Home › Can my pet eat this? › Rat Poison (Anticoagulant)
🐀 Is rat poison poisonous to dogs and cats?
🔴 Yes. It's dangerous.
👉 What to do right now
- EMERGENCY even if pet seems perfectly fine.
- Vitamin K1 antidote must begin BEFORE symptoms appear for best outcome.
- Bring the packaging.
⛔ Don't
- Wait for symptoms — by then clotting factors are already depleted
- Confuse with non-anticoagulant rodenticides (bromethalin) — different treatment
⚖️ How much is too much?
Harmful amounts depend on your pet's body weight.
🐶 DogsAny amount warrants treatment
🐱 CatsAny amount warrants treatment
👀 Signs to watch for
- No immediate symptoms
- Lethargy (days 3–5)
- Difficulty breathing
- Bruising
- Bloody urine or stool
- Nosebleeds
- Sudden death
⏱️ When do signs show up?
3–5 days — deceptively delayed
🔬 Why is it harmful?
Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides inhibit vitamin K epoxide reductase, depleting clotting factors II, VII, IX, X. Causes uncontrolled internal bleeding 3–5 days after ingestion.
Related
Informational triage only. Does not replace professional veterinary diagnosis. When in doubt, always call your vet.