How do anticoagulants function as rodenticides?

Anticoagulants function as rodenticides by disrupting the normal blood clotting process in rodents. These substances inhibit the action of vitamin K, which is essential for the synthesis of certain clotting factors in the liver. When a rodent ingests an anticoagulant, it reduces the animal's ability to form blood clots, leading to internal bleeding as the blood vessels become compromised. This internal hemorrhaging is ultimately lethal, as it causes a severe loss of blood volume and disrupts the crucial delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the body’s tissues, resulting in the rodent's death.

Understanding this mechanism is vital for recognizing how anticoagulants are specifically designed to target and eliminate rodent populations while minimizing effects on non-target species, as their method of action is specific to the physiology of rodents.