Dogs are equipped with a highly sensitive sense of smell. This helps them locate the source of smell very accurately. Meanwhile, dogs are pretty naughty pets, and they become highly impatient when it comes to food.
On the other hand, Roach Gels like Advion or Combat Max roach gels emit an aroma of food. This helps attract roaches and lure them into consumption. Unfortunately, dogs can sometimes also get attracted to the smell of roach gel and might lick or even eat them. This might be a pretty grim situation for the pet owner.
However, if your dog licked roach gel, follow these simple guidelines,
- Check whether the dog has just licked the gel or has eaten it
- If the dog has eaten the roach gel or bait, check for the quantity of consumption
- Carefully read the gel packing (It will help you know the type and percentage of insecticide inside the gel)
- If the Gel packing mentions specific instructions to follow in case of poisoning, follow them as mentioned.
- If your dog has just licked the gel, do not worry. Instead, reassure yourself, stay calm and observe the dog.
- If your dog has eaten more than the specified limit of roach gel, carefully observe for signs of poisoning such as vomiting, lethargy, difficulty breathing, difficulty walking (Ataxia), and Forced Breathing.
- Immediately consult a veterinary doctor and inform him about the whole situation.
- In case the help is far away, induce vomiting by forcefully making the dog consume a few sips of Hydrogen Peroxide (Reference). (If your dog is comatose, do not induce vomiting).
Whether licking the roach gel will affect your dog depends upon many factors, including the type of insecticide, quantity, the manufacturer, and the dog’s weight. A small breed of dog or a puppy has more chances of poisoning than a fully grown dog.
Therefore, it is essential to read the blog carefully to know the best course of action if your dog licked a roach gel.
Tired of cockroaches? Invest in only these products and follow the guide to eliminate roaches!
Use these products, and you will be roach free in less than a week.
1. Advion Cockroach Gel Bait (Review)
2. Gentrol IGR Point Source (Review)
Other Products to try:
1. Combat Roach Traps (Easy than gel baits)
2. Hot Shot Foggers (To kill in masses – 95%)
3. Pet Safe Killers (Uses Essential Oils)
4. Ortho Defence Outdoor Roach Killer (Prevent Roaches)
What is a roach Gel?
You will find lots of products in the market that claims to be effective at killing insects, including roaches, beetles, spiders, and fleas. These products include insecticide sprays, baits, traps, Diatomaceous earth powder, and boric acid.
Unlike other roach or insect-killing products, Roach gels do not instantaneously kill roaches. Instead, after the cockroach consumes the gel, it takes approximately 8 to 12 hours to kill roaches. During this time, roaches share the gel with their peers, killing them.
Roach Gel is a type of roach bait made up of four main ingredients.
- Insecticides such as Fiprinoil and indoxacarb etc.
- Food fragrance and Base include honey, brown sugar, peanut oil, cream, and cornflour.
- Acidity regulators such as carboxylate
- Oils to prevent dehydration
If your dog ate a roach bait, none of the above ingredients would adversely affect it except the insecticide.
These are the 6 Best Cockroach Traps with review
Can Roach Poison Kill Dogs?
Roach poison is a chemical insecticide that is neurotoxic. It disturbs nerve conduction and effectively kills insects and pests, including roaches.
Roach poisons have different compositions, mechanisms of action, and intensities. Some are highly lethal and work within minutes, especially organophosphates. In contrast, others are slow-acting and take time to kill, e.g., roach gels (Fipronil and Indoxacarb).
Most residential roach poisons, including baits, gels, sprays, and traps, are designed to keep children and pet poisoning in mind.
As highly regulated by US Enviromental Protection Agency, the residential roach poisons contain very minute quantities of insecticides (between 0.01 to 0.03 %) that do not kill pets, including dogs, if a small quantity (Up to 10 grams based on the weight of pet) is consumed.
However, more than that can incapacitate or even kill pets, including dogs.
Can Roaches Eat Through Plastic? Read this Interesting article to know more!
Is roach gel harmful to pets?
Roach gel is lethal for cockroaches and various bugs, including beetles, spiders, fleas, and ants. Thanks to a variety of neurotoxins it contains, it can effectively kill tiny organisms.
Almost all roach gels, including Harris, Advion, and Combat Max, have mentioned on their packing that roach gel is harmful to pets. Therefore, you must apply it in places difficult to reach for pets, including dogs and cats.
In most cases, if a pet consumes a roach gel, it will not harm, but still, there are a lot of risks. Roach gel can elicit several responses in pets, including lethargy, fits, ataxia, shortness of breath, allergic reaction, coma, and even death.
Long story short, roach gel is definitely harmful to pets.
If you have pets in your house, here are 5 Best Pet Safe Roach killers you will love to use!
What to do if your Dog Licked or ate roach Gel?
It is pretty common for your pet, including dogs and cats, to accidentally lick or even eat a roach gel. The adverse effects or signs of poisoning have a lot to do with the dog’s weight. A big dog will have minor effects compared to a small dog.
However, Once your dog has licked or eaten roach gel, follow these steps,
Step 1: Stay Calm and Reassure Yourself
The first step is to stay calm and reassure yourself that everything will be fine. Do not panic or shout. There are slight chances that your dog will be affected at all.
Step 2: Confirm whether the dog has licked or eaten the roach gel
After making yourself calm, carefully look and confirm whether the dog just licked or has eaten the roach gel. If eaten, check for the quantity of roach gel eaten. Draw a rough conclusion by looking at the sight where the gel was applied.
Step 3: Read and Follow instructions on Packing
The next step is to look for gel packing. If available, read and follow the instruction given on the packing. If there is no specific instruction, proceed to step 4.
Step 4: Look for Sings of Danger if the dog has eaten roach gel less than the specified limit
If your dog has eaten roach gel less than 0.1 grams per Pound of body weight (0.3 grams per kg of body weight), just observe for signs of danger, and you do not need to take it to the veterinary clinic. Give plenty of fluids and a soft diet rich in vitamins.
Step 5: Consult a veterinary doctor if the dog has consumed more than the specified limit
If your dog has eaten roach gel more than 0.1 grams per Pound of body weight (0.3 grams per kg of body weight), immediately consult a veterinary doctor.
The doctor will immediately order investigations like serum electrolytes, Renal, and liver function tests, and give your dog a few doses of Activated Charcol via Nasogastric tube (If needed).
Step 6: If help is far away, try to induce vomiting and give first aid
If you are alone, far away from help, and think that the dog has consumed more than the specified limit, try to induce vomiting.
For this, give a few forceful sips of Hydrogen Peroxide. It will induce vomiting within minutes. If the dog is unconscious, do not induce vomiting. If the condition worsens, do CPR or other life-saving maneuvers as needed.
What Will Happen if My Dog ate combat roach bait?
No doubt! Combat Roach Bait is an excellent roach-killing product and my personal favorite among other baits.
Combat roach bait has different types and varieties. One is a plastic container with a chemical bait inside, which works as a station and keeps supplying roaches with a lethal dose of bait.
This type of roach bait is dangerous if dogs consume it because of the choking hazard. However, the chemical inside the bait is less dangerous than the small plastic parts.
Another type of Combat roach bait is a gel that is applied across different locations of the house. It has no plastic or a container attached to it. This type has more chemical insecticide inside it and can poison our dog.
Therefore, if your dog ate a combat roach bait with a plastic container, it can cause esophageal or airway blocking. On the other hand, if your dog ate combat roach bait with no plastic in it but only gel, most likely, the dog will be ok with no serious consequences (if consumed in a small amount, If the amount consumed is more than the specified limit it will poison your dog).
Additional Read!
