What Is Your Dog’s
Poison?
By Dr. Malcolm Kram, DVM
For most dog owners the title of this article might seem strange but if truth be told animal
poisonings, most unintentional, occur on a very frequent basis. In fact data on poisoning claims
from VPI Pet Insurance released in July 2010 showed that they have processed over 18,000
cases of pet animal poisonings during the previous 5 years. As pet health insurance covers only
a small percentage of the US pet population, the number of potential poisonings is stammering.
The real question is if you are properly prepared to come to your dog’s aid if he or she is
accidentally poisoned? Let’s test your knowledge:
1) If you believe your pet has swallowed a poisonous substance the first thing to do is get
him/her to vomit? (True or False)
2) The most common poisons our dogs are exposed to are? (choose one)
a. Strychnine, house plants and anti-freeze
b. Household cleaners, slug and snail bait, and walnuts
c. Human medications, chocolate and rodenticides
3) If you believe your dog has ingested a toxic/poisonous substance or product who should
you call first? (choose one)
a. Your best friend
b. An animal poison control center
c. Your veterinarian
4) Sugarless gum is harmful to your dog? (True or False)
The number one cause of accidental poisoning in pets is human medications both over the
counter products as well as prescription drugs; these include ibuprofen, naproxen,
acetaminophen (Tylenol), antidepressants and sleep aids. The most common signs seen with
these are vomiting, bloody stools, sedation, stomach ulcers, liver and kidney failure. Rodent
poisons and chocolate overdose follow prescription drugs as leading causes of illness and
potential death in our dogs. From this author’s perspective the most crucial factor for the dog
owner is to know their breed and know their dog. If you own a retriever or terrier, they are
most likely to be chow and garbage hounds, rapidly engulfing and swallowing all that surrounds
them, including your pain or blood pressure pills that accidentally are dropped on floor or
furniture. This is an excellent reason to assure your dog understands and follows the “leave it”
command. Unfortunately we, as dog owners, are not always there when the pill drops or the
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rodent poison falls. Think about the times that you may have moved furniture or cleaned
house and car only to find a pill, coin, and or material of unknown origin. Let’s not forget that
the list of potential dog toxic substances is extensive and includes house plants, household
cleaners, sugarless gum, insecticides, fertilizer, slug and snail bait, anti-freeze, raisins, grapes
and nuts to mention just a few.
So what should you the dog owner do to be ready to handle this situation should it arise? The
first recommendation is to place the telephone number for either the National Animal Poison
Control Center (888-426-4435) or the Pet Poison Helpline (800-213-6680) in your cell phone
contact list or speed dial. If you know or suspect that your dog has swallowed a potential
poison, one of these two centers should be your first call. As the phone rings gather as much
information as you possibly can - What substance did they ingest? If it is a drug product do you
know the dose of each tablet and the amount that was eaten? Do you have a label with
product information readily available? Gather this information even if you’re not sure but are
highly suspicious. Rapid treatment is critical to a successful outcome and these centers can
provide you with the best recommendations even before you reach your veterinarian’s door.
Both of these centers do charge a fee so have your credit card ready. Once you have secured
the initial care recommendations, make sure you get your dog’s case number and advise the
center that your veterinarian will be calling them. This process can only serve to expedite your
dog’s treatment and may be the lifesaving step.
Treatment generally involves getting the poison out of your dog’s system as quickly as possible
and or preventing absorption of the toxic substance into the dog’s circulatory system. In some
cases this will mean getting your dog to vomit, in others it will be giving medications that
absorb the poison from the GI tract so it can be pooped out and in others it will be a
combination which can require sedation, anti-convulsants and or intravenous fluids and
antidotes coupled with several days of critical care and veterinary hospitalization.
It’s a good idea to have some 3% hydrogen peroxide and or Ipecac syrup in your house should
the poison control center want you to get your dog to vomit. However, never use these first
without their recommendation or that of your veterinarian. Certain toxic substances can be
very caustic (burning), inducing vomiting in these situations is both deleterious and dangerous
to your pet.
While many people think of bleeding disorders as the main concern with rat, mouse and mole
killers, newer products can cause seizures, wobbliness, bloat and difficulty in breathing. Some
of these products contain chemicals known as phosphides. These substances when mixed with
dog’s stomach acids cause the release of a highly toxic gas known as phosphine. If you cause
your dog to vomit, the phosphine gas can be released into the air which in turn can be a serious
threat to you and other humans in the immediate area. All the more reason to grab labels of
products that you suspect have been eaten and swallowed and provide them to your veterinary
healthcare professional.
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Sugarless gums may contain xylitol which in dogs and cats can cause a sudden release of insulin
which results in dangerously low levels of blood sugar along with subsequent seizures, liver
damage and/or coma. Toxic signs can appear in as little as 15 minutes, so do your best to avoid
having products that list xylitol within the first of five ingredients on your sugarless gum’s label.
In short be prepared!
1) Keep all medications (both human and veterinary) in closets or drawers high enough off
the floor to prevent accidental ingestion and overdose
2) Program your cell phone with a poison control center telephone number for rapid
access
3) Have 3% hydrogen peroxide readily available should you be advised to us it.
4) When potential toxic substances drop on the floor make sure to clean them up as
quickly as possible and count pills when you can
5) Chewable products and medications (vitamins, pain medications, antibiotics) can entice
your dog to eat them, keep them out of reach and their containers tightly closed
6) If you or your neighbor use rodenticides, fertilizer, and/or slug killers, read the labels
and keep copies of their ingredients readily available. Try to use pet safe products
whenever possible
7) Don’t leave handbags on the floor or on tables, especially if they carry your personal
medications
8) Plastic pill holders filled with your medications make favorite chew toys for your pets as
they rattle if dropped or shaken, keep them hidden and out of reach
9) If you think your dog has eaten or come in contact with a toxic substance don’t wait and
see but get on the phone to the poison control center and then your veterinarian.
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