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Health & Fitness

Pet Owners Beware: Rat Poison With No Antidote

Dangers concerning a rat poison with no cure if ingested by your pet.

Pet owners are well aware of the dangers of accidental exposure of their pets to rat poison.  Now there is more reason to be extra cautious if you have rodenticides and pets in the same environment.

In the past, most rat poisons worked because they contained an anticoagulant, which prevents blood from clotting so the rodent essentially bled to death. If a dog had ingested an anticoagulant-containing rodenticide that would definitely be bad news.

However, there was an antidote available, vitamin K that could be given up to 5 days after exposure before internal bleeding started. In 2008 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a decision prohibiting the use of second-generation or long-acting anticoagulants in residential settings (http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=804032).  Manufacturers became compliant with this in 2011 and started using a different active ingredient in their products called bromethalin.

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Bromethalin works by targeting the nervous system and signs can include seizures, paralysis, trouble balancing, tremors, and hind limb weakness.  Both cats and dogs can be affected, but cats are much more sensitive. Bromethalin toxicity is more severe than anticoagulant toxicity because there is less time before signs start, usually 2-24 hours after exposure.

Treatment is also more difficult because there is no antidote. Supportive care is all that can be done. That includes intravenous fluids to flush the system and administration of activated charcoal to absorb as much of the toxin as possible. The other problem with bromethalin according to Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS of the Pet Poison Helpline, is that not enough veterinarians are aware of how to treat a pet with bromethalin toxicity.

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So what is a pet owner to do? If you suspect that your pet has consumed rat poison, try to identify the name of the product. This will help your vet determine the best course of treatment. Some bromethalin containing rodenticides include Assault Place Pack, Fastrac Mouse Seed Place Pacs, Green Thumb mouse killer, Purina Assault Meal, and Vengence.

Get your pet to a veterinary hospital as quickly as possible after ingestion so treatment can begin. The sooner treatment is started, the better the prognosis is. If for whatever reason you must have a rodenticide on your premises, choose one that still uses an anticoagulant as the active ingredient, such as d-Con. Of course they can still be fatal if consumed by your pet, but at least you push the odds more in your pet’s favor.          

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at http://zutillavet.com/contact-us.html  

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