Dog poison warning
At least eight dogs were rushed to vets in Queenstown over the weekend after eating rabbit poison Pindone.
Remarkable Vets senior veterinarian Alec Kemp says there's been a huge spike in the number of dogs coming into the surgery after contact with the pesticide.
Green dyed baits containing Pindone are dropped across reserves and walking tracks around Queenstown Lakes by contractors, as Queenstown Lakes District Council attempts to control the rampant rabbit population.
"In the past 24 hours, I've seen eight animals that had either eaten Pindone or were suffering the effects of poisoning," Kemp says on Sunday morning.
"If we catch them in the first couple of hours, we can make them vomit. It's just a case of getting the Pindone out of their system. If it's been more than a few hours, we can give them Vitamin K [which acts as an antidote], and sometimes if they're really bad, they need a blood transfusion or a more intensive work up, but fortunately, touch wood, these ones haven't this weekend."
Pindone is an anti-coagulant rodenticide, which can also pose serious risks to humans and other domestic pets, such as cats, although cats are less likely to ingest the primary toxin due to their eating habits.
Symptoms of Pindone toxicity can include pale gums, lethargy, coughing, difficulty breathing, and bleeding issues such as nose bleeds or blood in the urine. They may not appear for a few days after ingestion.
Kemp says the cases have been coming in from across Queenstown.
"We've had them from all over the place; Cardrona, Gibbston, Jack's Point. It's that time of year when there are a lot of drops because they're trying to catch the rabbits before we head into spring. While there's not a lot of food around, the rabbits will eat the bait easily."
Contractors have been dropping bait three times a week, by motorbike and helicopter, since 14 July, at sites across Queenstown Lakes.
In Queenstown itself, the areas are Twin Trails – from Zoological Gardens to bank below Hawthorne Drive, Queenstown Event Centre Hay Paddock, and Morven Ferry Reserve. Further afield, drops have been made at Albert Town Old Oxidation Ponds (Cameron Creek), Cardrona River Mouth Reserve, Little Mount Iron Reserve, Peninsula Bay Reserve – Bremner Bay to Waimana Place, and Clutha Outlet Reserve.
Signage should be in place until there is no risk to the public or dogs. Dogs should be kept on leash in the meantime, or away from the areas, and owners should be vigilant for symptoms of Pindone poisoning.
Advice from the QLDC baiting control web page, where there's also a map of the affected areas.
- Do not touch the bait
- Watch children at all times
- Do not eat animals from these areas or within 2km of it
- Do not allow dogs access to animal carcasses or bait
- Keep dogs on leash and under control at all times
- Signage will be removed when there is no risk to the public or dogs.
