# Conker eaten! Please help!



## cozmonkey (May 31, 2007)

One of my boys Indie, just stole and ate half of a small conker from my bag.
Are they poisonous to rats? I know they are to humans and dogs... what should I do?? 

Charlotte xx


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

cozmonkey said:


> One of my boys Indie, just stole and ate half of a small conker from my bag.
> Are they poisonous to rats? I know they are to humans and dogs... what should I do??
> 
> Charlotte xx


what is a conker?


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## Qku. (Apr 29, 2011)

lilspaz68 said:


> what is a conker?


A horse-chestnut. But I don't know if they're harmful to rats..


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## GhostMouse (Sep 6, 2011)

All I could find through Google was this: http://www.shunamiterats.co.uk/autumn.shtml

I'd say call your vet up and at least see what they say over the phone.

Edit: I also found this: http://mbhs.org/healthgate/GetHGCon...61-83b7-472d-a7ab-bc8582171f86&chunkiid=21758



> In animal studies, horse chestnut and its principal ingredient aescin have shown a low degree of toxicity, producing no measurable effects when taken at dosages seven times higher than normal. [SUP]21,22[/SUP] Dogs and rats have been treated for 34 weeks with this herb without harmful effects.
> 
> Individuals with severe kidney problems should avoid horse chestnut. [SUP]23-25[/SUP] In addition, injectable forms of horse chestnut can be toxic to the liver. [SUP]26[/SUP] The safety of horse chestnut in young children and pregnant or nursing women has not been established. However, 13 pregnant women were given horse chestnut in a controlled study without noticeable harm. [SUP]29[/SUP] Furthermore, studies in pregnant rats and rabbits found no injury to embryos at doses up to 10 times the human dose, and changes of questionable significance at 30 times the dose. [SUP]21
> [/SUP]
> Horse chestnut should not be combined with anticoagulant, or blood-thinning, drugs, as it may amplify their effect. [SUP]27,28[/SUP]


I'd still call the vet, just to be safe, but it sounds like he'll be okay. I don't know how the rats in the study were "treated" with it though, or if that's any different from directly eating it.


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