Slug bait poisoning - a cautionary tale

With the slugs and snail starting to hammer the garden my wife got a box of slug bait the other day, managed to get it wet so transferred bait into a plastic container and left it sealed up on a table outside.

Was woken up in middle of night by weird scrabbling noise and found dog staggering round down-stairs all foamed up, went into seizures and lost bowel control within minutes. Shot her into the 24hr clinic and they pumped a fair bit of blitzem from both ends.

Dog must have gone out the dog door over night and had a go at some midnight scrounging - wife apparently hadn’t secured the lid properly and she’s managed to knock the container lid off and had a few mouthfuls.

Bloody heartbreaking to see, dogs only just three years old, healthy as and good in the hills. especially since it is so preventable with some basic precautions. Waiting at vet to see if dog will pull through but even if she does sounds like real risk of organ damage due to seizures and high temps or liver failure over next 2-3 days.

Apparently not uncommon this time of year and main risk is when there is a pile of bait they can scoff - open box or spillage. Dog would have to lick up 10-20 sqm of bait when spread on a garden to get a toxic dose for lab sized dog. They will eat it despite the repellent in it.

So yeah pretty tough lesson to learn for all involved but figured be worth posting - might save someone else going through this shit.

thats a shame, good luck to your doggo jake77

Sorry to hear that, mate. As you say, entirely preventable. However, the box does not effectively tell you just how toxic metaldehyde is. The warnings are too small for such deadly stuff, and the front of the box should say "kills dogs and children". Sadly, such occurrences are far too common.

Mate lost his best hunting bud exactly like this

I had the same with a black Lab and rat poison (warfarin), vet pumped him full of Vitamin K, he pulled though and went another 8 years.

So there's hope. Good luck!

Im paranoid about any type of poison.

I hope your mate makes a full and speedy recovery. Your wife will be feeling terrible too.

Very very sad. Buy 'Tui' Quash it is non toxic to dogs, children.

Sorry about your dog. Not the first time I have heard this. A friend left her pet dog locked in the shed for a short time. Somehow, he got to the top shelf, knocked a tub of slug pellets over and the rest is history. It was not a pleasant death.

I hope she pulls through ok Jake.
As Moa Hunter says it pays to buy the non toxic stuff.
I look after 31 dogs at work and when I got here there were rat/mouse bait stations around the place. As I mentioned to the boss, yes the dogs can't get the poison but if a groggy mouse or rat wanders into range of a dog it might get eaten and there is your secondary poisoning. Best the stick with traps. For the slugs and snails I think you can make a beer trap where they drown in it.

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Originally Posted by rugerman

. As I mentioned to the boss, yes the dogs can't get the poison but if a groggy mouse or rat wanders into range of a dog it might get eaten and there is your secondary poisoning.

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Have heard of someone using plaster of Paris mixed with icing sugar with a bowl of water nearby, if dogs take a bite its just a bit crunchy...

+1 on hoping the pooch pulls through

When contactor 's are sowing our crop on the farm we always try and keep dogs well away as they use slug bait. Local vets sent out a newsletter couple years back, some poor bugger lost half his team after a part used bag was left sitting by the gate and they got into it.

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Thanks for the good wishes all, she’s come through today well, tremors and seizures have stopped and a lot more perky now. Vet is cautiously hopeful there’s no lasting damage (except to our bank account) but liver enzymes are still looking dodgy so keeping her overnight on the IV and meds. Should know by tomorrow Am if she is in the clear.

That's great news. I hear you about the sting to the wallet, but some things are about more than just a price tag. Good luck going forward mate.

I hope she is home now and on the mend @Jake77
She has youth on her side so hopefully that is giving her an advantage to shaking it off.

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Originally Posted by Jake77

Thanks for the good wishes all, she’s come through today well, tremors and seizures have stopped and a lot more perky now. Vet is cautiously hopeful there’s no lasting damage (except to our bank account) but liver enzymes are still looking dodgy so keeping her overnight on the IV and meds. Should know by tomorrow Am if she is in the clear.

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She’s home and looking good, some liver support meds for a week or two to make sure. Seems happy but low energy which is not surprising. Total treatment cost around $2200 but she’s a good dog and no regrets doing what we had too. Out of interest I priced pet insurance and would have spent $1800 in premiums over 3 years for med level policy so not a huge difference really.

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Originally Posted by Jake77

She’s home and looking good, some liver support meds for a week or two to make sure. Seems happy but low energy which is not surprising. Total treatment cost around $2200 but she’s a good dog and no regrets doing what we had too. Out of interest I priced pet insurance and would have spent $1800 in premiums over 3 years for med level policy so not a huge difference really.

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thats bloody good news, the vet bill stings but i never quibble looking after my best mates. Bit of a softie I am but so what

Great news jake :)
Yeah the bills can be a bit spendy but it's just the price we pay (pun always intended) for having our fur babies

sorry the hear about the dog. just use rock salt to control the slugs. might give the dog a bit of a thirst but no other health issues