Medicine Section

Rodenticide: How do you approach?

RODENTICIDE

How do you approach?

• Various types have been dealt in our previous topic Common poisononing in dogs.
• Clinical signs in cats generally occur three to seven days after exposure when circulating clotting factors are depleted.
• Signs may be nonspecific like weakness, lethargy, and dyspnea due to bleeding in any site.
• cough or respiratory difficulty as bleeding in lungs is common.
• Frank hemorrhage or ecchymoses may be seen.
• Lameness may occur if bleeding occurs in a joint
• Various neurologic signs may be noted if bleeding occurs in the brain or spinal cord.
• Perform prothrombin time (PT) estimation
• Induce emesis and administering activated charcoal is effective at reducing the amount absorbed systemically if presented immediately.
• If not Vitamin K1 (3 to 5 mg/kg orally divided twice daily) is antidotal.
• Vitamin K1 should be given for 14 days after warfarin exposure
• 21 days after bromadiolone exposure
• 30 days after brodifacoum and unknown anticoagulant exposure
• PT is done about 48 hours after vitamin K1 treatment to check the effectiveness of treatment
• Whole blood or plasma transfusions are done bleeding and also administer Vitamin K.
• If bleeding tendency occurs prognosis is poor.