Slug pellets defended

Press, 4 December 1981, Page 4

Slug pellets defended

A Christchurch veterinarian's warning about the danger of pets eating poisonous slug pellets has been disputed by a manufacturer of such pellets. The veterinarian, Mr W. L. C. Purdie, said in a report in “The Press” of November 7 that up to 100 dogs died in Christchurch each year after having eaten slug pellets which contained metaldehyde. Blitzem pellets, a product of Arthur Yates and Company, Ltd. were frequently ’involved. The company’s horticulturist. Mr W. H. Brett, said that all documented cases of dogs having been poisoned indicated that the dogs had had access to badly stored packets of pellets rather than having eaten pellets laid on a

garden. He said that an aver-age-sized dog would need to eat 300 g to 600 g of the pellets for the result to be fatal. Experiments at the University of Auckland Medical School had developed an animal repellent which was included in new Blitzem pellets. The company’s new product, Mesurol, was a different type of slug killer which was not attractive to dogs and poisoning could be more readily countered with an antidote. The animal repellent in Blitzem would deter most dogs or cats from eating the pellets but the company still advised users to follow safe handling practices in case inquisitive puppies were not discouraged.

People who were worried about their pets should use Mesurol rather than Blitzem or other slug killers which contained metaldehyde. The poison was a potent killer which had no antidote. Old stocks of Blitzem had no warnings on the packets but the new stock containing animal repellent carried a reasonable caution. The secretary of the Agricultural Chemicals Board, Mr R. Jeffrey, said yesterday that the Blitzem packet warnings had been reviewed in July and were adequate. The labelling and warnings met the board’s requirements. A small number of complaints had been made about the product during the years.