How do anticoagulant rodenticides kill rodents?

The correct answer is that anticoagulant rodenticides kill rodents by preventing blood from clotting. These substances work by interfering with the normal function of vitamin K, which is essential for the synthesis of certain clotting factors in the blood. Without sufficient clotting factors, rodents cannot effectively form blood clots when they experience internal bleeding or injuries, leading to uncontrollable hemorrhaging. The gradual loss of blood due to multiple factors can ultimately result in the death of the rodent over a period of days.

In contrast, inducing paralysis, disrupting digestion, and causing dehydration are mechanisms associated with other types of rodenticides. For example, some poisons can cause paralysis by affecting the nervous system, while others might disrupt the digestive process or induce dehydration. However, these methods do not accurately describe the specific action of anticoagulant rodenticides, which uniquely focus on the blood coagulation pathway.