What a nightmare idea: unsuspectingly you go for your usual walk with your dog. Your dog rummages in bushes and sniffs its way across the forest. And why not – after all, he does it every day and is always available. Hours later, your dog will show signs of poisoning, vomit, develop a fever, and stagger around the apartment, for example. Upon examination by the vet, it turns out that your dog ate poisoned bait. Some such incidents end lightly, but other dogs can no longer be helped.
What do poison baits look like?
In order to spot a lure early, you need to know what it can look like. A bait can be meat, such as liverwurst or ground beef, or it can be a stale bun. When you hear the term “poison bait” you immediately think of rat poison or slug pellets, with which the tasty meat is spiked. However, razor blades, barbed wire, and other things are also part of the baits. They don’t poison the dog but cause serious internal injuries that require surgery.
Who puts out poison baits in nature?
Not only affected dog owners ask this question, but also veterinarians and the police. The perpetrators are liable to prosecution because they violate the Animal Welfare Act. Anyone who uses poisoned bait is usually a dog hater. They use the bait to take revenge on dog owners and their animals. This can affect dogs in general or specific dogs that live in the neighborhood, for example.
Of course, laying out poison can’t be intentional. Maybe someone accidentally dropped the preparation; that can be the poison bait for the mice in your own basement.
What to do in an emergency
When dogs have eaten poisoned bait, they will show various symptoms over time. When poisoned, animals often suffer from:
- Vomit
- Diarrhea
- difficulty breathing
- cramps or muscle tremors
- unconsciousness
If your dog shows these signs after a walk, hurry – every minute counts! Choose the direct route to the doctor or veterinary clinic and explain that it is an emergency. Were you able to take part of the poisoned bait that was laid out for your dog? Great, then by all means bring it with you to the exam. The doctor examines your dog, takes x-rays of the abdomen, and tries to clarify what the four-legged friend is suffering from. Depending on how far the bait has been digested, the dog will most likely need surgery. The vet tries to remove everything and treat any injuries in the abdomen.
How can you protect yourself and your dog from poison bait?
If a dog owner wants to completely rule out the danger of a poisoned bait being laid out, the dog would have to wear a muzzle at all times. However, this is not an actual option for dog owners or their dogs. Unfortunately, the poison attacks have not been listed centrally by the police so far. Although the authorities know that more poisoned baits are laid out in larger cities, there is no uniform register. If you find poisoned bait, your dog has eaten one, or you catch a criminal in the act, you should definitely report it to the police! Only then can the dog haters be convicted and the danger to the animals decreases.
One option is what is known as anti-bait training. You train your four-legged friend not to eat anything lying on the floor without permission. Such training is time-consuming, but it can protect dogs from poisonous baits placed in parks, forests, or meadows.
