Why Gopher Poison Is Dangerous for Dogs and Cats

If you have dogs or cats and you are considering using rodenticide bait for gopher control — or if a pest control company is proposing to use bait on your property — you need to understand the specific risks before proceeding. Anticoagulant rodenticide bait is one of the most common causes of accidental pet poisoning in California, and the risk is not limited to pets that directly eat the bait. Secondary poisoning from eating a poisoned gopher is a real and documented cause of pet death.

Direct Ingestion Risk

Rodenticide bait is designed to be palatable to rodents, which means it is formulated to be attractive and edible. Dogs in particular are drawn to bait products and will seek out and eat bait placed in underground stations or scattered in yards. A dog that eats a sufficient quantity of anticoagulant bait — brodifacoum, bromadiolone, or related compounds — will develop the same internal bleeding the bait is designed to cause in gophers, just at a larger scale. Symptoms may not appear for several days after ingestion, during which time the poison is doing its damage.

Cats are less likely to directly eat grain-based bait but will investigate bait stations placed in their territory. Long-haired cats can also carry bait on their coats and ingest it during grooming.

Secondary Poisoning Risk

Dogs that catch and eat poisoned gophers — which is not uncommon in households where dogs have yard access — are at risk of secondary poisoning from the anticoagulant accumulated in the gopher's tissue. A dog that eats multiple poisoned gophers over a period of days can accumulate enough secondary toxin to be seriously harmed. Cats that hunt gophers face the same risk. The gopher does not need to have died from the poison — an animal that consumed a sublethal dose still carries significant poison in its tissue when a dog or cat catches it.

Symptoms of Rodenticide Poisoning in Pets

Anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning in pets typically presents 3-5 days after ingestion with symptoms including lethargy, weakness, pale gums, difficulty breathing, coughing, and visible bleeding from the gums, nose, or in urine. By the time symptoms appear the animal has often been poisoned for several days. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten rodenticide bait or a poisoned rodent, contact a veterinarian immediately — do not wait for symptoms. Early treatment with Vitamin K1 is highly effective if started before symptoms develop.

The Safest Choice for Pet-Owning Households

Rodent Guys uses only professional trapping and carbon monoxide for all gopher control jobs. No rodenticide bait is placed on your property — ever. Carbon monoxide is applied directly into active tunnel systems underground and dissipates completely within the tunnel. No residue, no accessible bait, no pathway for your dog or cat to be exposed. Traps remove animals mechanically with nothing left on your property between service visits that poses a risk to pets.

If a pest control company proposes to use bait on a property with dogs or cats, ask them specifically what active ingredient they are using, where and how it is placed, and what the secondary poisoning risk is for pets. Their answer will tell you a great deal about how seriously they take pet safety.

Related Articles

• Secondary Poisoning — How Rodenticide Kills Hawks and Owls
• Trapping vs. Poison — Why Chemical-Free Control Is Better
• Why Pet-Safe Gopher Control Matters

Call 909-599-4711 for gopher control that is completely safe for your dogs and cats.