🚨 If symptoms are present — go to emergency vet NOW. ASPCA Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (24/7)
Metaldehyde (Slug Bait) Poisoning in Dogs
Metaldehyde — the active ingredient in many slug and snail baits (sold as Deadline, Bug-Geta, Corry's, and others) — is one of the most acutely toxic garden products dogs can encounter. Dogs are strongly attracted to the bait's grain-based formulation, which is designed to be palatable to mollusks but is equally appealing to dogs. Metaldehyde causes violent tremors, seizures, and hyperthermia with a very rapid onset, and without immediate aggressive treatment, can be fatal.
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⚡ Immediate Actions
- 1This is a life-threatening emergency — go to an emergency vet immediately.
- 2Call ASPCA Poison Control (888) 426-4435 while in transit.
- 3Do NOT induce vomiting if the dog is already tremoring or seizing — high aspiration risk.
- 4Keep the dog as cool as possible during transport — wet towels on body.
- 5Bring the slug bait product or packaging to the vet.
Symptoms & Timeline
Very rapid onset (15–60 minutes)
Metaldehyde is rapidly absorbed from the GI tract and causes a sharp depletion of GABA and serotonin in the cerebellum and brainstem. The resulting loss of inhibitory tone on cerebellar Purkinje cells and spinal motor neurons produces the ascending pattern of tremors — beginning with facial muscles and spreading rapidly to involve the entire body within minutes.
- Muscle tremors (may begin as facial twitching and rapidly become full-body)
- Incoordination and staggering
- Hypersalivation and drooling
- Anxiety and disorientation
- Vomiting
Severe (rapidly progressing)
Sustained violent muscle tremors generate heat at a rate that overwhelms the body's ability to dissipate it — core temperatures above 107°F (41.7°C) are documented within 30–60 minutes in severe cases. At these temperatures, direct neuronal protein denaturation begins. The combination of cortical hyperexcitability from GABA depletion and metabolic heat drives continuous seizure activity that further accelerates hyperthermia in a lethal feedback loop.
- Violent full-body tremors
- Hyperthermia (temperature often above 104°F/40°C)
- Continuous seizure activity (status epilepticus)
- Respiratory failure
- Death
Toxicity Thresholds by Weight
| Dose | Expected Effect |
|---|---|
| < 100 mg/kg body weight | Mild to moderate GI upset; some tremoring possible |
| 100–300 mg/kg body weight | Severe tremors and seizures; life-threatening |
| > 300–600 mg/kg body weight | Potentially lethal without immediate treatment |
| Note: many baits are 3.25% metaldehyde | Calculate: weight of bait × 0.0325 = elemental metaldehyde |
For educational purposes only. Use our calculator for a personalized risk assessment.
How Metaldehyde — Slug and Snail Bait (Deadline, Sluggo Plus, Bug-Geta) Affects Dogs
Metaldehyde's exact mechanism is not fully understood, but it causes rapid decrease in GABA and serotonin levels in the brain, leading to disinhibition of motor pathways and continuous neuronal firing. This produces the characteristic violent tremors and seizure activity. The sustained muscle activity generates massive body heat (hyperthermia), which itself causes brain and organ damage. Metaldehyde is also directly hepatotoxic. The lethal dose in dogs is approximately 100–600 mg/kg, but severe toxicity occurs at much lower doses and individual sensitivity varies. Many slug baits are formulated as highly palatable pellets or granules.
What Your Vet Will Do at the Clinic
Metaldehyde poisoning requires the same multi-pronged approach as compost mycotoxin poisoning, but typically presents with more severe symptoms more rapidly, demanding immediate ICU-level intervention. Decontamination (emesis or gastric lavage) is only possible in the first 15–20 minutes before neurological signs begin — this window is often missed. Once tremors start, anaesthesia-level sedation is sometimes required: propofol infusion or barbiturate anaesthesia may be needed to stop the tremors when methocarbamol and benzodiazepines are insufficient. Temperature management is as important as tremor control — each degree of hyperthermia above 104°F accelerates irreversible brain damage. Aggressive IV fluid therapy protects the kidneys from myoglobin released by the massively contracting muscles, and also supports the liver, which metaldehyde damages directly through an incompletely understood hepatotoxic mechanism. Dogs surviving the first 24 hours have a reasonable prognosis with intensive care, but liver values must be tracked for two weeks post-exposure.
Step-by-step protocol:
- 1Gastric decontamination (emesis or gastric lavage) only if dog has no neurological signs AND is seen very early after ingestion
- 2Activated charcoal to reduce further absorption
- 3Methocarbamol IV as first-line tremor control
- 4Diazepam, phenobarbital, or propofol for seizure management
- 5Aggressive cooling: ice packs to groin/axilla, cool IV fluids, fans
- 6IV fluid therapy to support kidneys and liver
- 7Liver function panel at presentation and 48–72 hours post-exposure
- 8ICU hospitalization; prognosis is guarded to good with very early aggressive treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sluggo (iron phosphate bait) as dangerous as metaldehyde bait?
No. Iron phosphate slug baits (Sluggo, Escar-Go) are significantly safer than metaldehyde. Iron phosphate itself is relatively non-toxic, though Sluggo Plus adds spinosad (insecticide) which can cause neurological signs in large doses. However, "Sluggo Plus" should still not be confused with standard Sluggo. Always check the active ingredient on any garden pest control product.
How much metaldehyde slug bait is dangerous for a dog?
This depends on the metaldehyde concentration (typically 3.25–4%) and your dog's weight. For a 20 lb (9 kg) dog, as little as 30–50 grams of 3.25% bait could cause severe toxicity. Many dogs eat far more than this before being noticed. Call ASPCA Poison Control with the product name and an estimate of how much was consumed.
Can metaldehyde cause liver damage if the dog survives the initial seizures?
Yes. Metaldehyde is hepatotoxic (liver-toxic) in addition to its neurological effects. Dogs that survive the acute phase should have liver function tests (ALT, AST, bilirubin) monitored at 48–72 hours and again at 2 weeks to detect delayed liver damage.
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