My pet ate ant bait with indoxacarb. What should I do immediately?

The good news is that these traps have a small amount of product and Indoxacab isn't toxic to dogs in small amounts. In most cases, exposure to these traps usually does not require any treatment. Typically if signs are seen at all, they are mild in nature, self-limiting, and usually attributed to the inert ingredients instead of the active ingredient. Don't be surprised if you see a little vomiting or diarrhea. However, there are some ant baits that ALSO contain forms of arsenic that can result in more severe GI signs. It doesn't seem like this one does, so you got very lucky with this.

There are a variety of ant traps on the market. Most contain a small percentage of a substance poisonous for the ants, and a large percentage of a sugary or greasy substance to attract the ants to eat the poison. For instance, the packaging on Raid Ant Baits lists n-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide .5% and 99.5% inert ingredients. The .5% is so small that there is no danger to your animal if ingested. Other traps contain a chemical commonly used to kill fleas and if ingested is just as benign. The inert ingredient for the Raid trap happens to be peanut butter. So of course, your dog smells a treat and tries to chew it up to get to the peanut butter! So if an ant trap is ingested, the main concern is the potential for obstruction if the object or container becomes lodged in the stomach or intestines. If your dog chewed up one of the plastic traps and consumed some of the sharp pieces we recommend you feed several small pieces of bread or other type of fiber that can help the pieces pass through the animal without harm. Keep an eye on him/her to make sure eating, drinking, and defecation all continue as normal. Also, you can expect some vomiting and maybe even a little diarrhea from eating a non-food item. If the vomiting or diarrhea becomes persistent and your dog’s attitude or behavior changes, get in to see the vet right away.

If ingested in high doses, indoxacarb can lead to seizures in cats. However, this medication has a relatively high margin of safety in both dogs and cats. I do not know how many indoxacarb-containing cockroaches would constitute a toxic dose., but it is unlikely that eating an infected cockroach or two will cause significant problems. Obviously try to avoid ingestion of any cockroaches if at all possible. Ideally consider kenneling Fox or sending him to a friend's house while you are treating your home for cockroaches to avoid exposure.

Borax can be toxic to dogs if enough is ingested. It would be best to contact your vet or an ER clinic ASAP if he ate some. You can also contact the Pet Poison Helpline (there is a fee for this service) at https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ if you know how much he ate to see if it was a toxic amount that requires monitoring or immediate care. If you don't know the amount, seeking care in person ASAP is best.

An immediate check up is needed. This kind of toxicity can lead to severe side effects and treatment should be initiated as soon as possible. That would include IV fluids, gastric decontamination and medication to decrease gastrointestinal absorption. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

The roachbait is not toxic to dogs. The only problem dogs have with the bait is the bait box if they swallow it. It could cause an intestinal obstruction or blockage. So, if Gretchen did not eat the baitstation/box, she should be alright. Seems like roach bait smells goooood to dogs, too!

While the ant bait itself is mildly toxic, the concern lies in if Tim ate the trap's plastic housing. It's possible that the plastic housing could cause an intestinal tract obstruction or damage to the GI tract . If he just chewed it and didn't eat any part of the trap itself, he should be just fine. If he did eat the plastic housing, I would monitor him for sign of obstruction and damage to the GI tract such as lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, blood in the vomit, diarrhea, and blood in the feces. If you see any of those signs, I would have Tim seen by a vet. I hope this helps!