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Mouse and Rat Poison

Rat poison is one of the most common types of toxicities that we see here at Packerland. It is easily accessible to dogs and cats but is also one of the most deadly. The most common form is warfarin which is a chemical that stops the body from being able to clot. The newest form of rat poison is Bromethalin, which affects the brain and central nervous system.

If you know that your pet has eaten the poison, you need to bring him to the vet immediately. It is also very important that you bring the packaging that the rat poison came in so that the type of chemical can be determined and proper treatment started.ratpoisno2

Symptoms of poisoning:

  • Pale gums
  • Weakness
  • Bleeding from the nose, in urine, or stool
  • Coughing up blood
  • Internal bleeding
  • Muscle tremors
  • Seizures
  • Paralysis

Treatment varies depending on which type of poison was ingested. Warfarin can be treated by inducing vomiting to get the poison out of the system and then giving activated charcoal to absorb any chemicals left in the system and then starting Vitamin K supplements for one month. It is important to monitor clotting times by checking a clotting profile when starting and finishing Vitamin K.

There is no antidote for Bromethalin poisoning. It is absorbed by the GI system rapidly so inducing vomiting is very important. The next step is giving activated charcoal for 3-6 treatments. Supportive care should be given as needed for symptoms.

Treatment success depends on how soon we get treatment started and the severity of the problems.