Rat bait toxicity can occur directly when a dog consumes rodenticide, or if they ingest an infected rodent that has been hunted and killed (this is known as relay toxicosis).
Different poisons affect dogs in different ways. Let's take a closer look at some of the most common types of rodenticides and how they can impact your pet.
Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants reduce your dog's levels of vitamin K1, which is essential for normal blood clotting. Once the blood is unable to clot, uncontrolled bleeding occurs and can be fatal if left untreated.
There are 2 categories of anticoagulant rodenticides: first-generation and second-generation. First-generation anticoagulants typically have a shorter half-life and include:
- Chlorpophacinone
- Diphacinone
- Warfarin
Second-generation anticoagulants are longer-lasting but are no longer available in products for consumer use in the USA. Examples of this type of rodenticide include:
The main danger of anticoagulants is that it can be several days after ingestion before your dog starts showing any symptoms, by which time severe poisoning may have occurred. Find out more in our guide to
anticoagulant and bromethalin poisoning.
Bromethalin
Bromethalin is a common ingredient in rodenticide bait stations for the consumer market. This neurotoxin causes swelling of the brain (cerebral edema) and can be life-threatening. Symptoms of bromethalin toxicity can develop in as little as 2 hours if your dog has consumed a large dose, but it may take a few days for your dog to show clinical signs in other cases.
Cholecalciferol
Cholecalciferol is a form of vitamin D (vitamin D3) and is an increasingly popular ingredient in rodenticides. It's absorbed rapidly and causes
hypercalcemia (abnormally high calcium levels) and
hyperphosphatemia (abnormally high phosphorus levels) in your dog's blood. This leads to kidney failure, so cholecalciferol toxicity requires urgent treatment. Find out more in our guide to
cholecalciferol poisoning in dogs.
Zinc and aluminum phosphides
When ingested by your pet,
zinc and aluminum phosphides react with stomach acid to produce phosphine gas. This toxic gas is highly dangerous to pets as well as humans, and can cause abdominal pain, liver and lung damage, and potentially death in dogs.
Strychnine
Used in products designed to kill gophers, moles, and rats,
strychnine is a highly toxic poison and very dangerous to dogs. If ingested, it can produce clinical signs in as little as 15 minutes and causes muscle contractions, severe seizures, and sudden death.