Deadly Poison Approved in Alberta: Keep Your Pets Away From Dead Animals
Photo by Kelly Allard
MEDICINE HAT - A powerful poison called strychnine has been approved for emergency use in Alberta to kill gophers. But vets are warning pet owners: this poison will also kill your dogs and cats.
The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association says strychnine is extremely toxic. There is no antidote. If untreated, death can happen in as little as one to two hours.
How Your Pet Gets Poisoned
Your pet gets sick by eating something that has died from the poison:
Eating a dead gopher
Eating a dead bird (like a crow, raven, or hawk)
Eating a dead snake
Eating any dead animal that ate the poison
The poison moves up the food chain, killing each scavenging animal.
⚠️ This Affects City Owners Too
Do not think you are safe just because you live in town.
Birds that eat poisoned gophers can still fly before they die. They might not make it hundreds of kilometers, but they can certainly fly into nearby towns, parks, or suburban yards before the poison kills them.
What To Watch For
Symptoms appear within 10 minutes to 2 hours after eating the poison :
Nervousness and stiffness
Legs locked and splayed out like a sawhorse
Violent seizures triggered by touch, sound, or light
Stopped breathing
If you see these signs, get to an emergency vet immediately.
How To Protect Your Pet
Do not let your pet eat any dead animal. Not gophers, not birds, not snakes. Nothing.
Keep dogs on a leash when walking near fields, ditches, or parks.
Keep cats indoors.
If you find a dead animal on your property, wear gloves, bag it for the trash, or bury it deep.
If your pet suddenly stiffens up or has a seizure, go to the vet NOW. Tell the vet strychnine poisoning is possible.
The Bottom Line
This poison kills more than gophers. It kills birds, snakes, and family pets. And because birds can fly before they die, the danger reaches into towns and cities too.
Treat every dead animal on the ground like it could kill your pet. Because it might.
