11/15/07 Crickets' Saga

With winter right around the corner many people will look to a variety of measures to control the mice that can inhabit our houses, barns and farms. I would like to issue a word of caution, about the form of rodent control you select. You see I nearly lost my dear friend this weekend who got into Decon or a Decon like chemical called Rosal typically used by orchardist's to keep mice from harming trees. When. I took my young border collie to the vet Friday I knew something was terribly wrong, she was loosing her inability to move and my vet immediately confirmed my worse fears explaining that rodent killer causes dogs to bleed internally, and depending on the amount ingested they either bleed to death or require a blood transfusion. Cricket was lucky but she will remain on medication for days and I am praying there will be no internal complications. Rodents must be controlled, but please remember that if you elect to use a sweet tasting bate to be extremely cautious so that innocent wildlife, a beloved pet or in the worse scenario a young child won't pay dearly for your negligence!