My Chihuahua ate rat poison. What are the signs and next steps?

Question

I posted before about my Chihuahua and rat bait. It was at a friend's house and she was unsure of the brand. I looked up all brands that our supermarket stocks and all had brodifacoum as the main ingredient. Most likely either talon or ratsak. Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Female | spayed | 4 months and 5 days old | 7.716 lbs

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thank you for the follow-up information. This is a very serious toxicity especially in such a small dog. Brodifacom is a long-acting anticoagulant (LAAC). LAACs prevent the blood from clotting, resulting in internal bleeding. Long-acting anticoagulants work similarly to the “blood thinner” medications that people take (e.g., warfarin or Coumadin®). When dogs or cats ingest LAACs, it typically takes 3-5 days before signs of poisoning are visible. So you don't want to wait until she is clinical signs. You should have her treated now. Common signs of poisoning include signs of internal bleeding: lethargy, exercise intolerance, coughing, difficulty breathing (due to bleeding into the lungs), weakness, and pale gums. Less common signs include vomiting, diarrhea (with or without blood), nose bleeds, bruising, bloody urine, swollen joints, inappetence, and bleeding from the gums. With some types of LAACs ( like brodifacoum), it only takes a very small amount to cause poisoning. Other types of LAACs have a wider margin of safety (like bromadiolone) and it takes a larger amount to cause poisoning. In my opinion this is an emergency and you should get Minty to the vet ASAP.

My Chihuahua ate rat poison. What are the signs and next steps?

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