Pet Dangers with cooler weather

As we move through Fall and into Winter, there are a good many dangers that our cats and dogs face.  Every year our hospital sees pets that has suffered from human preparations for winter.  The next few blogs will not only make you more aware, but hopefully will save us from having to treat any animals that fall prey to these mishaps.

As cooler weather approaches, many wild critters begin seeking out new warm homes.  Living in a rural area many homes become the new hang out for mice.  Unless you have good hunting cats or like me a ferocious vermin killing Jack Russell Terrier, these vermin can become quite the nuisance.  One easy and typical way that many combat this problem is to lay out mouse/rat poisons.  Known as rodenticides, these poisons are just as toxic to our pets as they are the mice.  Most are anticoagulant poisons, meaning they work by preventing blood from clotting.  The chemical name of some of the most common rodenticides are brodifacoum, difenacoum, diphacinone, chlorophacionone, coumachlor, warfarin and indandione.

Animals that consume these products lose blood, most commonly into body cavities such as the abdomen and chest.  Pets do not show symptoms for 72-96 hours after they have consumed the poison.  However, if you know or suspect them of having ate the poison, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.

Symptoms include:

• Bleeding is a common symptom of exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides.     Pets may bleed from their skin, gums, ears, nose, eyes, or other locations.  Blood may be noted in urine, feces, or saliva.  Blood may be noted on carpet or furniture in areas where the pet spends time.
• Bruising may occur as blood leaks into the skin.
• Blood loss often leads to weakness, lethargy, and decreased appetite.
• Bleeding into the lungs may lead to coughing (cats, dogs) or trouble breathing.
• The abdomen may become distended and rounded if blood fills it.
• Pale or white gums occur in animals that have lost significant amounts of blood.
• Signs of shock, including collapse, loss of consciousness, decreased respiratory rate and decreased heart rate occur when blood loss is severe.

Treatment:  An antidote to anticoagulant rodenticides, vitamin K1, is readily available.  All pets that are diagnosed with anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity must receive the antidote once or twice daily for a period of 4 - 8 weeks. Vitamin K1 can be administered orally or by injection. Veterinarians may cause a pet to vomit if they suspect that rodenticide is present in the animal's stomach.  Treatment with vitamin K1 is necessary even if most of the poison is eliminated in this fashion. Any pet that shows severe symptoms of blood loss may require hospitalization and intensive treatments such as blood transfusions until its condition stabilizes.

Pets that receive veterinary attention within 72 hours of exposure to rodenticides often do not show any symptoms of poisoning.  However, most rodenticides remain in the body for four to eight weeks.  Therapy with vitamin K1 must be continued until this time period has elapsed.

Follow-up blood tests are necessary for most pets during and after treatment with vitamin K1 to ensure efficacy of treatment.