Dog Ate an Ant Poison Trap – What to Do Next

A single unit of ant poison and ant bait is usually not designed to be life-threatening to dogs but that doesn’t mean it won’t have any effect on them. Dogs can get sick from eating ant poison traps. The severity of ant poison will depend on factors such as the type of insecticide and the amount the dog ingested.

What happens if dogs eat ant bait

The active ingredient of the ant poison or ant bait will be a primary factor in determining what happens to your dog. For example, dogs that manage to swallow ant traps that use borax as an active ingredient (such as the Terro ant bait) may get away with it and only show mild symptoms. Borax poisoning could happen, however, if the dog eats more than a single ant trap.

Ant traps that use insecticide as an active ingredient may be more dangerous to dogs. Avermectin, for example, is an active ingredient used in Raid ant traps. It may have an effect on the dog’s central nervous system if consumed in large enough quantity. A report by veterinarian Petra Volmer does, however, suggest that animals can be resistant to the negative effects unless they suffer from a deficiency in certain enzymes.

To summarize, a healthy dog may end up being fine if they only ate a single ant trap. They may show a few concerning symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea but nothing that could be considered life-threatening. That said, you shouldn’t assume that your dog will be okay even if they act normal. A call to the vet would be recommended as fast action (e.g. induce vomiting) may prevent the ant poison from getting absorbed in the first place.

What to do if your dog ate ant poison

It could take anywhere from a few hours to a few days for the ant poison to have an effect on the dog’s body. If your dog eats an ant poison trap in front of you, don’t freak out. Panicking could make your dog feel stressed and anxious.

Ideally, we would call the vet and request for help. Provide them with information such as the type of ant poison the dog ate and how long it has been since the dog ate it. Watch over your dog carefully over the next few days in case he shows any signs of poisoning symptoms. Make sure the dog has access to plenty of fresh drinking water.