garden/rodentpoisons

Garden Poisons

Rodenticides
Vitamins help poisoned pets
Pets face Poisoning Dangers
Cocoa Mulch
Lawn Treatment
Bone Meal

Many of our yard and garden chemicals and products are extremely toxic. Even when used according to the directions on the package, these products can be dangerous to our pets. For epileptic dogs, these products may present an even greater threat by lowering seizure thresholds, or triggering seizures.

If you choose to use these products, do not use them in the presence of your pets. For your own and your animal's safety, read and follow label directions carefully. Your pets should be kept off of a lawn treated with an insecticide or a weed killer at least until the lawn is completely dry. Always store such products in areas that are inaccessible to your pets.

Even if you choose not to use these products in your own environment, be aware that your neighbours, local parks and trails and facilities where you train your dog may be using them. Lawn services are required to post temporary signs where they have treated with herbicides, fertilizers and insecticides. Keep your pets away from these areas.

Fertilisers usually contain quantities of phospherous, potassium and nitrogen. They are found in pellet, solid or liquid forms. A basic fertiliser may be mixed with other chemicals, for example insecticides, weed killers or metals such as iron or zinc. Insecticides contain organophosphates, carbamates, chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, pyrethrins, arsenic in various forms: sprays, powders, traps, and or baits. Treatment may therefore be complicated by the prescence of these additional chemicals and because of this it is important to know the contents of the poison eaten. Exposure to insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other yard and garden chemicals can be through inhaling, eating/licking, or through skin/eye/foot pad contact. Pets may also ingest these toxins by grooming themselves after they have been exposed to these products or through the flea collars, dips and powders that are sometimes used to help rid them of fleas.

Usually fertilisers cannot be absorbed by the gut and symptoms reflect gastrointestinal irritation caused by the chemicals. Vomiting and diarrhoea are common. Excessive drooling and lethargy may also result. A high percentage of potassium and phosperous elements may cause stronger symptoms. With treatment, the worst symptoms usually abate within 12 to 24 hours but diarrhoea can last for several days. If the fertiliser has been consumed within the past four hours, dogs should be made to vomit. However, this is not the case for dogs already showing signs of lethargy or those that are already vomiting. Some fertilisers may need specific medication so it is vitally important to get the container with the label including the fertilisers active ingredients and provide this information to your vet to help him determine the type of toxicity and any possible treatments as quickly as possible. If the toxins are not known, effective treatment may be difficult.

Dogs that have eaten heavy metals usually require special treatment, though small doses tend to be well tolerated.

Exposures to organophospates and carbamate products (by eating a poison or, less frequently, absorbing the substance through the skin in a dip product) may results in excess saliva production, lacrimation or tearing of the eyes, excessive urination, diarrhea, muscle twitching, weakness, difficult breathing and collapse. It is critical than an animal potentially exposed to these insecticides be evaluated by veterinary personnel as quickly as possible in order to provide treatment if necessary before signs become severe, at which point treatment is often ineffective.

It needs to be noted that gut irritation can cause severe vomiting, diarrhoea and bellyache. This in turn can lead to rapid dehydration and anti-vomiting and anti-diarrhoea treatment is often required. As many of our fertilisers and insecticides are mixed with other products, varied symptoms may be seen. It is important to establish which chemicals the dog has been exposed to because more specific treatments may be needed and the dog may be in great danger. Many of these products are highly toxic and any delay in evaluation of the cat or dog can be life-threatening.

back to top

Rodenticides

Poisons intended to kill rats, mice, gophers, moles and other mammalian pests are among the most common and deadly of small animal toxins. Substances highly poisonous to the pests are just as lethal to our pets. Rodenticides are highly toxic and any such poisons designed to kill small mammals need to be carefully contained in closed metal cabinets or high on stable shelving. The poisons usually come in flimsy cardboard containers and any dog, puppy or cat can chew through the container to get at the bait.

Rodenticides are classified according to both their basic ingredient compounds and by how they act on their target. These categories include: Anti-coagulant rodenticides, cholecalciferol, strychnine, zinc phosphide, bromethalin, compound 1080 and others.

The most common rodenticide poisoning seen in veterinary practice is that of the anti-coagulant rodenticides. These poisons - with ingredient names like warfarin, fumarin, diphacinone, bromadiolone - act by interfering with the animal's ability to utilize Vitamin K. One of they key roles of Vitamin K is in the production of coagulation factors in the body which cause blood to clot when necessary. Without the necessary coagulation factors, normal minor bleeding in the body goes unchecked which, without treatment, becomes major bleeding, with blood loss anemia, hemorrhage and death resulting. With most anti-coagulant rodenticides, signs are not seen until 3-5 days after the pet has ingested the poison. Clinical signs include weakness, difficult breathing, pale mucous membranes, and bleeding from the nose.

Other types of rodenticides have different mechanisms of action with some (i.e., strychnine and bromethalin) causing neurological signs such as incoordination, seizures and others cardiac failure (i.e., cholecalciferol). If accidental ingestion of rat poison is suspected, contact your veterinary clinic immediately, even if your dog or cat is showing no obvious signs of being ill. Be sure, if possible, to bring the poison container in to the clinic in order to determine the specific toxin and provide the best treatment. Early recognition is critical as some poisons, particularly the anti-coagulant rodenticides, can be successfully treated if the poisoning is caught early and treated appropriately.

Warfarin
Clinical signs: Vomiting *Lethargy *Signs of internal bleeding *Pale gums and signs of shock *Bruising to the skin

Things to do:

If your dog has just eaten Warfarin, try to induce Vomiting then give activated charcoal by mouth.
If your dog is showing any signs of poisoning, keep the dog warm; treat for shock and if you still have them take a sample of the poison and the packaging to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your vet can administer vitamin K, by injection; this is a specific antidote for warfarin poisoning.
It is important to remember that Warfarin is especially dangerous to smaller dogs and it can be fatal.

Strychnine
Clinical signs: A panic/worried look *Tenseness and stiffness leading to convulsions It can be fatal within one hour

The best advice would be:

To induce Vomiting but only if breathing is regular and then give activated charcoal.
Most of all seek veterinary treatment immediately.

Sodium Fluoroacetate
Clinical signs: Initial excitement followed by depression *Convulsions *Vomiting *Urinating and repeated bowel motions

Things to do:

Induce Vomiting and give activated charcoal by mouth.
Keep your dog warm.
Seek veterinary advice/treatment immediately

Slug and Snail Bait - Metaldehyde
Many dogs enjoy the taste of metaldehyde and are willing to eat it. As with many others this can be fatal.
Clinical signs: Tremors *Salivation *Convulsions *Coma

Things to do:

If recently swallowed, induce Vomiting with soda crystals, 3% hydrogen peroxide or a ball of salt.
Do not allow your dog to get overheated.
Seek veterinary treatment as soon as possible, treatment may involve prolonged anaesthia.

Slug Poison Menace
Recently, my three-year-old retired cocker, while out for a walk, found and ate a quantity of agricultural slug pellets that had spilled a few feet from a local public footpath. we were quite unaware of this untill I later found him in a fit on the kitchen floor.

Despite veterinary intensive care, he died 48 hours later, leaving our entire family devastated not only at his loss but the terrible way in which he died. I found DEFRA unhelpful and keen to pass me on to Trading Standards.

Had we known of the poisoning, my vet said that a hazelnut-sized piece of washing soda administered orally would probably have saved him as he would have vomited much of the poison. I now always have some in the house and urge everyone with dogs to do the same.
Nicci Bennett
Northamptonshire

reprinted with kind permission from Alastair Balmain
Deputy Editor:Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street SE1 0SU
Tel: 020 3148 4750

Other chemicals you should be aware of:
Bromethalin
Cholecalciferol
Diphacinone
Fumarin
Zinc Phosphide

IN ALL CASES, DON'T PANIC. FOR YOUR DOG'S SAKE TRY TO STAY CALM AND REASSURING

****************************

Pets face poisoning dangers

Cathy Redfern

The story of Robert Beeson’s puppy, Madison, is short and sad. But he tells it to warn others of the potential dangers of snail poison.

Beeson’s golden-retriever mix died after eating snail poison. One Santa Cruz veterinarian says poisoning deaths, which occur mostly from rat and snail bait, happen nearly every year at his practice.

And snail poisonings, said David Shuman of Westside Animal Hospital, are more likely to happen in the gardening season of spring.

"The majority of people have it in their garages in bulk form, and the dog goes in the garage, and next thing they know, they’re having a seizure.

"They call it ‘shake and bake.’ They seizure and get massive fevers. If you catch it early enough they can recover, but it’s horrible."

Rat-poison problems are actually more common, Shuman said, and that drug is an anti-coagulant that makes dogs thirsty and weak after two days and can prevent their blood from clotting.

In Beeson’s case, he put out snail poison pellets to guard his artichokes and other vegetables in his fenced Live Oak yard one recent Saturday night.

He put Madison outside about 8 a.m. By 10:30 a.m., she was disoriented and in obvious need of veterinary care.

But it was too late for the anti-seizure medicine to work and 5-month-old Madison died.

He bought the box of poison, from a Capitola hardware store and says he didn’t see the warning that it was a danger to pets and that they might even be attracted to it.

The print was very small, and was in a colour, which blended in with the rest of the box, Beeson said.

"It’s so senseless," he said. "I always looked out for her. For some reason I didn’t put snail bait, poison and her together.

"But maybe her death can stand for something. Maybe we can save another dog."

Shuman says owners should get their pet to the vet if they see signs of poison ingestion; vomit-inducing compounds such as hydrogen peroxide can help.

"I think people talk about it more than it happens, but we see enough snail and rat poison around here for it to be a concern," he said.

Cats are more discriminate about what they eat and less likely to fall prey to poison, he said.
For more information on preventing poisoning of pets see

www.napcc.aspca.org or www.lighthousedogs.com.

Vitamin helps poisoned pets

Dear Dr. Kimmey: I have a 1 1/2 -year-old Jack Russell Terrier named Rocko. The other day, he ate some rat poison that was in a small packet in the garage. We called our vet right away, and he said to make him vomit using hydrogen peroxide. Well, Rocko did, and we saw the rat poison pellets in his throw-up.

Our vet said since we got him to vomit right away, and it came up, he should be OK. A friend of mine said their dog did the same thing, but their doctor gave them vitamin K. Are there different types of poisons? Why wasn't Rocko put on vitamin K?
Beverly Jones, Westland

Dear Beverly: Commercial rodenticide poisons are either long- or short-acting. The majority of poisons on the market are of the long-acting form. This means your pet will need to be on vitamin K1 for at least two to four weeks. The poison targets vitamin K1, which is a vital link in the production of the body's clotting factors.

If enough poison is ingested, you may notice breathing problems, anorexia and/or lethargy. Rocko may bleed from the nose, have blood in his urine, dark tarry stools and/or bruising on the skin. Occasionally animals will die from internal bleeding.

When a pet is brought in with rodenticide ingestion, we induce vomiting and then give them activated charcoal to help prevent further absorption. Blood is drawn, and how long it takes the blood to clot is evaluated.

Pets are placed on vitamin K1 for two weeks. During that time, help your pet avoid trauma to the skin, cuts, punctures, etc., to minimize any bleeding.

If the blood work is normal after two weeks, the vitamin K1 is discontinued. If the blood values surpass the upper normal limits for clotting time, then vitamin K1 is continued for another two weeks.

If you have a rodent issue and there are pets in the home, you should explore other ways to get rid of the vermin that won't endanger your pet.
back to top

***********************

Cocoa Mulch

Yesterday one of our dog agility friends experienced a tragedy and wanted me to pass a special message along to all of my dog loving friends and family.

Please tell dog owner you know. Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden.

They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog Calypso, decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way.

The next day, Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died instantly.

Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company? s website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs.

Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that "It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog).

However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it."

True information about the mulch can be found here -

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoa.htm

This site gives the following information:

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called "Theobromine".

It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Just a word of caution ? check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens.

Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate ? especially dark or baker's chocolate ? which is toxic to dogs.

Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of Theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of Theobromine.

Please email the manufacturer at michellemessick@hersheys.com and request that accurate information about this product be posted on the packaging to avoid further tragedy.

PLEASE GIVE THIS WIDEST DISTRIBUTION

Cathy Paxton
Email: cathy.paxton@hro.com

Back to top

*****************

Lawn Treatment

I received the following from Caninefreestyle and everyone is trying to pass on this information to as many people as possible so the same doesn't happen to anyone else. It's quite frightening and probably something none of us ever think of could happen.

Quote
This morning a sample sachet of lawn treatment came through the letterbox which my dogs got hold of and ate, while Charley was getting dressed upstairs. There was a warning on the packet of the large sample saying it must not come into contact with the skin.

Consequence is my little jack Russell Milo is now in the vets undergoing treatment for poisoning and Shady I have to keep an eye on for any sign of diahorrea and sickness and get her straight to vets if not well.

Please beware of samples that may arrive through your letterbox as it could have been a child or a dog or cat got hold of this with awful consequences.

My dogs normally ignore letters so this must have smelt tasty.

I have had the local paper out who are running a warning on it to try and stop it happening again to anyone.
I have also contacted the company who said someone would ring me straight back, they haven’t ..

I am fuming as god knows what my vets bill will be especially if Shady ends up ill too. She has to have a light diet of Chicken tonight if she seems ok, so please lots of good vibes for poor little Milo.
Bev
Unquote

back to top

******************

Bone Meal

I accidentally poisoned our Dane (Samantha) and want to pass on the details so others would not make the same mistake.

On Tuesday I sprinkled bone meal and Ortho "RosePride Systemic Rose & Flower Care" around the cedar mulch surrounding the roses in our rose garden. Later the area around each rose was hosed down to wash the products into the mulch.

On Wednesday, "Sam" took an afternoon stroll and caught the scent of the bone meal. Drawn to the scent she proceeded to lick the bone meal residue and also the Ortho product.

Within 30 to 60 minutes she had developed diarrhea, muscle tremors, was very unsteady on her feet, and was drooling saliva from her mouth (she does not drool normally).

I immediately called our vet who luckily got us in right away. The symptoms were worse and she was foaming severely from the mouth with continual "dry heaves". He said something must be done immediately or she would be dead within a few minutes as she was getting ready to go into seizures.

Bill made an "educated decision" (there was no time to do lab tests) based on her severe symptoms and diagnosed her as having organophosphate poisoning(to check a product look under the "Physician Warning" portion of the label).

He administered Atropine IV and IM. Then put her on an IV drip. We watched her and prayed a lot through the next two days as Bill continued the Atropine and IV's. Friday she got her appetite back and that night the IV was removed and she was allowed to come home. She is not out of the woods yet, but each day she gets a little more of her strength back (she lost 15 to 20 pounds in a couple hours). However we still don't know if she sustained any liver or kidney damage.

Once I realized what the cause of the poisoning was I returned to the rose bed and worked the bone meal and fertilizer into the mulch turning over the entire surface and washing everything down thoroughly. I suggest anyone with a dog not use bone meal in conjunction with fertilizer, but space their application so each has adequate time to dissolve before applying the other.

Also work all products into the soil when working around pets so as not to tempt them to eat something not designed for their systems. I know this may sound simplistic, but knowing the attraction dogs have to bone meal I made the mistake and almost lost a loved member of my family.

I would appreciate you broadcasting this so more pet owners are made aware of this potentially dangerous problem.

Thanks, Dave Paulsen
Permission to Crosspost
Ruth Mays
Cinnaminson NJ

back to top

***********************