Dangers of Rat Bait to Pets

There are two main types of rat bait:

1. generation; active ingredient: Warfarin. They have a short duration of action and require ingestion over a long period of time to be fatal.
2. generation drugs, such as Talon and Ratsak (active ingredient: Brodifacoum) with a long duration of action and a single dose may be fatal.

How will rat bait affect your pet?

Rat bait acts as an anticoagulant (prevents the blood from clotting). It can take anything from 1-5 days after ingestion to
begin to see the signs of intoxication.

Clinical Signs

Signs of intoxication are associated with bleeding and can range from very subtle signs such as pin point haemorrhages on the gums to frank
bleeding from anywhere.

Bleeding may result in any of the following signs:

• pale gums or small pin point haemorrhages on the gums
• lethargy
• bruising under the skin
• black-cat-and-mouseblood in the urine or faeces
• bleeding from the nose
• continued bleeding from small wounds or cuts

Other signs (as a result of blood oozing into body cavities/ organs) may include:

• vomiting and or diarrhoea
• coughing or respiratory difficulties (laboured or rapid breathing)
• lameness
• seizures or muscle tremors

 

Treatment

Treatment type will depend on the severity of the toxicity and timing of ingestion. Blood may need to be taken for clotting tests and to assess for anaemia. Treatment may be as simple as giving vitamin K tablets for 3-6 weeks or may require more intensive treatment such as blood transfusions and hospitalisation. In some cases even with the most intensive treatment some animals may die.

If you suspect your pet has eaten rat bait, your pet needs to see a veterinarian immediately.