Rat poisoning

To control rodents that breed in residential and non-residential premises, a special rat poison is used. It is freely available, although it is very toxic. The package in which it is sold, contains a detailed instruction on its use. But sometimes people ignore the rules, do not read the recommendations and, carelessly handling the substance, jeopardize the health and even the lives of pets, and even children. Rat poisoning is very dangerous and you need to know how it manifests itself and what actions to take for detoxification. [1]

Rodenticides or "rat poisons" are mixed compounds used to kill rodents. They are one of the most toxic agents commonly found in households.

Pathogenesis

Given the wide range of toxins used as rodenticides, symptoms will vary depending on the toxin ingested. Rodenticides are often categorized on the label by their degree of toxicity. [2]

1. "Dangerous" or highly toxic rodenticides include thallium, sodium monofluoroacetate (fluoroacetate), strychnine, zinc phosphide, aluminum phosphide, elemental phosphorus, arsenic, and barium carbonate. Rarely used or prohibited hazardous toxins are tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TETS, tetramine), aldicarb, alpha-chloralose, and pyrinuron.
2. "Preventive" or toxic rodenticides include alpha-naphthylthiourea (ANTU) and cholecalciferol.
3. "Cautionary" or less toxic rodenticides include anticoagulants (superwarfarin, warfarin), norbormide, bromethalin, and red onion.

Chemical compounds collectively called rodenticides are used to kill harmful rodents. They belong to the preparations of intestinal action. The mechanism of toxic effect is determined by the substances on the basis of which they were created.

Usually the basis is cereals, flavored with aromatic vegetable oil-bait, and coumarins, which are indirect anticoagulants, are used as a poison. Once in the body of the rodent, they inhibit the formation of prothrombin, which leads to blood clotting, blood vessels are affected and after some time there is hemorrhage in the brain. The individual dies.

Symptoms of the rat poisoning

Poisoning with rat poison of a person (most often it happens with a child) manifests itself depending on its amount. The first signs, lasting a day or two, are expressed by a state of lethargy, depression, drowsiness, lack of appetite, rapid fatigue. In the following days there are bruises on the skin and bleeding from the nose, ears, gums, vomiting with blood, blood in the urine, feces, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, pallor of mucous membranes and skin.

Symptoms of poisoning of animals, including dogs, cats, pigs (they are the most susceptible to picking up leftover food), are similar to each other and appear two days after poisoning: vomiting, feces colored turquoise, breathing difficulties, hemorrhages in deep tissues. The animal loses coordination, saliva flows strongly, foaming from the mouth, trembling and convulsions appear.

Stages

In poisoning with rat poison there are 2 stages: asymptomatic (up to 2-3 days) and symptomatic, when clinical signs appear.

Complications and consequences

For animals, poisoning is fatal if adequate measures are not taken in time. For humans (with the exception of small children), the life-threatening dose is too large (at least 150g of poisoned grain) to eat unintentionally, but there is a danger of damaging one's health, organs and systems.

Diagnostics of the rat poisoning

Diagnosis of poisoning by rat poison is based on the story of what happened, symptoms, clinical blood tests (characterized by the appearance of anemia), determination of blood clotting time (indicator of norm 3-6 minutes), test for vitamin K deficiency (necessary for blood clotting, prothrombin).

To investigate the degree of damage to internal organs, instrumental diagnostics is used: ultrasound, MRI, CT, radiography.

Differential diagnosis

Rat poisoning with non-obviousness of the occurrence is differentiated with liver failure, hereditary defects of hemostasis, disorders in the blood coagulation system, absolute deficiency of vitamin K, which is possible when taking antibiotics against the background of malnutrition or certain pathologies of the pancreas, intestine.

Treatment of the rat poisoning

First aid for rat poisoning in both humans and animals should be given immediately and treatment should be aggressive.

In the first 2 hours it is necessary to induce vomiting, further it is ineffective. In animals it is more difficult to do this procedure and still need to pour into the mouth liquid prepared in this way: a tablespoon of soda (salt) per glass of water or mixed in equal proportions of hydrogen peroxide and water. Abundant drinking is indicated.

The treatment is vitamin K1. Taking activated charcoal removes toxins well, but reduces the effectiveness of the vitamin.

In severe cases of poisoning resort to blood transfusion, is carried out and other symptomatic therapy aimed at restoring the affected organs.

Medications

Vitamin K1 can be found in pharmacies under different trade names: phytomenadione, phylloquinone, conakion, canavit, K-Ject.

Phytomenadione is a transparent viscous liquid with a faint odor. Therapeutic dose of 5mg per kilogram of body weight per day, the course of treatment lasts up to 6 weeks, because blood coagulation is disturbed for a long time. The drug is taken 3-4 times, but can be up to 6 times a day. Contraindicated in case of increased blood clotting, thromboembolism.

Polysorb MP - sorbs poison that has entered the body and removes dangerous toxins from the body. It is available in powder for preparation of suspension. For adults, a tablespoon of the drug is dissolved in a glass of water, children (up to a year old are not prescribed) - a teaspoon, taken after shaking or stirring. In the age range of 1-7 years it is recommended to take 150-200mg per kg of body weight per day, for older children and adults - 12-24mg, distributed into 3-4 doses.

Contraindicated in peptic ulcer disease, intestinal obstruction, during pregnancy and lactation. Can cause constipation.

The drug diarcan can be applied to animals, which prevents absorption of toxins into the blood by enveloping the mucosa inside the digestive organs. It is administered 2 times a day at interval of 12 hours (in severe cases 3 times in 8 hours) in doses: to animals weighing 1-5 kg - half of sugar cube (in such form it is produced); 5-15 kg - cube, 15-30 kg - 1,5 cube; 30 kg and more - 2 cube. The drug is hand-fed or added to food. In case of adverse reactions: vomiting, dermatitis, treatment is stopped.

Gamavit is a complex preparation of biologically active substances, used in addition to other indications and poisoning of animals. It contains salts of minerals, vitamins, amino acids necessary for the body. The solution is administered subcutaneously, intravenously or drip once, and the usual therapeutic dose (0.3-0.5ml/kg) is increased 3-5 times.

Specific treatment

Renal replacement therapy

• Includes hemodialysis, permanent renal replacement, or charcoal hemoperfusion for heavy metal poisoning such as thallium, arsenic, or barium.

Benzodiazepines

• Indicated in muscle spasms and convulsions, especially in strychnine poisoning. [3]

British anti-Luisite

• Used for chelation in acute arsenic poisoning. [4]

Meso-2,3-dimercaptoanthanoic acid (DMSA) or 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonate (DMPS)

• Used for chelation in chronic arsenic poisoning.

Sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate

• It is specifically used for acute ingestion of barium carbonate, making it a non-absorbable barium sulfate compound. [5]

Nicotinamide (intravenous)

• Used in cases of pyriminil poisoning to replenish NAD and NADH products for cellular energy metabolism. [6]

Mineralocorticoids

• Used for orthostatic hypotension in pyriminil poisoning.

Digoxin immune Fab

• Used for symptomatic treatment in red onion poisoning. [7]

Most importantly, clinicians should assess and manage patients in consultation with a regional poison center or toxicology resource.

Prevention

It is easier to avoid rat poisoning than to cure it. Therefore, the first preventive measure is the observance of precautions, proper storage of such products, spreading poison in places inaccessible to children and animals, protection of hands with rubber gloves, training of dogs.

Forecast

Animals often die from such poisons, immediate contact with the veterinary service can save. For adults, the prognosis is favorable, and for children - depends on the dose and speed of treatment measures.