Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEffectsWhat to DoIngredient SafetyTreatmentControl and Prevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Effects
What to Do
Ingredient Safety
Treatment
Control and Prevention
Rat poison is toxic to humans. Symptoms of rat poison ingestion include internal bleeding, organ failure,paralysis, and coma.The symptoms associated with ingesting, touching, or inhaling rat poison may not appear until hours or even days after exposure. Emergency treatment is needed if you mishandle or eat rat poison because it can lead to death.
Common active ingredients in rat poisons (rodenticides) have blood-thinning, neurotoxic, and other harmful health effects.Some formulas are more dangerous to humans than others, but all must be handled with care.
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How Rat Poison Affects Your Body
Common symptoms of rodenticide poisoning in humans, which may not be visible for up to five days after exposure, include:
Possible Complications
Complications of ingesting rat poison are very serious and include brain damage,liver damage,kidney failure, coma, and even death.
What to Do if You Touch, Inhale, or Ingest Rat Poison
If you or your loved one has swallowed, touched, or inhaled rat poison,do not try to treat the poisoningwith over-the-counter medication or natural remedies.
Contact Poison Controlimmediately and follow their instructions. Waiting increases the risk of serious complications.
Call 1-800-222-1222 or use thePoison Control Triage Portalonline. If someone is unconscious or having difficulty breathing,call 911instead.
Labels on rat poison products always show first aid instructions. Always read them before you open the product just in case you are exposed.
For example, the product label for CONTRAC All-Weather BLOX (an anticoagulant withbromadiolone) instructs:
Does Milk Dilute Poison?No. If you have swallowed poison, drinking small amounts of water or milk may help soothe burning or irritation for a short time, but it will not reduce the toxins in your body.
Does Milk Dilute Poison?
No. If you have swallowed poison, drinking small amounts of water or milk may help soothe burning or irritation for a short time, but it will not reduce the toxins in your body.
Are All Rat Poisons Equally Dangerous?
While all rat poisons can cause health problems, some are less harmful than others.Bromethalinis considered less toxic to humans because you would need to ingest a significant amount to be fatal—more than you are likely to ingest accidentally.
Data on bromethalin poisoning in children indicate it is “self-limited in toxicity” due to the large amount needed to cause death. It can, however, cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Though it’s very rare,thalliumpoisoning may occur, typically from old rat poison products. The chemical absorbs into the skin and gastrointestinal tract quickly, and exposure to as little as 8 milligrams (mg) can be fatal.That is less than 1/500th of a teaspoon.
It would take a large dose ofcholecalciferolto cause calcium toxicity (hypercalcemia) in a person. Cholecalciferol poisoning is far more common in pets than it is in people.
Ingredients in some common brands of rat poison on the market include:
Some rat poison products contain blue or green dye so that you can quickly identify when someone has touched or swallowed them.If possible, check the packaging for the active ingredient and share that information with healthcare providers and poison control. This can ensure the correct treatment is given.
Treatment for accidental human ingestion of rat poison may include oral and/orintravenous(IV) medication. Depending on the specific case, individuals may or may not fully recover and long-term treatment may be needed.
Anticoagulant Rat Poisons
Many rat poisons contain anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners. These are responsible for more than half of all of rat poison-related calls to the Poison Control Center each year.
Anticoagulant rat poisons include:
The anticoagulants in rat poisons stop the actions of a vitamin K enzyme your body needs to formblood clots. To reverse this blood thinning effect, you may be given vitamin K1 therapy through an IV.
Blood-thinning poisons called superwarfarins have long-lasting effects, so you will need to take oral doses of vitamin K1 therapy for an average of 168 days.
Non-Anticoagulant Rat Poisons
Ingredients in non-anticoagulant rat poisons include bromethalin,cholecalciferol, strychnine, and zinc phosphide.
There are no drugs to reverse the effects of non-anticoagulant rat poisons like bromethalin, strychnine, or zinc phosphide. Supportive care may include IV fluids and treatments for specific symptoms.Activated charcoalmay be used to calm the gastrointestinal tract.
Rat Control and Poisoning Prevention
The best way to prevent accidental rat poisoning is to avoid having to use these products in the first place. If you do have to use them, do so with great care.
Keeping Rats Away
To prevent rodents from entering your home:
Non-toxic rat and rodentrepellents you could try include:
Use Rat Traps
If this fails,opt for rat traps. Place traps behind appliances or other areas that children and pets cannot reach.
Keep in mind that rats and mice rarely go far from their nests, so you do not need to place traps in every nook and cranny across the room. You can just place them within 10 to 12 feet of the nest.
Proper Use and Storage of Rat Poison
If rat poison seems necessary, it is important that you use, store, and dispose of it properly.
As of 2011, rat poison bait must be sold in the form of blocks rather than pellets or loose bait. It must also be packaged in a tamper-proof bait station.
Safe DisposalCall your city or county hazardous waste disposal facility to find out how to get rid of old rat poison safely. If you have any of the older forms of rat poison around the house, dispose of it safely and buy safer bait.
Safe Disposal
Call your city or county hazardous waste disposal facility to find out how to get rid of old rat poison safely. If you have any of the older forms of rat poison around the house, dispose of it safely and buy safer bait.
Other safety tips include the following:
How Much Rat Poison Is Lethal to Dogs?If your dog or other pet eats rat poison, you need to act fast. It doesn’t take much rat poison to kill a dog. Just 15-30 mg (only a few granules) is lethal for a dog weighing 15 pounds or less. For larger dogs, a lethal dose is around 100 mg (1/50th of a teaspoon).Regardless of how much you believe they ingested, take your dog to the nearest veterinarian right away. Note when your dog ate the poison, how much you suspect they ate, and what kind of poison it was. If you can, bring the packaging with you.If you cannot get to a vet, call theAnimal Poison Control Center immediately at 1-888-426-4435.
How Much Rat Poison Is Lethal to Dogs?
If your dog or other pet eats rat poison, you need to act fast. It doesn’t take much rat poison to kill a dog. Just 15-30 mg (only a few granules) is lethal for a dog weighing 15 pounds or less. For larger dogs, a lethal dose is around 100 mg (1/50th of a teaspoon).Regardless of how much you believe they ingested, take your dog to the nearest veterinarian right away. Note when your dog ate the poison, how much you suspect they ate, and what kind of poison it was. If you can, bring the packaging with you.If you cannot get to a vet, call theAnimal Poison Control Center immediately at 1-888-426-4435.
If your dog or other pet eats rat poison, you need to act fast. It doesn’t take much rat poison to kill a dog. Just 15-30 mg (only a few granules) is lethal for a dog weighing 15 pounds or less. For larger dogs, a lethal dose is around 100 mg (1/50th of a teaspoon).
Regardless of how much you believe they ingested, take your dog to the nearest veterinarian right away. Note when your dog ate the poison, how much you suspect they ate, and what kind of poison it was. If you can, bring the packaging with you.
If you cannot get to a vet, call theAnimal Poison Control Center immediately at 1-888-426-4435.
Summary
Rat poison is highly toxic to humans and animals whether it is touched, smelled, or swallowed. Rat poisoning can be lethal, but symptoms don’t always appear right away.
Should you or your loved one come in contact with rat poison, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Go to the nearest urgent care or emergency room right away.
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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