The active ingredient metaldehyde in slug pellets is a nerve toxin with a lethal dose of 0.2 to 0.5 g per kilogram of body weight. First symptoms like vomiting, muscle spasms, and severe trembling appear as soon as 30 to 60 minutes after ingestion. There is no antidote. For this article we sought advice from veterinarian Mag.med.vet. Emin Jasarevic.
When a dog is poisoned by slug pellets, you need to act fast.
Why are slug pellets toxic to dogs?
The packaging of most slug-pellet products states that they are not toxic to pets. That is often misleading and in some cases simply false. Slug pellets, as the name suggests, are made to drive slugs and snails out of the garden. Once they take up the poison, they are doomed.
But this toxin is dangerous for your companion too. If he eats it, it becomes a life-threatening emergency for him as well. Slug pellets take effect many times faster than rat poison!
That is why the first symptoms appear just 30 to 60 minutes after the pellets are eaten!
Which active ingredients are toxic?
1. Metaldehyde
Metaldehyde is a nerve toxin derived from sulfuric acid and contained in slug pellets. Eating it leads to muscle spasms, a racing heart, and ultimately death.
The lethal dose of metaldehyde lies, depending on the breed, between 0.2 g and 0.5 g per kilogram of body weight. It also takes effect faster than rat poison. There are no specific symptoms that point exclusively to this nerve toxin. Only a lab test can provide one-hundred-percent certainty here. In your dog's body, metaldehyde is converted into acetaldehyde and then into acetic acid. It does not deter dogs, because it tastes sweet to them. While slug pellets are supposed to be enriched with bittering agents, that is not always the case. And even then, it won't necessarily stop your furry friend from eating the pellets anyway.
2. Thiodicarb and methiocarb
Thiodicarb and methiocarb are used mainly in crop protection. They are found especially with corn, cotton, and soybeans, where they fight beetles, butterflies, and slugs. They are considered nerve toxins and are also used against agricultural pest birds.
These substances make dogs restless and agitated. This is often accompanied by painful spasms. In manufacturing, thiodicarb is produced through a chemical reaction between methomyl and thionyl chloride. It was not approved by the EU Commission in 2007. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, however, its use is not punishable by law.
Thiodicarb is classified as possibly carcinogenic, methiocarb merely as highly toxic. These two slug-pellet ingredients also trigger a wide range of poisoning symptoms.
3. Iron(III) phosphate
Iron(III) phosphate is found in pharmaceuticals, in ceramics, and in pesticides, or indeed in slug pellets. It also occurs in nature as the mineral strengite in soil. It is produced through a chemical reaction between iron hydroxide and phosphoric acid.
While the active ingredient is considered harmless to warm-blooded animals, you should be cautious about that statement. It is poorly soluble in water, and for smaller dogs there is also a risk of choking.
How does a dog take in the poison?
Most dogs that poison themselves with slug pellets eat them directly. Whether out of curiosity or for some other reason. This is especially true of puppies. Because of their low weight, they also have a greater risk of poisoning. But there are many more ways your protégé can take in the poison. For example, when he has simply walked through a flowerbed or a field and then licks his paws. In doing so he can eat a pellet that has gotten between his toes, or take in pellets that have already dissolved.
But even if your companion eats a snail that died from the poisonous pellets, the poison is passed on to him too. Also make sure your four-legged friend doesn't drink from any puddle near farm fields during walks. Because of the large amounts of pesticides applied here, this is another potential route to poisoning.
What are the symptoms?
There are no concrete symptoms that point explicitly to slug-pellet poisoning. That is why the signs that indicate poisoning are very varied. As a rule, the first signs appear after 30 to 60 minutes. With smaller amounts, possibly a little later. These include:
- Vomiting (with blood) | toxic granules can sometimes be spotted in the vomit
- Irritation of the mouth and eye mucous membranes, drooling
- Irregular heartbeat, racing heart
- Falling body temperature
- Rapid breathing and heavy panting
- Restlessness and agitation
- Diarrhea
- Muscle spasms and severe trembling
- High fever
- Coma
- Unsteady gait, loss of coordination
IMPORTANT: Can't clearly identify the poison, but can you say for certain that your protégé did not take in slug pellets? Then consider other poisons.
Rat poison is also used in attacks on dogs. Insects such as wasps, bumblebees, bees, or hornets can likewise deliver a poison injection. They also introduce foreign protein, which can lead to anaphylactic shock. After walks in the woods, asp vipers, meadow vipers, or common adders cannot be ruled out either!
Steps to take if your dog has eaten the poison
1. If it has just happened
If you have seen your furry friend lick or eat slug pellets, you must react immediately. There is, after all, no antidote to the metaldehyde contained in slug pellets.
Call your vet or an emergency clinic immediately and go straight there. Bring the packaging or a sample so the active ingredient can be identified quickly.
Activated charcoal can bind some toxins in the gastrointestinal tract, but with slug pellets it is only one possible measure alongside urgent treatment. Give activated charcoal only if your vet or emergency clinic tells you to. If your dog is already trembling, seizing, vomiting, or cannot swallow safely, giving tablets can be dangerous.
More information on the topic of charcoal tablets.
IMPORTANT: Do not waste time trying to buy charcoal tablets. Call your vet or an emergency clinic and drive straight there instead.
2. If you already notice symptoms
Should this happen, you can no longer take any medical emergency measures. Now your dog needs to get to the vet as fast as possible!
During transport, keep an eye on the vital functions and keep him conscious. Resuscitate him if necessary!
IMPORTANT: Do NOT induce vomiting by manipulation, such as by administering other substances! Otherwise the danger can get a great deal worse. Your weakened dog's airways could be blocked by the vomit, creating a risk of choking. A muzzle loop is also strictly forbidden!
How can you support your vet?
- If available, secure a sample of the poison or poison bait and bring it with you.
- Vomit can also be helpful.
- A stool or urine sample passed after the poison was ingested is also helpful.
- During transport, also pay attention to how the vital signs change over time. This way an improvement or deterioration can be determined later.
What else you should do
The poisonous pellets can appear in the most varied colors. Blue, red, and green, they come in many colors. Should you spot them, keep your furry companion well away. If slug pellets are being used in your own garden, then your companion has no business being there for the time being. The risk of poisoning is too great.
- When slug pellets are used in the garden, always store the packaging out of reach of children and pets. A locked cabinet, etc.
- Otherwise skip them entirely and don't use them in the first place.
What are slug pellets?
Slug pellets are a pesticide that works specifically against harmful slugs and snails. They take the form of colorful, usually blue pellets and can contain various poisons that can also harm dogs.
Are slug pellets toxic to dogs?
Slug pellets are toxic to dogs depending on the ingredient. There is also a risk of choking for smaller dogs. So it's best to avoid using them in your own garden, and on walks make sure your dog does not take in any slug pellets.
Are snails and slugs dangerous to dogs?
Snails and slugs are harmless to dogs, unless they have died from slug pellets. If your dog then eats them, he also takes in the poisonous slug pellets. So it's better to keep your dog from eating snails and slugs.
How does slug-pellet poisoning show in a dog?
Slug-pellet poisoning in a dog shows through various symptoms. These include vomiting blood, trembling, fainting, fever, panting, or diarrhea.
What do I have to do in the case of slug-pellet poisoning?
Call your vet or an emergency clinic immediately and go straight there. Give activated charcoal only if you are told to. Never try to force your dog to vomit, because that can make his condition even worse.
Were you paying attention?
Question 1 of 3How fast do the first symptoms of slug-pellet poisoning appear?
Recommendation from the vet
Slug pellets are no laughing matter! So if you see that your protégé has eaten slug pellets or is showing symptoms of poisoning, you need to act fast.
For first aid, the priority is immediate contact with your vet or an emergency clinic. Give activated charcoal only if instructed.
If you do not have activated charcoal at home, drive your companion straight to the vet. That way you do not lose time. If you notice the symptoms and aren't sure what the cause might be, you should likewise see the vet. Besides slug pellets, rat poison or other toxic substances can also be the trigger.
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