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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

I think my dog caught and ate a rabbit

37 replies

alp · 15/02/2012 16:04

And it that OK?

She was off having a run about and taking a while to come back (have another thread about that I need to update) and when she did come back after 2mins or so she was covered in blood.

It was all over her mouth and jaws her nose, down her front legs. TBH I have never seen so much blood, it was pretty shocking.

It wasn't from her as I have checked her over and there are no scratches cuts etc.

So my question is - Is that OK? Do I need to check for anything?

She is a 10month old Springer Spaniel.

Thank you all!!

OP posts:

mistlethrush · 15/02/2012 16:06

We had a dog that used to do this - the only problem with it was that she would regurgitate large identifiable lumps of the deceased animal, usually at the most embarrasing time available. She never got blood everywhere though - and its not much time to kill AND eat in 2mins.

ExitPursuedByaBear · 15/02/2012 16:07

Ha ha ha. Sorry to laugh, it was just when I found out what sort of dog she is.

I had this with a duck once (at least I think it was a duck, may have been have been a rat).

My friend has 2 collie/springer cross and they do cats....

What are you worried about?

yellowraincoat · 15/02/2012 16:12

What is it that you're worried about? Dogs eat smaller animals. If she lived in the wild, what do you think she'd do for food? Buy a tin opener and stock up on tins from Tesco?

frostyfingers · 15/02/2012 16:23

As long as you're sure it was a rabbit and not a sheep/lamb.........

Original poster

alp · 15/02/2012 16:25

Ok ok! Stop laughing!! It's was just a bit of a shock!

OP posts:

maddiemostmerry · 15/02/2012 16:57

Agree you need to be sure it was a rabbit, as it would probably do the same to a cat or lamb.

Original poster

alp · 15/02/2012 17:44

I am sure it wasn't a sheep or lamb. We were in woodland but walking into a residential area so there could have been cats about Could have been a fox? Or badger? There are deer there.

OP posts:

PetiteRaleuse · 15/02/2012 17:54

Won't be a badger - they put up a pretty good fight. Unless it was a baby, but they are kept underground according to the Farthing Wood books

PetiteRaleuse · 15/02/2012 17:54

Adult foxes put up a good fight too.

daisydotandgertie · 15/02/2012 17:56

Prepare yourself for a night of thunderous bottom.

AnEcumenicalMatter · 15/02/2012 18:23

Most likely to be a rabbit or a squirrel then but probably a rabbit. It would be rare for a fox or a deer to be taken down by a lone dog and if had been a badger...well, let's just say in a contretemps between a springer and a badger, I'd have a fiver on the badger.

Your dog is at no risk from eating either a rabbit or a squirrel, even if the rabbit was keeling over with myxomatosis. I'd give her a bit less dinner tonight though.

ExitPursuedByaBear · 15/02/2012 19:40

No dinner! Of course, once she has tasted blood ...

Springers, don't you just love 'em...

Inthepotty · 15/02/2012 22:30

Not just springers! My old whippet used to stalk, catch, and kill birds on the fields near me. Never really ate them (was far too partial to cake and biscuits!) but made a real mess. It's slightly disturbing seeing such a regal looking dog with bits of feather and blood trickling down them...

I sent my pup zooming after a ball last week, he came back with a pheasant and looking most pleased with himself. But it looked like it had been run over twice by a bus and dragged backward through a bush, so I took it off him and chucked it back. All the proper retrieving working dogs were looking at him with superior looks, probably thinking what a complete amateur he is!

CalatalieSisters · 15/02/2012 22:42

The fact that there was a lot of blood is a bit surprising. My dog sometimes kills rabbits and it is a bloodless affair -- a quick shake of his head snaps the rabbit's neck.

And my last dog (a spinone) managed to kill a rabbit just once (it must have been very slow or stupid or suicidal) and scarpered home with it to eat the whole thing -- still no blood much in evidence (but furry poos for the next few days).

MrsZoidberg · 15/02/2012 22:50

I'm surprised about the amount of blood. One of mine has caught several rabbits and she never has blood on her - and she's white so it would show.

We were concerned with her eating rabbits as we knew there was Myxi about. We asked the vet and he said it would do her no harm, and was kinder to the rabbit as they died quickly instead of the slow death from myxi.

Original poster

alp · 15/02/2012 23:07

Well I'm (sort of) pleased to hear that catching birds rabbits etc is the norm!

I'm used to it with a cat but not with dogs - she is our first family dog, still a puppy and I am a little PFB

The blood was dripping from her mouth - I was stunned by it. My 8 yr old DD spent the walk back thinking of elaborate stories. When we got home and tried to check inside pups mouth again, pup wasnt opening her mouth but DD wades in and prises it open! Quickly declaring 'no blood in there now, must have been an xyz' or whatever her decision on it had been.

Now she's had the reward from the chase I wonder how this will affect our recall issues.....

OP posts:

Elibean · 15/02/2012 23:22

My 10 month old pup caught and mangled a rat (dh had to finish it off ) and then a week later, caught and wounded a squirrel: there was blood all over his face that time, and most of it was squirrels - though he did have a bit in his mouth.

Yes, it did affect recall. His prey drive kicked in big time, and as we have a small dd with furry edges around her anorak hood (don't laugh!) we were a tad concerned. I posted here, got tips, did loads of distraction and recall stuff for a couple of weeks and I can honestly say, as long as we keep an eye out for tempting squirrely moments, his recall has never been better.

I felt weird about it too for a bit, as my last dog never managed to catch a thing - and then when he cornered a baby squirrel one time, he backed off in embarrassment as he didn't know what to do next. I much prefer that, tbh

My brother's pointer, OTOH, has caught and eaten a hare. He is allergic to everything, not allowed a thing to eat or chew other than prescribed food, and guess what - he digested the hare without any problem at all

PlumpDogPillionaire · 15/02/2012 23:46

Nothing abnormal about catching rabbits (in case you're still in any doubt ), but best to discourage prey drive unless you actually want your dog to be a hunter and are totally confident that she'll respond perfectly in the blink of an eye to your commands - so she'll be safe if she's near a road, you won't be haunted by neighbours' pets sadly deceased in her jaws, etc... and be extra careful around livestock.
Also, if she does successfully catch rodents, be extra vigilent about keeping up to date with Frontline/Advocate or whatever, as rabbits etc. carry some horrible bugs around on them.
Better, though, if she does catch rabbits that she kills them quickly. I had a tragic few minutes recently where my dog caught a small rabbit then stood around wimpering pathetically as it limped off to collapse in the undergrowth.

nooka · 16/02/2012 06:22

Our dog isn't much for catching things, but quickly polishes off the various animals the cats corner. Mostly mice, but once an unidentified ratty thing, and last week there was a dead snake that disappeared - I'm assuming that was him too. The thing he loves above all else is fish, but as he's afraid of swimming he's not managed to catch and eat any of them as yet (only roll in the dead ones - yeuk!).

UptownAbbie · 16/02/2012 09:18

I was horrified when my lab caught a rabbit, I watched from afar as I knew he'd run off with it if I went near. He killed it instantly with a shake then ate every bit in about 15 minutes. he came back to me looking very pleased with himself, there was no blood on him. No digestive upsets after, in fact his poos were the best they'd ever been, small and firm, that's when I started thinking about changing his diet to raw food, which he's now on. He hasn't caught any more rabbits but has had a couple of plump pigeons.

NotMostPeople · 16/02/2012 09:27

Mine hasn't done this (yet) but he's a Lurcher, so fast and is rather over keen on small dogs. How do you discourage their prey drive?

rubyrubyruby · 16/02/2012 09:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CalamityKate · 16/02/2012 09:41

You're unlikely to be able to eliminate prey drive; your best bet is to redirect it onto a toy or something.

The "taste of blood" thing is rubbish - however, actually CATCHING something they've chased down is hugely rewarding, whether blood is involved or not, and the fact that they don't catch something every time makes it even more rewarding when they do (variable rate of reward).

OP - work on recall and in the meantime, prevent your dog from practising the behaviour.

My Lurcher brought me a headless rabbit once. I have no idea whether he actually killed it, or found it (although it was very freshly dead) or what. I was teaching some kids to ride in a field and they looked at something behind me and went "EWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" and I turned round and he'd presented it to me and backed away, all proud. Dunno if the head had flown off when he shook it but there was no blood.

CMOTDibbler · 16/02/2012 09:42

It only took my small cat 15 minutes to eat an entire rabbit though...

CalatalieSisters · 16/02/2012 10:43

I'm pretty sure that the massive reward of catching and killing rabbits has reinforced my dog's love of squeaky toys, which make the same satisfying noise that murder does.

So if you have a killy pet and want to keep the recall up to scratch a squeaky toy is a good tool.

Re the blood, I am just wondering if it might have been a hedgehog encounter. When my dog had dealings with a hedgehog there was blood around his mouth. I couldn't see any injury on him, but I'm also sure that the hedgehog wasn't injured (it was in our garden and I was able to keep an eye on it). So I think that the dog suffered a few small scratches. Serves him right. Now he tends to circle hedgehogs, crying, instead of mouthing them.

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