Tamworth mouse plague: vet warns locals of dangers mouse baits pose if consumed by pets

Thankfully, Goonoo Goonoo Road Vet Hospital owner, Brett Chittick, said since the mice plague reached the region, there hadn't been an increase in the number of baited pets.

But he said it still happened regularly.

"Sometimes we routinely see it to a small degree, but I wouldn't say since there's been a mouse plague there's been more," he said.

"It's just something that happens all the time."

It comes after Hunter New England Health urged locals to take precautions against leptospirosis, because of the increase in rats and mice due to the wet weather.

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Mr Chittick said cats or dogs that get hold of baits, or mice that have been baited, typically pass away from internal bleeding.

"They generally become lethargic and weak, and then sometimes you see evidence of them passing blood or little hemorrhages in their gums," the vet told the Leader.

"It's usually a common way for pets to get poisoned but usually it's dogs who have got in to eat the bait."

The vet said locals should ensure baits are "properly secured and kept in areas where the pets can't get to them".

"When the mouse is baited, then they typically go looking for water. They start to be dehydrated so make sure you don't leave water around and search regularly for the dead mice and dispose of them," Mr Chittick said.

Pet owners shouldn't assume the worst if they suspect their furry friend has been baited, though.

"There's treatment available for animals that have been poisoned, there is an antidote for them," the vet explained.