Rodenticide Poisoning: Keep Pets Safe This Thanksgiving Season

Keep Pets Safe from Rodenticide Poisoning This Thanksgiving

As the heat doesn’t seem to have any break, unwanted guests will try to enter our cool and cozy homes. Placing deterrents such as rat poison can be very effective, but they also pose a serious threat to your pet’s safety if accidentally ingested. This Thanksgiving season, as we gather with family and food, it’s important to remember that hidden household poisons can be just as dangerous as table scraps.

Phytonadione (Vitamin K1) plays many essential roles in the body, including calcium metabolism and heart health, but none as important as blood clotting. Phytonadione can be of particular importance as an antidote against ingestion of products that have anticoagulant properties such as rodenticides, warfarin, sweet clover, dicumarol, and sulfaquinoxaline. When a pet ingests these substances, their ability to form normal blood clots is impaired, which can lead to serious internal bleeding.

Knowing the signs of poisoning is vital, since it may be three to five days before symptoms appear. Common warning signs include blood loss, lethargy, coughing, difficulty breathing, and pale gums. If your pet has eaten or is suspected of eating rodent bait, contact your veterinarian immediately or call the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661. Early intervention saves lives.

It can take six to twelve hours for new clotting factors to form once treatment begins, and blood products may be necessary for emergency care. Oral absorption of Vitamin K1 increases four- to five-fold when given with canned dog food or other fatty foods. Subcutaneous administration does not result in faster absorption and can increase the risk of hemorrhage. Customized oral suspensions of Vitamin K1 can be compounded quickly by our pharmacy staff to provide accurate dosing and improved compliance for small patients. Typical dosing for dogs is 1 mg/kg by mouth once daily for 4–6 days, or as directed by a veterinarian.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for our loved ones — including the pets who share our homes. Keep the holidays happy by storing all rodent baits and poisons securely out of reach, cleaning up leftovers and trash promptly, and monitoring pets for unusual behavior after yard or garage access. With awareness and quick action, you can help ensure your four-legged family members stay safe all season long.

📞 Pet Poison Helpline: 1-855-764-7661
📘 Reference: Plumb, D. (2008). Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.