How long does it take for a mouse to die from poison? - briefly
A mouse usually dies within minutes to a few hours after ingesting a lethal dose, depending on the type of toxin. Rapid‑acting rodenticides can cause death in 15–30 minutes, whereas anticoagulant poisons may take 24–48 hours.
How long does it take for a mouse to die from poison? - in detail
The interval between ingestion of a toxic agent and death in a laboratory mouse depends on several variables: the chemical class of the poison, the administered dose relative to the animal’s body weight, the route of exposure (oral, intraperitoneal, inhalation), and the individual’s health status.
Common rodent poisons and typical latency
- Anticoagulant rodenticides (e.g., brodifacoum, difethialone) – symptoms appear after 12–24 hours; fatal outcome usually occurs within 48–72 hours if the dose exceeds the lethal threshold. Sub‑lethal doses may require several days for irreversible blood clotting failure.
- Neurotoxic agents (e.g., bromethalin, tetrodotoxin) – rapid onset of paralysis and respiratory failure; death often follows within 2–6 hours after a dose sufficient to disrupt neuronal ion channels.
- Metal phosphides (e.g., zinc phosphide, aluminum phosphide) – generate phosphine gas in the stomach; clinical signs develop in 30 minutes to 2 hours, with mortality typically between 1 and 12 hours depending on exposure level.
- Oxidizing agents (e.g., sodium nitrite, potassium cyanide) – cause acute hypoxia; lethal effects can be observed within minutes to an hour.
- Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., organophosphates, carbamates) – produce cholinergic crisis; time to death ranges from 30 minutes to several hours, contingent on dose and supportive care.
Factors influencing the timeline
- Dose intensity – higher concentrations accelerate systemic toxicity and shorten survival time.
- Body mass – smaller individuals reach lethal plasma concentrations more quickly.
- Metabolic rate – elevated metabolism can increase the speed of toxin activation or clearance, altering the progression.
- Route of administration – intraperitoneal injection bypasses digestive barriers, leading to faster systemic distribution than oral ingestion.
- Environmental conditions – temperature and stress can modulate physiological responses, potentially hastening demise.
In practice, observation of clinical signs—such as lethargy, ataxia, respiratory distress, bleeding, or seizures—provides the most reliable indicator of impending death. When a lethal dose is confirmed, mortality is generally observed within the ranges outlined above, although outliers may occur due to the interplay of the listed variables.