Some dogs react with curiosity while others are more aggressive. It often depends on any experience they may have had in the past with rats. Some dogs may simply sit and stare at the area where they sense the rats are. Some will also head tilt while staring.
Rats carry a bacterial disease, called Leptospirosis, which can make dogs and humans very sick and even lead to life-threatening liver and kidney damage. The rats do not actually get sick with the disease but will shed the bacteria in their urine. Exposure to rat urine can make dogs and humans very, very sick.
Their hearing is so sensitive that they pick up on the tiny scratching sounds that mice make in the walls as they scurry around. When it senses mice, your dog may run near the walls, looking excited and alert. You may notice your dog wagging its tail and scratching at the wall.
jpg. Whilst catching a mouse or a rat may be a natural activity for cats and in some cases, dogs, eating rodents can have undesirable consequences on our pets. Dangers include infection from intestinal worms and/or toxoplasmosis as well as the possibility of suffering from secondary rat bait poisoning.
Affected dogs show signs 30 minutes to 4 hours after ingesting the poison. Initially affected dogs become anxious and have an elevated body temperature. Panting is usually seen. Progressively they become worse and staggery.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, also known as the Yorkie, is a rather small, toy-sized dog. But don't let its size fool you, because this is one of its best advantages when catching rats and other vermin.
Some dog breeds have been trained to be able to hear and smell rodents including rats, but all dogs have the excellent sense of smell and hearing that is required to do this. They are able to hear rats with ease even though we may not be able to hear anything.
It is instinctive for cats and dogs to pursue small prey, such as rodents and birds. In some cases, pets simply pursue and kill the prey. In other cases, the prey animal is consumed by pets.
Rats carry a host of very nasty diseases, which can easily be transmitted to your cat or dog. Germs and disease are present in rat urine and droppings, which can contaminate pet food and water sources.
People get HPS when they breath in hantaviruses. This can happen when rodent urine and droppings that contain a hantavirus are stirred up into the air. People can also become infected when they touch mouse or rat urine, droppings, or nesting materials that contain the virus and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.
Disease in people can range from no symptoms/mild illness to kidney problems, headaches, upset stomachs, and in severe cases bleeding from internal organs and the skin. While serious disease is rare, some studies suggest that 34% of pet rat owners will test positive for previous hantavirus infection.
Better than dogs:
Their small size, which allows them to live in cages, makes them perfect for apartment life; no need for a yard or to take them out to go potty. And as long as they are caged, your house is safe from any naughty behavior while you're away. Rats also eat far less than a dog or cat.
Detailed studies have shown that mice and chickens display empathy—and now we know rats do, too. A study published recently has provided the first evidence of empathy-driven behavior in rodents.
Scents of Predators – Rats are prey animals, so the smell of potential predators such as dogs, cats, foxes, or racoons, can be very effective in helping to deter rats.
Having pets makes no difference. Rats are not deterred by cats or dogs.”
Prey. The simplest function of shaking a small prey animal is killing the prey. Dogs are hunters by genetics and history — in the wild, a dog's survival may depend on his ability to hunt and kill small animals for food. Wild dogs commonly kill and eat small rodents, from mice or rats to squirrels or rabbits.
The Yorkshire Terrier (or Yorkies as they're lovingly called by their human caretakers) originated from England. Today, they're considered excellent family pets as they are small, feisty, and fiercely loyal; in centuries past, they where bred to chase rats.
Dogs and cats instinctively know not to eat certain things that can make them sick or kill them. Many animals, especially those in the wild, do have a combination of instinct, experience and training that keeps them from consuming things that are harmful to them.
One of the most common treatment options for poisoning in dogs is inducing vomiting. Other treatment may include medication to reduce pain and symptoms, overnight monitoring, or IV's for flushing out the toxins in the system. The cost of treatment can vary from $250 to $5,000.