Slug Pellet Poisoning in Pets UK — Metaldehyde Emergency

According to the BVA and RSPCA, metaldehyde — the active ingredient in many traditional UK slug and snail pellets — is one of the most dangerous garden poisons for dogs. Cats are less commonly affected but can still be poisoned.

Metaldehyde affects the nervous system, causing:

• Severe muscle tremors and twitching
• Seizures
• Hyperthermia (dangerously high body temperature)
• Vomiting, wobbliness, and rapid heart rate
• Coma and death without treatment

UK gardens see peak exposure in spring and autumn when gardeners treat slugs on vegetables, hostas, and lawns. Dogs explore with their mouths — a handful of blue or brown pellets can be lethal for a small dog.

Signs often begin within 30 minutes to 3 hours:

• Restlessness and panting
• Muscle tremors — starting in face or legs
• Vomiting and diarrhoea
• Wobbly or uncoordinated walking
• Seizures
• Collapse and coma

Hyperthermia is common — body temperature can exceed 41°C, causing organ damage. This is always a same-day emergency.

According to Animal PoisonLine, UK shops increasingly stock ferric phosphate (iron phosphate) slug pellets marketed as safer for wildlife and pets. These are preferable to metaldehyde but are not risk-free — large ingestions can still cause vomiting and gastrointestinal upset.

Always read the label. If the active ingredient is metaldehyde, treat any ingestion as life-threatening.

1. Go to an emergency vet now — do not wait for tremors
2. Phone Animal PoisonLine (01202 509000) with product name and approximate amount
3. Bring the product tub or photograph the label
4. Keep your pet cool — overheating worsens outcomes
5. Do not induce vomiting unless your vet instructs you

Veterinary treatment may include:

• Induced vomiting and activated charcoal if recent
• IV fluids and temperature control
• Muscle relaxants (methocarbamol) and anti-seizure medication
• Anaesthesia in severe tremor cases to control seizures
• Hospitalisation for 24–48 hours with continuous monitoring

Survival depends on dose and how quickly treatment starts.

According to PDSA and the RSPCA:

• Avoid metaldehyde entirely if dogs or cats use the garden
• Choose ferric phosphate products if chemical control is needed — still store securely
• Use physical barriers — copper tape, sharp grit, beer traps (placed where pets cannot drink)
• Hand-pick slugs at dusk on damp evenings
• Encourage natural predators — hedgehogs, frogs, and birds
• Store all garden chemicals in locked sheds — not open shelves in garages dogs access
• Water pellets in according to label — scattered dry pellets are more attractive to dogs

If your dog is a known scavenger, consider fencing off vegetable beds or using raised beds with netting.

Cats rarely eat pellets directly but may ingest them while grooming paws after walking through treated areas. Any suspected exposure warrants a vet call.