Rat Poison Toxicity in Dogs

Rat poison also kills dogs.

Rodenticides are poisons that are used to control nuisance mice and rats. They are widely available, and many people use them in their homes and on their property.

Unfortunately, rodenticides will kill any mammal that ingests them.

How Does Rat Poison Work?

Different active ingredients are used in various rodenticides. Each of them is dangerous to dogs in differing ways. Here are the most common ingredients in rat poisons, according to petpoisonhelpline.com (Liz Greenlee, 2011), and how they work:

If you suspect that your dog may have ingested any type of rodenticide, call your veterinarian, an emergency veterinary clinic, or the pet poison helpline at 855-764-7661 immediately. If you know what type of poison your dog got into, have the package available.

Secondary Poisoning from Rodenticides

It's important to note that animals can be poisoned by eating a rodent that ingested rat poison. This happens more commonly with cats, raptors, and other natural predators of rodents, but it is possible for a dog to be poisoned this way as well. Dogs may catch and eat a sick rodent before it dies from rodenticide ingestion or scarf up a dead mouse that was poisoned.

Use Other Pest Control Protocols

Rodenticides are extremely dangerous to have around your home or property. They can be lethal to dogs, cats, other wildlife, and children who may ingest them.

Using other pest control protocols is highly preferable to rat poison for controlling rodents.

Works Cited

  1. Liz Greenlee, C. E. (2011, Feb. 28). Mouse and Rat Poison: Rodenticides Poisonous to Dogs & Cats. Retrieved from petpoisonhelpline.com.

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