Poisonings from rat poison, poisonous mushrooms and rotten fruit

Autumn has fully arrived. As temperatures drop, rodents will move in to find a warm place for the winter. In cellars, barns, houses and cabins they announce their arrival. Unfortunately, many will then resort to poison to fight 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's dog or cat. This is a common reason for visits to animal clinics in the autumn. In many cases, dogs have eaten mouse or rat poison directly where it has been put out and the intake can be even greater.

Table of contents

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 poison (superwarfarins) acts as a blood thinner and interferes with blood coagulation. This results in internal bleeding and the first symptoms can be difficult to register. The new rat poisons (super warfarins) are more dangerous than the old ones (warfarins) which were excreted much faster from the body. 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.

In conclusion, we would like to encourage the use of traps rather than poison to combat pests. If you suspect ingestion of poison, contact a veterinarian as soon as possible! Remember that the symptoms can be non-specific, do not hesitate to get in touch if you are in doubt.

Red fly agaric (Amanita Muscaria) grows on the ground. Autumn poisonings

Poisonous mushrooms

Autumn brings with it a variety of mushrooms that both animals and people should be careful about consuming. Among these there are several toxic varieties that can cause different symptoms depending on the mushroom species. From milder gastrointestinal disturbances to frequent vomiting, diarrhea and even severe neurological symptoms – the consequences can be life-threatening. Also, the time it takes for symptoms to appear after mushroom ingestion varies considerably, ranging from a few minutes to several days.

If you have a dog that has a tendency to eat everything it comes across, you should pay extra attention when you are traveling in woods and fields. If you see your dog eating a mushroom that you are not sure 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 toadstools, 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 samples are also taken to assess the dog's kidney and liver function.

Poisonous mushrooms

Autumn brings with it a variety of mushrooms that both animals and people should be careful about consuming. Among these there are several toxic varieties that can cause different symptoms depending on the mushroom species. From milder gastrointestinal disturbances to frequent vomiting, diarrhea and even severe neurological symptoms – the consequences can be life-threatening. Also, the time it takes for symptoms to appear after mushroom ingestion varies considerably, ranging from a few minutes to several days.

If you have a dog that has a tendency to eat everything it comes across, you should pay extra attention when you are traveling in woods and fields. If you see your dog eating a mushroom that you are not sure 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 toadstools, 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 samples are also taken to assess the dog's kidney and liver function.

Poisonous mushrooms

Autumn brings with it a variety of mushrooms that both animals and people should be careful about consuming. Among these there are several toxic varieties that can cause different symptoms depending on the mushroom species. From milder gastrointestinal disturbances to frequent vomiting, diarrhea and even severe neurological symptoms – the consequences can be life-threatening. Also, the time it takes for symptoms to appear after mushroom ingestion varies considerably, ranging from a few minutes to several days.

If you have a dog that has a tendency to eat everything it comes across, you should pay extra attention when you are traveling in woods and fields. If you see your dog eating a mushroom that you are not sure 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 toadstools, 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 samples are also taken to assess the dog's kidney and liver function.

Apples on the ground may have a mold that produces the fungal toxin patulin. Fallen fruit can be poisonous

Dangerous and rotten fruit

On to a completely different type of fungus, namely mold. Fallen fruit abounds in autumn and several species of mold can grow on rotten apples. Mold substances (mycotoxins) such as penitremer can cause acute neurological poisoning symptoms in the form of vomiting, drooling, tremors etc. The symptoms usually appear 15 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion, but can also appear later. In the worst case, severe poisoning can result in convulsions and death.

In the event of known ingestion or suspicion that the dog has eaten clearly rotten fruit, a veterinarian should be contacted as soon as possible. Treatment must be started as early as possible and be aggressive to minimize symptoms. If ingestion is known a short time ago and there are no neurological symptoms, an emetic can be given. Otherwise, symptomatic treatment and supportive treatment are initiated.

Many dogs may find the apples tempting as the mold neither tastes nor smells bad. We humans should also exercise caution as the mold easily spreads throughout the apple, it does not help to cut away the rotten part. The mold is also very hardy and can withstand freezing, boiling and juicing.

Remove and throw away the rotten apples and keep them away from both people and animals!

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Elisabeth is a veterinarian and authorized ophthalmologist with specialization in eye surgery, as well as further training in internal medicine, general surgery, oral surgery and ultrasound from the European School for Advanced Veterinary Studies in Toulouse.