Rat poisoning in dogs, that is by eating poisoned rodents can theoretically result in toxicity. The risk of your dog ingesting enough anticoagulant poison from a single feed of a poisoned rodent is low, and poisoning is more commonly seen in animals that feed repeatedly on poisoned rats or mice.
Is rat poison harmful to dogs? Rat and mouse poisons, also known as rodenticides, are products formulated to kill rodents. The chemicals used in these products are often highly toxic to dogs and can cause internal bleeding, kidney failure, organ damage and even death if eaten by your dog.
If you suspect your pet ingested an anticoagulant rodenticide, it is important to contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline, a 24/7 animal poison control center, at 1-800-213-6680 right away to help determine the risk of poisoning to your pet.
But dogs and cats can't read, which means they end up mistaking these pest control toxins for some sort of secret treat. Even if you don't keep rat bait in your house, your pet might encounter it while snooping around your neighbor's fence line, or prowling about the neighborhood.
Clinical signs will vary depending on the active ingredient in the rat poison and the amount ingested. Unfortunately, symptoms often take 1-7 days to show after ingestion of a toxic dose. Many rodenticides contain dyes (red, green, blue, pink, and tan) that may stand out in your dog's stool.
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.
If you don't know what poisoned your dog, be aware that your vet is not able to test for every possibility, but blood tests may help determine the source.
Once in the hospital, your veterinarian may give your dog intravenous fluid, flush your dog's stomach, give your dog activated charcoal to absorb the toxin, or perform surgery. Supportive medications may help your dog's kidneys and liver process the poison and heal.
Take Your Dog to the Vet for a Checkup
You want to be sure that there are no other implications associated with eating or having a rat in the dog's mouth. Rats may not transmit scabies but remember this is a dead rat. It could be a host for lots of hungry disease-causing bacteria and other pathogens.
Your pet will die in 3-5 days after eating these baits. Luckily there is an antidote IF we see your pet in time.
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.
For the best rodent control, baits should be refreshed after 12 months or just before the colder times of the year when new rodents can be expected to investigate your property.
Symptoms caused by swallowed poisons can include: vomiting, diarrhoea, agitation and heart issues. Inhaled toxins may cause breathing difficulties or loss of consciousness in dogs. If your dog's skin comes in contact with a poisonous substance typical symptoms include irritation and pain.
Agitation. Tremors. Convulsions. Nausea and/or vomiting.
Ingestion of poison is trickier to recover from as two vital organs, the liver and kidneys, are most affected by poisonous substances. In this case, your dog may need to be on a very bland, easily digestible diet for some time to give the liver and kidneys a chance to rest and recuperate.
A dog can be trained to smell pretty much anything, poisons included. Those that work with dogs in relation to odor detection need to be well-aware of their dog's behavior, and this takes a lot of skill and patience.
If your pet has ingested a poison, try to rinse or wipe out the mouth with a damp towel/flannel. Do not give your pet anything to eat or drink before speaking with the Animal Poisons Helpline or a vet.
Activated charcoal is a medication often used in dogs to treat intoxication. The goal of activated charcoal is to absorb the toxin that the dog has ingested to lessen its adverse effects.
Don't give your dog any milk, food, salt, oil, or any other home remedies. Doing so will likely complicate the poisoning. , to induce vomiting in dogs, it may be recommended to give hydrogen peroxide.
Excessive bruising, bleeding, sores, and burns are signs of external poisoning or caustic substances. This may be the result of plants or chemicals. If you think your pet has come into contact with such a poison, be sure to try and remove toxic substances from the area as soon as possible to minimise irritation.
Signs My Dog Ate Something Bad
Keep in mind that some of these symptoms take a few days to develop while some become apparent immediately. The onset of symptoms often depends on factors like what your pet ate and how much of it they ate, as well as your pet's size.
If your pet got into something non-edible or something very toxic (like dark chocolate), induce vomiting by giving 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide. This will result in a foamy vomit (so do this outdoors, or have some newspaper handy for cleanup).