Can dogs and cats eat Rat and mouse poison (anticoagulant baits)?
Most rat and mouse baits stop blood from clotting, leading to internal bleeding. Signs often appear only 3–5 days after eating it.
Why
Anticoagulant rodenticides (vitamin K antagonists, e.g. brodifacoum, bromadiolone)
Signs to watch for
- weakness, lethargy
- pale gums
- difficulty breathing or coughing
- nosebleeds, bleeding gums
- bruising
- blood in urine or stool
Good to know
Contact your vet straight away even if your pet seems fine — effective treatment is available if started early. Bring the packaging: some baits (e.g. bromethalin, cholecalciferol) act differently. Cats can be poisoned by eating poisoned rodents.
If you think your pet has been poisoned
If you suspect your dog or cat has eaten or touched something poisonous, contact your vet or the nearest emergency veterinary clinic immediately, even if your pet seems fine – some poisons take hours or days to show signs, and early treatment works best. Do not try to make your pet vomit unless a vet tells you to, as this can cause more harm. Take the packaging, label or a piece of the plant with you, and note what was eaten, roughly how much, and when.
Sources
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual – Anticoagulant Rodenticide Poisoning in Animals
- PDSA – Rat poisoning in dogs
- Pet Poison Helpline – Rodenticide handout (PDF)
Checked against these sources in October 2026.