Several dog owners have reported having to take their dogs to vets in the city after seeing them eat blocks of the poison near a rubbish bin.
Vets@StClair vet and owner Dr Sarah Stephen said most rat baits had a characteristic green/blue colour, but dogs and cats had poor colour vision and may mistake it for food.
Most rat baits contain anticoagulants which cause dogs to die from internal bleeding.
Symptoms include weakness and the dog may be cold, their gums will be pale, and sometimes they may have nose bleeds, or their urine or faeces may be bloody.
Unfortunately, it could take several days for a dog to show symptoms after eating the poison.
She said poisoning could be lethal and dog owners who had been in the area recently should contact their vet immediately to see if treatment and an antidote were needed.
- Are you affected? Email reporters@odt.co.nz
