Mice, rats, and other rodents may be small in size, but they can cause a huge amount of destruction. Not only can rodents damage your home and belongings, but they can spread harmful diseases and parasites to you and your pet. If you have a rodent problem, you naturally want to eradicate these destructive disease carriers, but poisons can inadvertently cause rodenticide toxicity in your furry pal.

Keep your pet safe while managing rodent populations by avoiding rodenticide use. Our Alpine Animal Hospital team explains how pet owners can protect their cats and dogs from poisoning by describing what to watch for and what to do in an emergency.

Common rodenticide toxicity signs in pets

In general, rodenticides are divided into two categories—anticoagulants and non-anticoagulants. 

Pets who ingest anticoagulant rodenticides can develop a multitude of bleeding and clotting disorders with signs that include:

  • Pinpoint bruises
  • Nosebleeds
  • Blood in the urine, feces, or vomit
  • Pale mucous membranes
  • Weakness

Pets can hemorrhage in the thoracic, abdominal, or cranial cavities, or in the spinal column, which causes respiratory distress and neurological signs.

Pets who ingest non-anticoagulant rodenticides also show a wide range of clinical signs, including:

  • Muscle tremors and stiffness
  • Breathing problems
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Edema
  • Hyperexcitability
  • Seizures
  • Hypersensitivity to stimuli
  • Rapid death

Any of these signs in your pet is cause for concern, whether or not you saw them actually ingest rodenticide. Immediate treatment is necessary for the best prognosis, but treatment may not be effective if signs have already developed.

Rodenticide toxicity types in pets

Because of the wide variety of rodenticides on the market, knowing which kind your pet was exposed to, so the appropriate treatment can be administered immediately, is extremely important. The most common rodenticide types include:

  • Anticoagulant rodenticide — This is the most common rodenticide category, and is made up of a variety of formulations and active ingredients, although all anticoagulant rodenticides affect the body’s ability to clot in some measure. Some anticoagulant rodenticides require that your pet feed multiple times before they are poisoned, whereas others require a single “dose.” Bleeding abnormalities typically don’t appear until three to seven days after ingestion.
  • Bromethalin rodenticide — Bromethalin is a neurotoxin that causes brain swelling. Cats are exceptionally sensitive to bromethalin poisoning and ingestion is typically accidental, and rarely the result of a pet eating an animal who died from bromethalin rodenticide. Bromethalin toxicity in pets can cause hyperexcitability, muscle tremors, hindlimb paralysis, grand mal seizures, hyperthermia, and death. Neurological signs generally develop one to seven days after ingestion.
  • Cholecalciferol rodenticide — Cholecalciferol (i.e., vitamin D₃) rodenticide interferes with the body’s calcium and phosphorus levels and causes mineralization of the soft tissues, including the organs. Cholecalciferol poisoning is typically the result of accidental exposure, but mild poisoning signs can appear with chronic ingestion of prey or carrion that died from cholecalciferol rodenticide. Clinical signs can appear in 12 to 48 hours following ingestion, and may include weakness, anorexia, vomiting, and excessive thirst and urination.
  • Phosphide rodenticide — The chemical zinc phosphide is typically used to control mole and gopher populations, and can be exceptionally quick acting after ingestion. Clinical signs can appear in minutes of exposure as the phosphides react in the stomach to produce phosphine gas, which is highly corrosive and can cause vomiting with or without blood minutes after ingestion. People are also susceptible to phosphine gas poisoning, so for self-protection, you must stay in a well-ventilated area in case your pet vomits. As the gas is systemically absorbed, each body system is damaged, resulting in a range of clinical signs, from gastrointestinal distress to cardiac dysfunction.

What to do if your pet ingests rodenticide

If you see your pet come in contact with rodenticide, contact the animal poison control hotline immediately. Their expert veterinary toxicologist will guide you on the appropriate action before you head to Alpine Animal Hospital for further treatment and monitoring. 

If you use rodenticide in your home, be extremely careful about placement and storage. Record the rodenticide type and storage, which should be a secure location and out of reach of your pet and children. Keep in mind that your pet can also be poisoned by eating a dead rodent, so deter rodents using more natural methods. Remove leafy debris and yard litter to eliminate rodent nesting grounds, pick up food bowls when not in use, and keep a tidy kitchen to ensure no rodents are attracted by the crumbs.

If you suspect your pet was exposed to a rodenticide, don’t wait to see if clinical signs develop. Contact our Alpine Animal Hospital team immediately for help.