Poisonings from rat poison, poisonous mushrooms and rotten fruit
Autumn is in full swing. With the temperatures dropping, rodents will move in to find a warm place for the winter. They announce their arrival in basements, barns, houses and cabins. Unfortunately, many people will then resort to poison to combat the pests. This means that a mouse or rat that has ingested poison can run further out of the house and be eaten by the family dog or cat. This is a common reason for visits to veterinary clinics in the fall. In many cases, dogs have eaten mouse – or rat poison directly where it has been put out – and the ingestion can be even greater.
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If you suspect that your dog or cat has ingested mice or rat poison, you should contact a veterinarian as soon as possible. If you have information about the poison itself, you are encouraged to bring it along as well. If it is a short time after any ingestion, an emetic can be given. The absorption of poison in the body will then be minimal and the animal is probably out of danger. At other times, it is not known that the animal has ingested poison and the suspicion does not arise until the symptoms begin to appear.
Rat poisons (superwarfarins) have a blood-thinning effect and interfere with blood clotting. This results in internal bleeding – and the first symptoms can be difficult to detect. The new rat poisons (superwarfarins) are more dangerous than the old ones (warfarins) which were excreted from the body much more quickly. Superwarfarins are stored in the body – mainly in the liver – and cause damage over a long period of time because they are excreted very slowly.
Symptoms of poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning usually do not appear until a few days after ingestion. The dog may be lethargic, vomit blood or bleed spontaneously from the nose or other mucous membranes. The diagnosis is made using blood tests. There is no specific antidote. Support treatment in the form of K vitamins will be given to restore the clotting ability of the blood. If it is established that the condition is life-threatening, a blood transfusion will be necessary.
Finally, we would like to encourage the use of traps rather than poison to control pests. If you suspect poison ingestion – contact a veterinarian as soon as possible! Remember that the symptoms may be non-specific – do not hesitate to contact us if you are in doubt.
Poisonous mushrooms
Autumn brings with it a variety of mushrooms that both animals and humans should be careful about consuming. Among these, there are several poisonous varieties that can cause various symptoms depending on the type of mushroom. From mild gastrointestinal upset to frequent vomiting, diarrhea and even severe neurological symptoms – the consequences can be life-threatening. Furthermore, the time it takes for symptoms to appear after mushroom ingestion varies considerably – anywhere from a few minutes to several days.
If you have a dog that tends to eat everything it comes across, you should be extra careful when you are in the woods. If you see your dog eating a mushroom that you are unsure of is poisonous, it is important to (if possible) document the mushroom and contact a veterinarian for an assessment.
Most poisonings start with vomiting or diarrhea as the first symptoms. A few types of mushrooms – such as the poisonous bolete – are extra dangerous as even small amounts can cause kidney failure. If poisoning is suspected, the vet will administer medical charcoal and fluid therapy to reduce any toxic effects in the blood. Blood tests will also be taken to assess the dog’s kidney and liver function.
Dangerous and rotten fruit
Moving on to a completely different type of fungus – namely molds. There is an abundance of fallen fruit in the fall and several species of molds can grow on rotten apples. Mold toxins (mycotoxins) such as penitrem can cause acute neurological poisoning symptoms in the form of vomiting, drooling and tremors, etc. The symptoms usually appear 15 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion – but can also occur later. In severe poisoning, it can result in convulsions and death in the worst case.
If ingestion is known or suspected to have been caused by clearly rotten fruit, contact your veterinarian immediately. Treatment must be started as early as possible and be aggressive to minimize symptoms. If ingestion is known to have occurred recently and there are no neurological symptoms, an emetic can be given. Otherwise, symptomatic and supportive treatment is initiated.
Many dogs may find apples tempting as the mold neither tastes nor smells bad. We humans should also be careful as the mold easily spreads throughout the apple – cutting away the rotten part does not help. The mold is also very hardy and can withstand freezing, cooking and juicing.
Remove and discard the rotten apples and keep them away from both people and animals!
