After your dog eats rat poison, clinical symptoms are usually recognizable two to seven days after ingestion. In some cases symptoms take up to two weeks to develop. Rats and mice, especially in cases in which the dog and its food are left outside, congregate around areas that the dog frequents. Most deaths involve primary poisoning in which the dog eats the poison directly. Secondary poisonings, when the dog eats the rodent that ate the poison, are less likely to be fatal. In any case, rat poisoning is a serious issue.
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Strange Behavior
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If your dog becomes dull, weak, inattentive and easily fatigued pay close attention. Other strange behaviors to look for include abnormal excitation and drooling, lack of coordination in stance or stride, and mental confusion or carelessness.
Physical Reactions
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Common forms of physical reactions of poisoning include saliva mixed with blood and the bleeding from the dog's gums, nose or rectum. Other symptoms include shivering, coughing, mild to severe breathing difficulties and hair loss.
Problems with Eating and Excretion
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If your dog starts to reject his food or water, watch carefully. Vomiting, diarrhea, and blood in urine or stool are more serious symptoms of ingesting rat poison. The inability to urinate or defecate are also symptoms. Your dog's stool can become bright green from eating certain rat poison pellets. If this occurs, bring your dog to a veterinary specialist as quickly as possible.
Unusual Muscle Activity
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More advanced symptoms of ingesting rats that have been poisoned or poison itself include muscle tremors and the inability to walk or stand. This is sometimes accompanied by severe shaking and, in the worst cases, seizures and coma.
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