It is important to note that the patient’s PT should be checked 72 hours after the last dose of vitamin K1. Once factor II is deficient, the PT and APTT will be prolonged and clinical signs of bleeding will appear. A prolonged PT may be present before clinical signs are apparent as factor VII has the shortest half-life. Your veterinarian may request a PT as a baseline test prior to vitamin K administration, and again 48 and 72 hours after exposure. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), activated clotting time (ACT), and CBC’s are commonly performed tests. Your veterinarian may ask you to perform laboratory tests on the patient. Clinical signs may initially include lethargy, anorexia, and weakness, and progress to vomiting, diarrhea, melena, dyspnea, hemothorax, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hemorrhaging, swollen joints, bruising, and pale mucous membrane color. It may take one to seven days after ingestion for this to occur and for clinical signs to develop. Rodenticides work by antagonizing vitamin K, which causes the vitamin K1 dependent clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X to be depleted. Fresh plasma or fresh frozen plasma may be administered if only clotting factors are necessary. In severe cases, whole blood transfusions may be needed to replace red blood cells and clotting factors. Clients must be told to administer the entire prescription of vitamin K1, because some rodenticides can be reactivated for up to six weeks post-ingestion. Administering vitamin K1 with a fatty meal, such as some canned pet food, will enhance absorption. Your veterinarian may prescribe the antidote, vitamin K1, to be given by mouth daily for three to four weeks. Activated charcoal may also be administered to slow absorption. For example, if the poison was ingested less than four hours before treatment, an antiemetic may be administered to rid the stomach of the bait. The questions above are important because they dictate the laboratory testing and course of treatment your veterinarian may pursue.

When and how much of the substance was ingested? Is there evidence of the bait in the vomitus or the stool? What is the name of the product that was ingested? The client should bring a package of the bait with them to their appointment, if possible. When a pet presents to your veterinary hospital with a history of ingesting anticoagulant rodenticide bait, there are several questions you should ask the client.

Jennifer Martin, Veterinary Technology Program Director, Colby Community CollegeĪccording to the EPA, more than 100 pets die every year from being poisoned by anticoagulant rodenticides.

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