Dog’s lucky escape after feasting on poisoned rats in Box Hill

A dog has had a lucky escape after it accidentally feasted on poisoned rats dumped in Melbourne’s east, which shocked a local vet. See where they have been uncovered.

Ringwood Vet Emergency clinic manager Vicky Wade has issued a warning following the discovery of dead rats in Box Hill. File picture.

Poisoned rats have been left scattered across Melbourne’s outer east, posing a deadly threat to dogs enjoying their daily exercise.

And a golden retriever has cheated death after she accidentally feasted on some of the dead rat guts and “sucked them down like spaghetti”.

Ringwood Vet Hospital staff posted a warning this week after the incident near a park in Box Hill.

Manager Dr Vicky Wade said she was visited by a concerned owner after she noticed scores of decaying rat carcasses while her golden retriever was playing in the area.

Dr Wade said although the dog wasn’t seen to have eaten anything, it later threw up dead rat guts during induced vomiting.

“It was undeniable, the rat intestines have come up whole, and she’s sucked them down like spaghetti,” she said.

“If her mum hadn’t been vigilant, brought her in and we hadn’t identified them, it absolutely could have turned out for the worst.”

Dr Wade said the number of dead, dying and decaying rats the owner saw at the unknown spot was “too many to count”.

She the dog had been cleared of any health problems following further tests, but the situation was “distressing” as it could have died within three days if it was left undetected.

“What really stood out was the sheer amount of rats reported, there was so many and the owner couldn’t put a number on it,” Dr Wade said.

“A lot of the rat poisons that are out there are marked as safe for pets when they’re really not, and sadly we see it (similar incidents) all the time.

“We need to take consideration of the way they (poisoning and rat culls) are killing pets and the impact it has on everyone sharing that environment as well.”

A Whitehorse Council spokeswoman, who declined to be named, said its pest control contractor had not identified any hot spots and the council had not received any recent reports about pests in the area.

Pet owners have since commented on the vet clinic’s post, claiming similar discoveries of dead rats in Croydon.

Kirsten Gonsalves wrote: “Had dead rats along the footpath I walked my dog in Croydon a few weeks ago too. Stopped going down that area.”

Maroondah Council did not respond to inquiries.

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