regular routine of flea and tick prevention, this really shouldn’t be a concern. If you are looking for information on communicable diseases that are transmitted from fleas and ticks you can get all the details in the Where Sleeping Dogs Lie post under the Health & Hygiene Considerations section.