Rat Poison!!

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

Friends of ours just lost the their terrier (9 pounds) from ingesting rat poison.  Please let their tragedy teach us all to be careful when using anything that could harm our pets.  Unfortunately accidents happen.

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Rat poison is usually a form of anticoagulant called Warfarin, aka coumadin. Unfortunately, I'm sure whatever is added to attract rodents will also attract dogs. I think, if discovered early enough this poisoning can be reversed. This should be in the danger group, if it's not already there. The same ingredient is used in mouse poison so it's pretty widely distributed.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Here is a very good article on Warfarin in humans.

[AndySharon BoomerShaynaMariner]

I understand if caught in time the treatment is vitamin K. I do not know the details on what happened with our friends dog.

[F, Calla & Luca]

You are right about the Vitamin K but inducing vomiting is the first step. Here is the reference, now listed separately, from the Danger Group. it was somewhat buried in the fall seasonal grouping. this is a good reminder to periodically check at least the seasonal listings.
http://www.animalemergencycenter.com/fall.html

[Gina and Finn]

We had an experience many years ago when a neighbor at our cottage had put out poison for mice and then the mouse was ingested -by a lynx actually- who then crawled under our cottage and died. Who would ever expect poison in a remote cottage area.When Finn was a puppy and came across a dead mouse on a lawn and ate it my first thought was if the mouse was killed by a local cat or did someone have an issue with mice and have poison out... we were lucky but I try to be diligent when we are out walking.You never know.So very heartbreaking for these dog owners.

[F, Calla & Luca]

So sad about the lynx. You've made a very important statement about dogs eating poisoned rodents!

[Tante & Jordan & now Annie!]

My neighbors dog last summer died from eating rat poison. I had never thought about till that happend. This is great/sad reminder.