Veterinary Clinical Medicine-I (General and Systemic)

VITAMIN K ANTAGONISM (RODENTICIDE POISONING) AND DEFICIENCY 

• Only if the rodenticide has just been ingested should emesis be induced. When critically bleeding, vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors can be replaced with fresh frozen plasma at 10 ml/kg q 8-12 hours or with 20 ml/kg fresh whole blood, if also anemic. Vitamin K1 at an initial dose of 3-5 mg/kg per os or subcutaneously at several spots is followed by 0.5-4 mg/kg per os once daily depending on PT or PTT/ACT response. The dose and duration of treatment depends on the type and amount of the ingested rodenticide. In cases of malabsorption or biliary obstruction low parenteral doses of vitamin K are effective.