Rodent poison bait found near České Budějovice, Czechia: pets at risk

Unknown people are laying bait containing rodent poison in the municipality of Kamenný Újezd in the České Budějovice area, and it is dangerous for dogs and cats. Local authorities have warned animal owners, including on social media.

The rodenticide attracts pets with its smell and fatty base. The bait has been found right in pet owners' gardens, and also simply lying in the grass along a road.

A dog ate bait in a garden

Vets dealt with the first case. An owner phoned the clinic: her dog was hiding something in its mouth in the garden and chewing it. She ran over and found a bag of blue bait containing poison meant for rodents. The story was told by vet Veronika Křížová from České Budějovice.

The owner immediately drove to the clinic with the dog. Doctors began treatment at once and induced vomiting to remove the stomach contents before the poison was absorbed. The dog got off without serious harm, but rodenticide poisoning can end in death.

What the vet advises

“A dog does not have to look for the bait on purpose; a moment of inattention, sniffing the grass or curiosity is enough,” Křížová warned. She advises all dog owners in Kamenný Újezd to be extremely careful on walks and in their own gardens, and to check the areas where their pets run.

If you have the slightest suspicion that a dog or cat has eaten the bait, do not wait for symptoms and call a vet immediately. Do not induce vomiting without consulting a doctor first. With some rodenticides, signs of poisoning appear only after several days.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz