In Spring as the weather warms up, our flowers begin to bloom, and our veggies are sprouting!
Along with the sunshine, snails are out in force! At this time of the year, we see an increase in snail bait ingestion, as avid gardeners use snail bait to deter snails from their plants. This unfortunately means, that our beloved pets are at risk when playing and sniffing in the garden!
Snail bait is toxic to our furry friends!
Snail bait toxicity is a rapid onset toxicity, and symptoms are usually seen within an hour!
Symptoms of snail bait toxicity:
- Vomiting – Vomit can be a blue or green colour
- Muscle tremors and seizuring
- Increased Salivation (Drooling)
- Panting (Increased Respiratory Rate)
- Increased Heart Rate
- Rapid Eye Movements (Nystagmus)
- Weakness and lethargy
If you suspect your furry friend has ingested SNAIL BAIT give us a call straight away on (03) 9842 8833 as he/she will require immediate Veterinary Treatment!
Snail Bait toxicity is an EMERGENCY!
What happens when your furry friend arrives at the clinic!
Upon arrival, your little one will be hospitalised for immediate veterinary treatment and supportive care! This involves placing them on intravenous fluids and inducing vomiting to ensure that we can remove as much bait from the stomach as possible!
Depending on the amount ingested, and time since ingestion, your little one may require an enema to help remove any remaining bait from the intestinal tract to reduce absorption of the toxin! A muscle relaxant will be administered in the instance that twitching or a seizure is occurring!
A blood test will be performed upon arrival to check your little ones internal organ function, and they will be monitored closely to manage the effects of a seizure!
