Romeoville Woman Believes Rat Poison Killed Her Dog

Trisha wants to make sure other families don’t have to go what hers did last week.

The Romeoville woman, who asked that only her first name be used, said she wants to warn residents against using dangerous poisons to combat rodent problems after her family dog, a Boston terrier named Piglet, died suddenly last week.

Trisha said her veterinarian believes the dog died after accidentally ingesting rat poison while out on a walk. She said her children, ages 10 and 6, had been helping out while she recovers from surgery by taking the rescue dog out for walks.

“Our dog had gone for a walk with our kids and three days later he passed away because he somehow — and I don’t know where — got into poison,” Trisha said.

“Piglet was so curious, he would sniff and lick all sorts of things,” she said. “He liked to roll around in the dirt and grass.”

Trisha said the family noticed that the dog began acting “off” a few days after the walk.

“I thought he was just not feeling well, so I watched him,” she said. “The following day, he was out playing, but not with his normal spunk, so I stayed up with him the entire night.”

The next day, she took the pooch, which the family had adopted six years earlier, to the veterinarian.

“They took X-rays and saw he was bleeding inside and it was leaking out his penis,” Trisha said. The vet also took blood samples, and said the dog’s blood was “like water,” the Romeoville mom said.

After giving the dog fluids and injections to help induce clotting, the vet sent the pet home with his family.

“He seemed to perk up, so we brought him home and made a nest for him with blankets, one heated, and followed the directions the doctor gave us,” Trisha said. But early Thursday evening, the well-loved pet passed away.

“[The vet] was sure it was a poison used on rats that causes them to bleed out,” she said.

Some rat poisons contain warfarin or other anti-coagulants, which cause internal bleeding. Other poisons meant for rodents can cause swelling of the brain, kidney failure, gastrointestinal bloating or other organ failure in dogs, according to PetMD.com. The poisons come in forms including pellets, which are often green, and blocks.

The family — and the children — are devastated over the loss of Piglet, Trisha said.

“He was a sweet Boston terrier and the kids paid him the most attention,” she said. The family believes the dog encountered poison while out on a walk in the neighborhood.

“We searched the house here and the yards but found nothing to indicate there was bait or any sort of poison, and personally, we do not use that stuff,” Trisha said.

She believes what happened to Piglet was a terrible accident.

“I do not believe it was done on purpose, just an accident,” Trisha said, adding the family's other pets remain healthy.

Trisha said she wanted to share her story to warn other pet owners — and to advise residents who have pest problems to find a safe, pet-friendly way of dealing with them.

“I just don’t think people realize the danger of bating,” Trisha said. “It happened so fast there was little [the vet] could do ... The family is heartbroken.”

Anyone who thinks their pet has ingested poison should contact their veterinarian or, after hours, emergency vet. A pet poison hotline is also available 24/7 at 1-800-213-6680.