PupkeeperToxicEmergency
Dog ate rat poison (anticoagulant type)? Toxic: what to do now
Anticoagulant rat poisons stop a dog's blood from clotting. Bleeding often starts 3 to 7 days later, so get help before signs appear.
If your dog ate or touched this, call your vet or a pet poison line now
United States
Poison lines in other countries: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, France, JM, PR, Singapore, Switzerland, TT, VI
Rat poison: anticoagulant type and dogs: key facts
- Verdict
- Toxic · Emergency: get help now
- What it can do
- Weakness or low energy, pale gums, fast or hard breathing, coughing, sometimes with blood and swollen belly. All 8
- How fast
- 3 to 7 days
- What to do now
- Call your vet or a pet poison line now. All steps
- Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals, Pet Poison Helpline, ASPCA. Reviewed 9 October 2026.
What should I do if my dog ate rat poison (anticoagulant type)?
- Call your vet or a pet poison line now.
- Keep the packaging and bring it with you.
- Go even if your dog looks fine. There is an antidote, and prompt care is key.
Don't
- Don't make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
- Don't give activated charcoal at home.
Symptoms to watch for
- Weakness or low energy
- Pale gums
- Fast or hard breathing
- Coughing, sometimes with blood
- Swollen belly
- Bloody or black, tarry stool
- Bruising
- Swollen, painful joints
When signs appear: 3 to 7 days
Why
These baits use up vitamin K, which the body needs to make clotting factors, so dogs bleed inside the body. A vet can give an antidote.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Anticoagulant Rodenticide Poisoning in Dogs
- Pet Poison Helpline: Long-Acting Anticoagulants
- ASPCA: Rodenticide and Your Pet: What You Need to Know
Guide reviewed 9 October 2026. Page updated 7 November 2026.
General information from the sources above, not a diagnosis. When in doubt, call your vet.