Horse vs Rat Poison & Snail Pellets?

Question

My 12 yur old thoroughbred gelding ate ratsak & snail pellets last week after breaking into a shed. Thankfully we saved him, but I was wondering if anyone out there has encountered anything like this and if so how you went and is there anything that you can recommend for recovery?

Thanks!

Answer 1

What did your vet say?

Rat poison usually dehydrates and that's how the rodents die.  I believe snail pellets do the same thing.  Dehydrates them.

This isn't a good thing for your horse's stomach.  Please say you called your vet!!

The poison symptoms don't usually appear until 5-7 days after ingestion.  By then, it may be too late for your horse.  In dogs...they have to have a Vitamin K drip...if they catch it in time.  Too late to tube a charcoal goo...if that would even work for a horse...I don't know for sure.

Don't know what they do for horses.  No one I know has had this problem...

**Edit... Interesting!  Vitamin K for a horse too.  No charcoal?  Just learning here...I've never heard of it happening.  Bummer about the sheep.  I know my horses are like "monkey see, monkey do".  If one does something...they all decide to do it.  From chewing on trees to rolling.  Wonder if your guy just 'followed' the sheep.

Glad he's doing well!  I probably would have needed Valium too...to get me through the stress!!

Being I'm learning here...what kind of symptoms did your your horse have?  How did you know he ate rat poison?  Obviously you stated he had seizures...when did those start?

Sorry for all the questions...this is interesting to me...

**EDit...there are some posters that will be on the site in 'my' morning...a few more hours.  You will probably get some good answers from them.  Just be patient!

Answer 2

I am so pleased that your horse recovered!!  I can recommend that you keep all poisons as far away from your horse area as you can..it's best to keep a fence in between a horse and where the materials are stored.  

I would depend on your vets prognosis for aftercare.  I've not encountered this with our horses as we have a fence, and garage between them and the bad stuff.

http://cvm-bs01-01.cvhs.okstate.edu/inde...

http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/features/rode...

http://www.vetstoria.co.uk/templates/rat...

Some good links to information on rat poisons and how they effect the animal that ingests it.

Answer 3

Holy cow!!!! I'm glad to hear he is good!!!!! I just learned something too!!!!! Vit K hummmm. GREAT to know!!!! Dam, that is one reason all the stuff is in the garage.... That is sooooo scary!!!!