The Animal Poisons Helpline is occasionally contacted about dogs that have ingested ear tags. An ear tag is a small object made of plastic or metal that pierces the ear of cattle or other livestock. Some ear tags, known as insecticide tags or “fly tags”, contain insecticides such as synthetic pyrethroids, organophosphates or macrocyclic lactones. Insecticide-impregnated ear tags release small amounts of insecticide which provides long term control against insects such as buffalo flies.

Dogs that ingest insecticide containing ear tags can develop severe or life-threatening poisoning. A variety of clinical signs may occur which are highly dependent on the insecticide contained within the tag itself. Reported signs following ingestions of insecticide tags include drooling, vomiting, dilated pupils, drowsiness, unsteadiness on feet and tremors. In severe cases, poisoned animals may develop seizures, paralysis, inability to breathe and coma, which can be life-threatening without treatment. Whilst the risk and severity of poisoning is somewhat dependent on the species, breed, age and weight of the animal that has ingested the tag; it is worth noting that many of these tags contain enough insecticide to seriously poison most companion animals.

If you keep insecticide tags on your property, please ensure that unused tags are always stored in an area that your pet cannot access. Used ear tags should be disposed of immediately to prevent accidental ingestions. Ear tags should never be used to prevent fleas and ticks in companion animals, safer alternatives can be accessed through a veterinarian or pet store. In the event of an insecticide tag ingestion, early veterinary assessment and treatment can potentially be lifesaving.

The Animal Poisons Helpline provides free advice to pet owners in Australia and can be reached on ☎️ 1300 869 738 (AU), 0800 869 738 (NZ) , 3106 4216 (SG), (917) 722-5958 (US) or +1917-722-5958 (CA) If you don’t yet follow the Animal Poisons Helpline Facebook page, follow now to receive live pet poison alerts. If you are a member of a veterinary team in Australia or New Zealand, you can join the Animal Poisons Centre For Vets Facebook group which is regularly updated with toxicology tidbits and poisoning trends. We thank the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development for supporting this post.