I have been having some rat and mouse problems in the house and have been using rat poison. My dog has killed a few. He now seems to be a little under the weather, though there are no definite symptoms. Could he have contracted a disease from the rodents through their blood when he bit into them? Could he have been exposed to rat poison by biting a poisoned rat?
There are not many diseases that rodents can transmit to other species, but salmonellosis and tapeworms are possibilities. The thing that I am concerned about is what you are using to control the rodents. Poisons that are left out to kill rodents can be extremely toxic and life-threatening if ingested by your dog. Most of these cause a bleeding disorder and require prompt veterinary attention in order to treat them successfully.
Most rat poisons work by inhibiting certain liver enzymes involved in the formation of vitamin K-1. The activated vitamin plays a critical role in preparing certain clotting factors for essential clotting activities. When vitamin K-1 levels fall, internal and external bleeding will result. Hemorrhage is the cause of death in most; some dogs may have lethal complications of bleeding in the lungs, brain, or heart, or other vital organ systems.
Signs of rodenticide intoxication include difficulty breathing, bruising and hematoma formation (pooling of blood beneath the skin), especially on the abdomen, lethargy, depression, and pale mucous membranes (a sign of anemia). The breathing difficulty occurs when blood collects in the chest cavity (hemothorax) and interferes with lung expansion during inhalation. Blood may also collect beneath the pericardium (outer lining of the heart), a condition called hemopericardium. This can interfere with heart function.
I would suggest that you have your dog seen by your veterinarian as soon as possible. If your dog bit into a mouse that had ingested poison, then he could have been exposed. He also may have directly ingested the poison. Your veterinarian may conduct bloodwork, including clotting tests, a complete blood count, and screens for various toxins, including rodenticides. Radiographs (x-rays) of the chest may be taken to look for hemothorax and hemopericardium.
If signs of rodenticide intoxication are severe the pet may require transfusions of plasma or fresh whole blood that contain the activated clotting factors and injections of vitamin K-1. Fresh whole blood or packed red blood cells may be needed if signs of anemia are severe. Oral doses of vitamin K-1 are then administered for several weeks. During this time, your veterinarian may monitor the clotting times for signs of improvement. If your dog did ingest a significant amount of poison and has bleeding into the chest cavity, a procedure called thoracentesis may be required. This involves the surgical insertion of a needle into the chest to drain the pooled blood.
Generally, if an affected dog or cat is promptly treated and can survive for two days after ingestion of the poison, the prognosis for recovery is fair to good. Repeated exposure is not uncommon, so the dog's environment must be totally decontaminated.
Please contact your veterinarian immediately. If the veterinarian is not available, an emergency clinician should be consulted.
11/17/00
