My Dog Ate Roach Bait What Should I Do?

Roaches are a common problem in many parts of the country. They scurry around at night and can be found almost everywhere in a home. You may find them in the kitchen utensil draw, ranging on the kitchen counter, or find them in the bathroom or even in a closet! Yuck!

One of the most common DIY methods many people use to get rid of roaches are roach traps. A roach trap usually consists of an outer cover made of plastic, with some roach bait inside. The bait usually is non-toxic—it may be something like peanut butter and/or boric acid. Neither of these are toxic to dogs.

And if the trap contains poison, these are not as strong as they used to be in the past. A dog would have to eat quite a few to become poisoned. Phew!

But there’s one other problem—what happens if your dog has eaten the trap’s outer covering?

What if the Dog Eats a Roach Trap?

Note: Never induce vomiting unless directed to do so by the vet.

If a dog eats the outer cover of the roach trap, if the trap is made of plastic, then this could be a more serious issue. If your fur baby has eaten only a very small piece of plastic from the trap, chances are he will be OK. You might consider feeding him some pumpkin (not the kind used to make pies) or bread. These work to coat the bit of plastic, keeping it from causing damage in the dog’s digestive tract as it passes through. In most cases, the dog will poop out the bit of trap and be just fine.

You may want to monitor your dog for a few days to make sure he’s not showing any concerning symptoms. And call the vet if you feel concerned—they will have the best advice on how to handle this problem.

However, if your dog has eaten a larger portion of the plastic covering of the trap, this could be a very dangerous situation. The reason is that the plastic may cause an intestinal blockage, which can be deadly if not treated promptly.

The plastic may also cause other issues such as tears in the digestive tract and more.

So, if your fur baby has swallowed or eaten a large part of a roach bait trap, then it’s best to call the vet right away. Fast treatment may just save your dog’s life.