Dog Intoxication - Rat Poison - Pesticides

After an apparent good health, the following symptoms come up: the dog is indifferent, dull, rejects food and his saliva is mixed with blood. First thought: He is poisoned or has been poisoned! Naturally is a possibility though unlikely. After an accurate analysis, other causes are frequently found; intoxication's are generally rare. Nevertheless, get the vet soon. To give the dog coal crackers or salad water to induce vomits is a great torture for the animal.

Rat Poison: When a dog weakens gradually, that is not suddenly, a sanguine salivation comes out of his mouth, and his urine and feces also have some blood, it could be a poisoning by Dicumarol (a rats killer) produced from 3 to 5 days before. Dicumarol is a substance that inhibits coagulation, which makes rats, and unfortunately other animals, to bleed to excess even because of small wounds. Dogs are directly intoxicated or by eating an intoxicated rat. The vet has an special antidote (vitamin K) that must be injected several days on a row. If applied on time, cure hopes are good. If the dog loses lots of hair, occasionally vomits or suffers from diarrhea or a cutaneous eruption, the cause could be some other rats killer, thallium. This is an insidious poison, because of its slow manifestations, so when the dog is taken to the vet is too late. There are special antidotes. Treatment could be also very slow.

Pesticides: These products based on organic phosphorus compounds produce quick uneasiness, vomits and spasms. Due to the rapid effect of the poison, everything depends on how quick the vet can intervene. With this is enough regarding most frequent causes of intoxication, not too difficult to distinguish. The list of potential poisons has no limits, cause in principle, any substance can have toxic effects, including water and table salt; all depends on quantity.

Important: If you suspect your dog has been poisoned with premeditation by someone, you must think about suing him, because it's not easy to prove. In that case ask the vet to certify the moment when the dog could have eaten the poison. It's also important for an institution, to have the correct name of the poison. So you better wait till you are sure of having enough proof. If not, besides mourning the animal, you'll have to face some economic damage if you loose.