German Pointer poisoned by rat poison.

E. Fudd

My mother rang me on sunday (I've left the nest), crying her eyes out to tell me that my ten year old German pointer bitch was bleeding from the mouth, her breathing was very laboured and that she thought she was dying.

I quickly googled the symptoms and came to the conclusion that she had been poisoned by rat poison. The home place is infested at the moment and mam had put some poison out two weeks ago. She has been putting out poison for years, and always was very very carefull with it, but unfortunately the dog must have rooted it out.

Of course could I find a vet on a Sunday evening?....... course not.

I discovered that the only antidote for rat poisoning was vitamin K, administered by injection, 5mg per kilogram.

Monday morning, after a sleepless night and plenty of tears, I rang the vet's, to discover that it wasn't open till that evening. I found a chemist in Saggart Village who did vetinary supplies and got the vitamin K and syringes.

I gave Moss (the dog) her first injection that morning, and by the evening her breathing had eased and she was breathing slightly better.
She had to stay on injections of vitamin K for four days, and tommorrow I have to start giving it to her in tablet form.

She's very much improved now, her breathing is better, the bleeding stopped on Monday, and the general swelling has dissappeared.

Lads, I'd definitly advise keeping a bottle of vitamin K handy (out of reach of the little ones of course), and a few syringes, the quicker the dog is caught after injesting it, the better chance it has of surviving. Kelly's pharmacy in Saggart, Co. Dublin, just off the Naas Road have it in stock.

Having spoken to the vet, he reckons that poisoning has become a lot more common.

Anyway, just a warning, hopefully she'll be able to come out for a tramp around the fields on the first!

Trojan911

Good work & thanks for the tip, I don't have dogs but I'll pass it on to the buddies who do.

TJ911...

scuby

my father thought our pointer had swallowed some as well one day and he got a big bottle of water and lots of salts and put it back his throat to make him vomit up what ever he had eaten, worked as well. puked his ring up !!
he was ok though...

spideog7

Now I'll know how to revive any dying rats I see

BryanL

well done

doctor evil

Fair play for catching it on time.

tikkamark

Ten out of ten for finding out the problem and treating the the dog yourself i hope she pulls through 100% for you.

bunny shooter

hope she pulls through

fits

Its a wonder you couldnt get a vet on a sunday evening, theres normally someone on call.
My dog broke his leg on a Sunday Evening last February, and my own vet (in Co. Wicklow) was able to look at him within two hours.
Might be no harm to get a vet to look at the dog, to check for any longer term damage. Glad he made it through though.

danjo

I admire your quick thinking and action.

As a matter of interest where did you inject the vitamin?

alan123

Would you not use an alternative to poison to deal with the rats or is poison still the only practical solution these days??

Double Barrel

Good work and high marks.

scuby wrote:

my father thought our pointer had swallowed some as well one day and he got a big bottle of water and lots of salts and put it back his throat to make him vomit up what ever he had eaten, worked as well. puked his ring up !!
he was ok though...

Hydrogen peroxide is used as an emetic in veterinary practice. I keep a few bottles in the fridge just in case. Had to use it on a few occasions.
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/190303.htm

E. Fudd

danjo wrote:

I admire your quick thinking and action.

As a matter of interest where did you inject the vitamin?

It can be injected Subcutaneous or intramuscularly. I went for Subcutaneous; basically pull the skin up on the back of the dog's neck, then inject into the base of the "tent" you have formed. Always remember to use a short needle (21mm) and draw back the plunger slightly when you stick the needle in, if blood appears in the syringe, do not inject, as you've hit a vein and if you inject into a vein you'll kill her!

Anyway, Moss is doing great now, still feeling sorry for herself!:)

bunny shooter

pampers wrote:

Anyway, Moss is doing great now, still feeling sorry for herself!:)

Good to hear. don't blame her. loads of tlc