Snail Bait

 With the recent warm weather and rainfall comes another southern California critter – snails! Many of us have placed snail bait out in powder or pelleted form to kill these arthropods. How many of us know that the common ingredient in these products is metaldehyde. This poison can be a serious and lethal in our small animals pets, namely dogs and cats.
How do pets get poisoned? Pets usually get poisoned by ingestion of the bait or by eating snails, slugs or rats that have been killed by the poison. The toxic dose is 100 mg/kg in dogs and cats.
What clinical symptoms might a dog or cat exhibit after ingestion? Early symptoms include involuntary muscle tremors, anxiety, dilated pupils, tachycardia, hypersalivation, vomiting, and diarrhea. Later symptoms include high body temperatures, seizures, decreased respirations, loss of consciousness, cyanosis, and death.
When do clinical signs appear? If animals have ingested a toxic amount of the poison, symptoms can be seen within one to four hours after ingestion.
What do I do if my pet has ingested this poison accidentally? Seek veterinary emergency care immediately. If your pet is stable, induction of vomiting to remove the poison from the stomach and activated charcoal to prevent further absorption of the poison can be given as a first wave of treatment for this poison.
Is there an antidote for the poison? No. There is no antidote for the poison. Animals are treated symptomatically for the poison until it is gone from their system/body. This may involve gastric lavage, intravenous fluids, cooling aids, muscle relaxants, sedatives, anticonvulsants, and anesthetic agents.
Can this poisoning be prevented? Yes. Precautions include inquiring yard maintenance companies regarding products they are using in your yard, keeping potential poisons out of reach of the animals, and using snail killers that are nontoxic to pets (e.g. those not containing metaldehyde and specifically state on their label safe to pets and wildlife) can be performed on a routine basis. Prevention is the key to most poisonings and educating yourself about potential dangers of substances purchased and used in your home or yard. We owe it to our family pets to do our best to stay informed and to keep them safe from harm.
For more information please call 661-263-9000 or visit www.bestvalenciavet.com.