Rodenticide Poisoning: How to Recognise and Act Quickly to Save Your Pet
About rodenticide poisoning
Use of rat and mouse poisons increase in Autumn as rodents attempt to move indoors to keep warm. Such poisons aren’t just harmful to mice and rats though – rodenticides are also highly toxic to pets and, if eaten, could be fatal.
The main kind of rat bait/poison/rodenticide used in the UK is anticoagulant based, which works by blocking the action of Vitamin K in the body. Vitamin K is needed in order for our blood to clot, so without it, there is nothing to stop blood loss.
Dogs are often drawn to rat poisons as the manufacturers have to make them tasty and appealing to rats – and we all know dogs will try anything they think smells good (and most things that don’t). The fact that cats are a little more discerning is probably why there are fewer cases seen, but they too could potentially become ill from eating poisoned rodents.
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms may take a few days to appear, as the body uses up its Vitamin K store and clotting reserve – once they are gone you may notice:
- Coughing
- Breathing problems
- Nose bleeds
- Small burst blood vessels around the eyes, on lips or gums
- Blood in their urine and/or faeces
- Bruising
- Vomiting blood
- Lameness and joint swelling
- Swollen abdomen
- Pale gums
Most commonly, problems start by bleeding into a body space, such as the chest, lungs, abdomen or joint cavities.
You should seek veterinary advice immediately if you think your dog has ingested rat poison, do not wait to see if your pet shows symptoms. Always take the packaging along with you, so your vet can identify the type of rat poison and its strength. Alternatively, if you don’t have any labels, safely and securely bring in a sample of the poison, or even a sample of your pet’s vomit if they have been sick. This can be sent away to a laboratory for testing. So, even if you didn’t actually see your pet eat the poison, the vet can test for rodenticide poisoning
If you are concerned your pet might have been poisoned then contact your vet.
What should I do if I think my pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have?
These instances require immediate action from you as a pet owner to minimise the risk of any serious consequences.
Your vet only has a short, limited time frame to try to minimise the absorption of poisons before they can cause harm and so an immediate appointment is essential and potentially life-saving.
Follow the simple steps on this page and always remember the word S.P.E.E.D in the future.
S Stop access to any poison
It may seem obvious but can the pet get hold of any more of the substance (i.e. if it’s in your garden)? If so keep your pet away from anything you suspect as dangerous.
P Phone the vet
This is an emergency and must be dealt with immediately.
E Emergency appointment
You cannot ‘wait and see’ with poisons as many do not affect your pet straight away and some can take several days to show symptoms, all the while doing damage to the inside before you see signs on the outside. Getting your pet seen immediately gives you the best chance to get effective treatment for your pet before you reach a potential point of no return.
E Evidence
Knowing what the potential poison is will really help your Vet make a rapid diagnosis and create the best treatment protocol for a successful recovery. If you have a label of the substance, bring it. If you don’t have a label but have access to the substance then bring a sample to the vet for testing (only if it is safe to do so and you are not putting yourself or anyone else in danger). If you don’t have a label or a sample but you animal has been sick, then bring a sample of this with you (if safe to do so) as the ingredient may be present in the vomit. If you don’t have access to any of these then don’t worry as your pet’s blood can be tested.
D Don’t delay!
You cannot afford to wait, act now!
