Pets and Poison Don't Mix

Fall is here, and that means certain wildlife may be trying to make their way into your home to find a cozy spot for the winter. But don't reach for that rat bait just yet - take these simple precautions to keep your pets safe from poisoning.

Photo credit Alan Stanton www.flickr.com

Rat and mouse bait:
Rodenticides are poisons that kill rodents. They are frequently used to control mice and rats in homes, businesses, and some public areas. Unfortunately, children and pets are susceptible to the same active ingredients, so they are at risk for accidental poisoning.  ​There is no such thing as a "pet-safe" bait. They are designed to smell good to get the rodents to come eat them. I've seen dogs who moved rocks to dig up buried baits, who chewed through heavy plastic bait stations, who opened cabinets to get to refill packs. They are motivated by the smell and have no idea that the delicious treat is designed to kill.

• Anti-coagulant: these are the oldest type of baits and prevent blood clotting. They interfere with Vitamin K's role in the clotting cascade, eventually causing bleeding and death. Examples include Warfarin, Diphacinone, Bromadialone, and Brodifacoum. The latter two are single dose because they bind irreversibly to an enzyme and get stored in the liver, so the animal is affected long after eating the bait. Vitamin K can be used to reverse the effect of many of these baits, and your veterinarian will monitor your pet's clotting times closely to determine how long treatment is required. Unfortunately, the EPA banned the use of several anti-coagulants because of toxicity concerns, so the poison manufacturers moved on to chemicals with no antidote:
• Bromethalin: one of the most common types of bait currently available in the US is a neurotoxin. It causes nerve cells to swell, increasing the pressure in the brain. This leads to seizures, paralysis, and death. Unfortunately, there is no antidote to bromethalin when our pets are exposed. Treatment is limited to decontamination by inducing vomiting if the exposure was within the past 4 hours and giving repeated doses of activated charcoal to try the bind the toxin as it circulates through the intestines. Neurologic signs can develop within 7 days of exposure. These can include weakness, trouble walking, seizures, and death. These pets usually need to be hospitalized and medications given to decrease the pressure in the brain. Pets with mild signs can sometimes recover, but unfortunately those with severe signs will often die from their exposure.
• Cholecalciferol:  Vitamin D3. The popular bait d-CON now uses cholecalciferol instead of anticoagulants. Vitamin D3 is important in the body for calcium retention, and an overdose causes levels of calcium and phosphorus to soar. This leads to mineralization of organs and rapid kidney failure. Signs of cholecalciferol poisoning usually take 1-2 days to occur, by which time the damage can be permanent and sometimes fatal. Signs to watch for include increased thirst and urine, vomiting, weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite, and lack of urine in the end stages. It is crucial that cholelciferol exposure be treated immediately to preserve your pet's kidneys.

​So the bottom line is, if you value your pet's life, DO NOT BRING THESE INTO YOUR HOME. Choose integrated pest management instead. This starts by removing food sources that draw the rodents into your home, blocking the entrances, and using mechanical traps (placed far away from inquisitive paws and noses), glue traps, or live traps to remove the creatures already present. Click the link for more information.

On the other hand, ant and roach baits are rarely toxic to dogs and cats. They may vomit or have mild diarrhea, but ingestion is rarely an emergency.  An obstruction can occur, however, if they swallow the plastic or metal casing. If your pet eats an ant or roach bait, call your veterinarian or poison control with the specific active ingredient to verify whether or not any treatment is needed.

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Photo credit Bandita www.flicker.com

Antifreeze
Antifreeze is one of the most common pet poisonings in the United States, probably because it's commonly found in most homes. It frequently contains the toxin ethylene glycol, which can have a sweet taste that is attractive to dogs and cats. They will lick it off garage floors if it drips down from the car. The poison causes changes to behavior and quickly progresses to kidney failure.
Signs of antifreeze poisoning include:

• wobbly gait, acting drunk
• vomiting and/or diarrhea
• urinating more
• seizures
• rapid heart rate
• depression, acting dull, or coma

Seek emergency veterinary care immediately if you think your pet has consumed any antifreeze. A cat can be poisoned just from licking her paws after walking through an antifreeze spill, and consuming just a few ounces is fatal to a medium-sized dog. If you think your pet was exposed within the past 2 hours, induce vomiting with hydrogen peroxide (call us for the dose) and go quickly to the veterinarian. An antidote is available but only when used in the first few hours, before the kidney damage occurs. If the kidneys are already damaged then the poisoning is often fatal. Some specialty centers can perform dialysis to try to allow the kidneys time to recover, but this is not always successful.
How to keep your pets safe:

• Purchase antifreeze with the safe propylene glycol instead of the toxic ethylene glycol
• Keep antifreeze in closed containers out of reach of pets
• Dispose of used antifreeze properly
• Clean any spills immediately to prevent pet contact

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