Snail Bait Poisoning in South African Gardens

Why it is so dangerous

Metaldehyde snail pellets are cheap, widely sold and scattered at ground level in exactly the places dogs sniff. Many formulations are bran-based, which makes them palatable.

It is one of the fastest-acting garden poisons. Signs can begin within thirty minutes to three hours, and an untreated dog can die within hours.

The signs

• Muscle tremors, often starting as a fine shiver and worsening
• Anxiety, restlessness, inability to settle
• Drooling and vomiting
• Unsteadiness and incoordination
• A dangerously high body temperature from continuous muscle activity
• Seizures

The old veterinary name for it is shake and bake, because of the tremors combined with the soaring temperature. That temperature is what causes the organ damage.

What to do

Go to a vet immediately. Do not wait to see whether it worsens — this is a poisoning where the delay is the thing that kills.

Do not induce vomiting in a dog that is already tremoring or unsteady. It can inhale the vomit.

Take the packet with you if you have it. Knowing the active ingredient changes the treatment.

While travelling, keep the car cool. Overheating is a large part of the damage and every degree matters.

What treatment involves

Muscle relaxants and anticonvulsants to stop the tremors, active cooling, intravenous fluids to protect the kidneys, and sometimes anaesthesia and stomach lavage.

Dogs often need a day or two of hospitalisation. Expect roughly R4,000 to R12,000. Dogs treated early usually recover fully.

Prevention

Do not use metaldehyde pellets where a dog has access, including in a neighbouring section of a shared garden. Dogs get under gates.

Iron phosphate snail baits are a far safer alternative and are widely available in South Africa. They work more slowly on snails but they will not kill your dog.

Beer traps, crushed eggshell barriers and hand collection at night work too. If you have dogs, the pellets are simply not worth it.