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Iron-based snail/slug bait (iron phosphate / iron EDTA)
Also known as: Iron-based snail/slug bait, Iron-based snail and slug baits, Iron-based snail and slug bait (iron EDTA / iron phosphate), Iron-based slug and snail bait, Iron-based snail and slug bait (iron EDTA / iron phosphate with chelating agents)
dog severe
Go to the vet immediately — don't wait for symptoms.
cat moderate
Call your vet, describe what happened, and follow their guidance.
- Confidence
- high
- Trend Term
- Iron (snail/slug bait) Iron (in snail/slug bait) Iron-based snail and slug baits Snail and slug bait (iron-based) Iron (slug bait) Snail and slug baits (iron-based) Iron (in snail/slug baits)
- Summary
- Iron-based snail and slug baits contain iron phosphate or iron EDTA (ferric sodium EDTA) as active ingredients and are often marketed as "pet-safe" alternatives to metaldehyde-based products, but they can still cause significant iron toxicosis in pets. In dogs, ingestion—especially of iron EDTA formulations—can cause hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, acid-base disturbances, and, in large amounts, damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, or brain, potentially leading to organ failure and death. Typical signs include vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain, and lethargy; cats are also at risk and have been reported to develop vomiting and diarrhea after ingestion. Iron-based snail and slug baits (containing iron phosphate, sodium iron EDTA, or ferrous oxide) are pesticide products used to kill slugs and snails that can cause iron toxicosis in pets if ingested in sufficient quantities. In dogs, doses above 60 mg/kg of elemental iron are considered potentially serious, causing GI hemorrhage, metabolic acidosis, and liver damage, while doses of 100–200 mg/kg can be fatal without treatment; multiple veterinary and poison-control sources document deaths and severe illness in dogs. Cats are less commonly affected due to lower attraction to the bait, but ingestion can still cause vomiting, diarrhea, collapse, liver failure, and, with repeated exposure, intestinal scarring; typical clinical signs across both species include vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, abdominal pain, lethargy, and—in severe cases—cardiovascular compromise, shock, and coma. Iron-based snail and slug baits contain iron phosphate or iron EDTA (ferric sodium EDTA) as active ingredients and are often marketed as "pet-safe" alternatives to metaldehyde baits, but ingestion can cause significant iron toxicosis in dogs and cats. The chelating agents (EDTA) used in some formulations increase iron absorption, and large ingestions can lead to gastrointestinal hemorrhage, metabolic acidosis, and damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, or brain, potentially resulting in organ failure and death. Typical clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea (including hemorrhagic diarrhea), abdominal pain, lethargy, and discolored stool, which may be delayed up to 24 hours or more after ingestion. Iron-based snail and slug baits (containing ferric sodium EDTA or iron phosphate) are pesticide products marketed as "pet-safer" alternatives to metaldehyde baits, but they can still cause significant iron toxicosis in pets, particularly dogs. The chelating agents in these formulations increase iron absorption, and large ingestions can cause hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, acid-base disturbances, and damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, or brain, potentially leading to organ failure and death. Typical signs include vomiting, diarrhea (including hemorrhagic diarrhea), abdominal pain, lethargy, and dehydration, which may not appear until 6–24 hours after ingestion. Iron-based slug and snail baits (containing iron phosphate, iron EDTA, or ferrous oxide) are pesticide products marketed as safer alternatives to metaldehyde baits, but ingestion can cause serious iron toxicosis in pets. In dogs, even moderate doses can trigger hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, acid-base disturbances, and — at higher doses — damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, or brain, potentially leading to organ failure and death. Cats are less commonly affected due to dietary selectivity, but can still develop gastrointestinal signs, liver disease, intestinal scarring, cardiovascular compromise, and death if sufficient amounts are ingested; typical signs across species include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, lethargy, collapse, and coma. Iron-based snail and slug baits (containing iron EDTA or iron phosphate combined with chelating agents) are garden pesticides marketed as "pet-safer" alternatives to metaldehyde, but they can cause significant iron toxicosis in pets, particularly dogs. The chelating agents in these products increase iron absorption in the body, and large ingestions can lead to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, acid-base disturbances, and damage to the liver, spleen, heart, kidneys, or brain, potentially resulting in organ failure and death. Typical clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea (including hemorrhagic diarrhea), abdominal pain, lethargy, and dehydration, which may be delayed up to 6–24 hours after ingestion. Iron-based snail and slug baits contain iron phosphate or iron EDTA (sodium feredetate) as active ingredients and are marketed as safer alternatives to metaldehyde products, but can cause iron toxicosis in dogs and cats if ingested in sufficient quantities. Excess iron overwhelms the body's defenses, causing free circulating iron that damages tissues and organs; doses above 60 mg/kg elemental iron are considered potentially serious, and doses of 100–200 mg/kg can be fatal without treatment. Typical clinical signs include vomiting, hemorrhagic diarrhea, abdominal pain, lethargy, and in severe cases metabolic acidosis, cardiovascular compromise, shock, and death.
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