Spring is here at last! The seasons are officially changing, the days are getting longer, flowers are starting to bloom, and everyone is starting to spend more time outside, doing fun things like hiking, going to the park, and gardening. Since March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month, we wanted to take a moment to talk to you about one of the risks associated with that last activity – gardening….
This spring weather starts to bring out the garden pests – slugs and snails. A lot of people opt to use snail bait to help protect all of their pretty flowers and new vegetables, but unfortunately this is highly toxic to pets – even small amounts can be life threatening! Snail bait is formulated in chewable pellets that are flavored with molasses, apple and bran to attract the snails, but our dogs (and some cats) find this a tasty treat as well. Snail bait is also available in liquid and powder formulations, which can get onto paws and be licked off with normal grooming. Additionally, many of these products also contain insecticides, which make the exposure potentially even more toxic.
Symptoms include the following:
•Anxiety
•Panting
•Drooling
•Twitching
•High fever
•Hypersalivating (drooling)
•Vomiting
•Ataxia (lack of coordination)
•Seizures
•Muscle tremors
•Hyperthermia (high fever)
•Convulsions
If you even suspect that your pet may have been exposed to snail bait, give us a call immediately at 530-666-2461!