RAT BIT POISONING This week we had three cases of rat bait ingestion. Luckily in all these instances, vigilant owners brought their pets straight away and we managed to save them all. We thought it is good time to make everyone aware of the dangers of rat baits. Both dogs and cats can be affected by ingesting rat bait directly or by ingesting rodents which have ingested rat bait. It is a condition to be taken seriously and early diagnosis and treatment may prove lifesaving. How will rat bait affect your pet? Rat bait acts as an anticoagulant (prevents the blood from clotting) by depleting the bodys supply of vitamin K. Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin which is essential in the formation of clotting agents in the blood stream. It can take anything from 1-5 days after ingestion to begin to see the signs of intoxication. What are the signs of rat bait toxicity? 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. • pale gums or small pin point haemorrhages on the gums • lethargy • bruising under the skin • blood 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 What to do you suspect your pet has rat bait toxicity? If you see your pet eating rat bait it is important to bring them straight to the vet. If you havent seen your pet ingest rat bait but notice signs that may relate to ingestion then we also advise you to see us as soon as possible. If you have a box of the rat bait please bring this in with you or find out the name and active ingredients. What does treatment involve? If the patient has only just ingested the poison, he or she may be made to vomit it up. Activated charcoal is given to prevent the poison from entering the patient’s system. Still, it is prudent to use the antidote anyway. Certainly, if there is evidence that the patient is bleeding, the antidote obviously is required. 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.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 03:05:14 +0000
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