Poisoning is one of the most common reasons pets are rushed in as an emergency. More often than not, a dog or cat is poisoned by eating something that is perfectly harmless to us but toxic to them, such as chocolate, xylitol, grapes or human medicines. How ill the animal becomes depends on the substance, the amount swallowed and the animal's size. A suspected poisoning is always worth an immediate call to your vet, even if your pet still seems perfectly well, because for many poisons treatment works best before any signs appear.
Common poisons
The substances that most often cause trouble are chocolate and cocoa (theobromine); xylitol, the sweetener in chewing gum and baked goods, which is very dangerous to dogs and causes a sudden drop in blood sugar along with liver damage; grapes and raisins, which can damage the kidneys in dogs; and onion and garlic, which harm the red blood cells. Rodenticides cause internal bleeding, and antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is sweet-tasting and life-threatening to cats in even tiny amounts. Human painkillers are another common culprit: ibuprofen is hazardous, and paracetamol can kill a cat with a single tablet. Lilies are especially dangerous to cats, as even the pollen or a small piece of leaf can cause fatal kidney damage.
Symptoms
The signs vary from one poison to the next. The most common are vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, tummy pain, loss of appetite and lethargy. Neurological signs may include tremors, seizures, loss of balance, restlessness or collapse. In severe cases you may see rapid breathing, a racing heart, pale or yellowish gums, blood in the vomit or stools, and loss of consciousness. Not every poison shows itself straight away: bleeding from rodenticides may only start after several days, and antifreeze can first cause a drunken, unsteady state within hours, then seem to improve before serious kidney damage sets in. That is exactly why you should act on suspicion at once, rather than waiting for symptoms.
First aid
Ring your vet straight away and tell them what your pet has swallowed, how much and when. Bring the packaging, or a photo of it, to the clinic. Do not try to make your pet sick yourself, and do not give home remedies such as milk, salt or oil; badly timed vomiting can do more harm than good, and corrosive or oily substances cause further damage on the way back up. If there is poison on the skin or coat, rinse it off with plenty of lukewarm water. Keep your pet warm and calm on the journey in. Your vet will decide whether making your pet sick is safe, as it only helps within the first few hours.
Veterinary treatment
Treatment depends on the poison and how long ago it was swallowed. Early on, your vet may bring on controlled vomiting and give activated charcoal to bind the poison in the gut. Supportive care includes intravenous fluids, anti-sickness and anti-seizure medication, and close monitoring of the vital signs. A few poisons have a specific antidote: fomepizole for antifreeze and vitamin K for rodenticides. Severe cases need admission to hospital, along with blood tests to keep an eye on kidney and liver function. The sooner treatment starts, the better the outlook.
Prevention
Keep medicines, sweets, xylitol products, cleaning agents and antifreeze well out of your pet's reach. Never give human food or medicine without checking with your vet first. Keep your dog on the lead anywhere rodenticide or rubbish might be lying about. Do not keep lilies in a home with a cat, and check whether your houseplants are toxic. Save Saari Animal Clinic's number, (06) 321 7300, and the regional out-of-hours emergency number, 0600 399 299, in your phone now, so that help is close at hand should the worst happen.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Chocolate Toxicosis in Animals. merckvetmanual.com
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Xylitol Toxicosis in Dogs. merckvetmanual.com
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Toxicities from Over-the-Counter Drugs. merckvetmanual.com
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets. aspca.org
- International Cat Care: Lily poisoning in cats. icatcare.org