Can Rat Poison Kill Cats and Dogs?

Rat poison which is also known as rodenticide, is used to kill mice and rats. It is very beneficial to get rid of these nasty pests. However, there is a downside to using it. Your cats and dogs can’t handle it, and it could cause severe problems to their health as it is very toxic to them.

Some of the health issues caused by rodenticides are internal bleeding, kidney failure, and organ damage. Now, these issues are pretty dangerous, right? Moreover, the rodenticides come in different flavours, which would seem like a nice snack to your kitten. You don’t want that to happen. The best thing to do is to call a professional pest control company and tell them about your pets so they can give you accurate advice.

In this article, we will discuss how rat poison can affect dogs and cats.

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How it affects your dog and cat?

Rodenticides are made from anticoagulants. This is one of the most common types of rodenticides. Anticoagulants rodenticides can have adverse effects on the health of your dogs and cats as it prevents blood clotting. If the blood clotting is prevented, it could lead to internal bleeding.

Apart from that, some other ingredients in rodenticides could also affect the health of your dogs and cats. For instance, cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) in the rodenticide could cause kidney failure.

Signs of rodenticide poisoning

You could observe the signs of the rodenticide poison within few hours to days. Some of the common signs are:

• Bruising
• Pale gums
• Seizures
• Vomiting
• Coughing
• Lethargy
• Breathing problems

The signs depend on multiple factors like how much the rodenticide is consumed, the type of poison eaten, the cat or dog’s weight, and how much time has passed since the rodenticide’s intake.

Tips to protect your pets from rodenticides

• Don’t let your dog roam around the trash bins and find things to eat from them. Take extra precautions when you are walking them in parks.
• Don’t let the cats go out of your house.
• Make sure that you keep the rodenticides away from your pets.
• When you contact the pest control company for pest treatment, ensure that they use pet-friendly products.
• Whenever you are moving out to a new house or apartment, make sure that you do investigate if there are rodenticides present at the property or not. Talk with them about the mice removal when signing a purchase or rent contract with them.

What to do if your pet has consumed rodenticides?

If you think your pet has eaten rodenticide, you need to take it to the nearest veterinarian. It is serious, and you shouldn’t wait for it and take your dog or cat to the closest pet emergency service.

Some of the things you must share with the veterinarian are:

• The weight of your dog
• The day and time of exposure
• The name of the brand and manufacturer
• Size of the package.

Conclusion

Rat poison can cause a bunch of problems to your pets which include internal bleeding and kidney failure. It could be fatal if a large amount of rodenticide is consumed. That’s why you need to be very careful when you are using rodenticides. In case your pet has consumed the rodenticide, take them to the vet immediately.

You can contact us for a pet-friendly pest control treatment to get rid of rodents and other pests.

Also Read: 3 Things To Do After Pest Control Treatment