Rat poisoning in dogs – signs and what to do

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: PDSA

Contact a vet today

Contact your vet today if you think your dog has this – it can become serious. Rat poisoning is poisoning caused by a dog eating rat or mouse poison.

What to do now

What you can do now

Contact your vet today.
Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
Keep fresh water available.

Don't

Do not wait to see if symptoms develop.
Do not give any human medicine.

What it is

Rat poisoning happens when a dog eats rat or mouse poison, which can be highly toxic.^[1] It can cause internal bleeding, kidney failure and even death.^[1]

Signs

Weakness and lethargy
Vomiting or coughing blood
Nose bleeds
Bleeding from the gums or pale gums
Blood in the wee
Blood in the poo, including red or black poo
Bruising
Breathing difficulties
Drinking and weeing more
Not wanting to eat

Causes and risk factors

Eating rat or mouse poison

How a vet finds out

Blood tests
X-rays
Ultrasound

How vets treat it

Fluids or a drip
Hospitalisation
Oxygen
Blood transfusion
Medication

What the experts say

“Treatment depends on which poison your dog has eaten, how much they have eaten, and how long it’s been since they ate it. After determining these factors and after checking your dog over, your vet will decide on the best course of treatment.”
— PDSA [1]

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What should I do if I think my dog has eaten rat poison?

Contact your vet immediately and do not wait to see if symptoms develop.^[1]

What signs can rat poisoning cause in dogs?

Signs can include weakness and lethargy, vomiting or coughing blood, nose bleeds, bleeding from the gums or pale gums, blood in the wee or poo, bruising, breathing difficulties, drinking and weeing more, and not wanting to eat.^[1]

How does a vet decide on treatment?

Treatment depends on which poison your dog has eaten, how much they have eaten and how long it has been since they ate it; after checking your dog, the vet will decide on the best course of treatment.^[1]

Sources

PDSA

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages