Dog Eating Rat Food

My dog LOVES to eat rat food. I was wondering if there are any problems with her eating it?
Thanks
Trey

Trey, my Labrador will stuff her face into the rat food bucket (mixed lab block, dog kibble, cereals, nuts, etc.) and dig right in if I don't watch her. Heck I caught her yesterday trying to slurp up a bit right out of the rat's darn food bowl while I had the lid off refreshing a water bottle. Needless to say the rats were less than impressed. You'd think she'd learn. She pulled that awhile back in the big male rats tub and one of them gave her a good nip on the nose for her trouble. LOL

I don't think it harms her to grab the occasional mouthful on the sly. Well other than the snakes are starting to look at Bella the Lab with that "my aren't you a big rat" sorta look. :D

Mine does it all the time too if I let her come with me in the rat room she will go straight for the bottom tub and steal some mazuri, one block at the time.

She is so proud of herself when she thinks she fooled me and managed to steal some rat food. :rolleyes:

I have to keep the door to the snake room shut, or she will eat it. Some days I think she eats more rat food than dog food.
I was always under the impression rat food is just low protein dog food.
Thanks for answering my question!
Trey

Trey, I googled for rat lab block ingredients and the best I could come up with for you was from this website.

http://www.therodentranch.com/Rodent%20Food.html

This is their own lab block, but I assume it's close to other supplies in most things.

Quote:

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Nutritional Information


Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (Minimum)………………………………………………………………….............................18.0 %
Crude Fat (Minimum)……………………………………………………………………….............................6.0 %
Crude Fiber (Maximum)……………………………………………………………………............................5.0 %
Calcium…………………………………….(Minimum)……..0.9%...................................(Maxim um).....….1.5 %
Salt………………………………...……....(Minimum)……0.02%...................................(Max imum)….......0.6 %
Magnesium (Minimum)……………...………………….………………...……………………….……….….0.15 %
Potassium (Minimum)……………………………………………………...……………………….………......0.7 %
Phosphorus (Minimum)……………………………………………………..………………………………….0.5 %
Manganese (Minimum)……………………………………………………….…………………...…………140 ppm
Zinc (Minimum)…………………………….…………………………………...…………………...…….....150 ppm
Copper (Minimum)………………………………………………………………...…………………………...20 ppm
Vitamin A (Minimum)……………………………………………………………….....…………...………8,300 IU/lb
Vitamin D (Minimum)………………………………………………………………….....………………...2,500 IU/lb
Vitamin E (Minimum)……………………………………………………………………................................40 IU/lb




Ingredients


Grain Products, Processed Grain By-Products, Plant Protein Products, Calcite, Fat, Cain Molasses, Lignin Sulfate (as binder), Salt, Lysine Supplement, dl-Methionine Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, dl-Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin d-biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (source of Vitamin K3), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, d-activated Animal Sterol (Source of Vitamin D3), Thiamine Mononitrate, and Mineral Oil, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Yucca Shidegera Extract, Yeast Culture, Corn Cob Saccharomyces Cervisiae, Dried Enterociccocus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei, Dried Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subttillus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Orzqae Fermentation Extract, Sodium Selenite, Biotin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Ethylene Diamine Dihydriodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Cobalt Sulfate.

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I don't think it would be advisable to switch or dogs over to lab block but I don't see where a block or two will hurt them

(thinks to self about all the really horrible things I've seen dogs lovingly slurp down)

Yup, lab blocks are definitely not something to be concerned about.