Can bones found outside be laced with poison and harm my dog?

There are some toxins which can be produced by molds on foods and although rawhide would not be the most common source (breads, cheese and compost are most frequent sources) access to any moldy food should be reduced as far as possible. Exposure to slugs/slime should also be avoided in areas affected by lungworm angiostrongylus vasorum

Hello. Other than the possibility of either dog vomiting up the bones in the middle of the night, they probably will be fine. Bones, while not recommended to be fed, will be digested. If this was a large carcass, like from a deer or cow, a dog can consume enough bone to either cause a blockage of severe constipation. But since this was a much smaller critter, I see no problems. Disease/parasite problems are nil, but may be a very small possibility. If your dogs are on a broad spectrum heartworm preventative, they are covered for parasites, otherwise a good wormer would not hurt. Watch for any signs of abdominal discomfort, prolonged diarrhea, inappetence or vomiting that lasts longer for a day or so, but if there are no issues, the bones will be gone in the next 12-18 hours. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would always avoid things on the ground that you don’t know what it is. Some things can be harmful to pets (like onions, garlic, raisins, and grapes) and you don’t want Charlie to get into those things. Some things can also cause vomiting and diarrhea and you don’t want Charlie to get sick. Good luck and kisses to Charlie!

No! Dogs should NEVER be given raw or cooked animal bones for several reasons. Raw bones run the risk of transmitting harmful bacteria, including Salmonella or Campylobacter, both to your dog and any exposed people. These bacteria can be transmitted through a dog’s stool and saliva. Bones can also pose hazards for foreign body obstruction in the esophagus, stomach, or intestines. Poultry bones are inherently filled with air and cooked bones become more brittle, both of which can splinter leading to perforation of the stomach or intestines. Bones and antlers are also quite hard and can lead to tooth fractures. Instead of offering bones, alternative products such as Nylabones, Kongs, or the dental treats approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (www.vohc.org) are safer and more effective alternatives for dogs that like to chew.

The better question is how much risk are you willing to take? There is a risk to animals on the other side of the fence, animals moving the poison onto your side of the fence, rats moving the poison to your side of the fence, or rats dying from the poison and your dogs eating the dead rat and the poison in its body. There is a product called RatX that does not use poison, instead it uses non-toxic ingredients that will alter the ability for a rat or mouse to absorb water and it will die. While I would not want a pet to eat very much of it, it is much safer than anticoagulant rodenticides or products containing bromethalin.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It is unlikely that any poison on the lawn will cause any problems. I have heard of decapitated snake heads still able to release poison into a person's hand. The biggest thing would be to try and locate the head so that Cherokee does not find it and try to chew on it. I would trim the lawn very short so that you are able to find the pieces more easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

It is very unlikely that there would be enough residue to cause toxicity in a dog Ziggy's size as long as you are 100% certain that there was nothing left in the box. With all types of rodenticides you wouldn't necessarily see any signs of toxicity for 12-36 hours, but ingestion of the actual material would be necessary to cause toxicity. If you think there is any possibility that some could be left I would recommend taking a close look at the box and contacting the Pet Poison Helpline: www.petpoisonhelpline.com