I am not kidding you. Animal Poison Control
Hotlines charge money just for information, a lot of money and it’s sad. Ok,
now I understand it cost money to run these things but we are talking about
information that people need within a short time frame that doesn’t allow for
credit card transactions. I mean give me a break, this is beyond stupid, I
really thought we had come further than this.
Today I had set out to do an animal post and
remind you all of Poison Prevention Week March 14-24. I wanted to raise
awareness on Household Dangers to pets/animals. I found some really great
information out there but then at the bottom of all the info I read about these
charges we need to know about, on that particular site it was $35 for the call.
So I thought heck with these guys I am going to head over to the SPCA where
they actually care about the animals….well…disappointed cannot even describe
how I felt when I found out that they charge $65 a call on their hotline. WOW!
Pissed off is a better description.
Maybe they have always charged for this service,
you know, I am not even sure because I just assumed that calling a hotline for
help when your animal could be poisoned, would be a free call. Silly me.
I have to say here that I am in no way a political
kind of girl, maybe I was years ago but not these days. Don’t get me wrong, I
love my country, I am an American girl and proud to be her BUT when I see tax
payer dollars being spent by politicians riding around in private jets with
personal staff members by the dozens yet something as important, TO US as
our animals safety is being over looked it pisses me off. Sorry for the
language but it does. I think these politicians should put on their walking
shoes or buy a bus pass because honestly I don’t care how they get to where
they are going….what I do care about is picking up the phone in my animals hour
of need and knowing I will get help. Don’t ask me for money, tell me what
to do to save my friend, that is the right thing to do and when it is a person
we do just that.
How many of you out there consider your animal’s
lives a priority? How many of you would give just about anything to keep your
animal from suffering? How about love, let’s go there, how many of you
can say that you have loved or still do love your animal friend the same as you
would a human friend?
If these animals are this important to us and we
are the people, why are they always being shafted? Many animals are the
children of many human beings across this world, there are a great number of us
that treat the little furry buggers like they are people and to us they are.
Putting a price tag on their lives is insulting.
Now I don’t think we should get it all for free,
we don’t get things for us for free. Just make it comparable because right now
it is not at all.
The Pet Care Industry has been taking us for a
ride for too long now, what is wrong with society? Don’t answer that. LOL
Veterinary Care Costs are just crazy and I spend
more at the store now a days on animal needs than I do people needs. People are
getting rich because our babies have fur. It’s not fair. We can’t even have a
free hotline from an animal organization that is suppose to be saving animals.
It’s about time to change the way things are done
and only we can change it but that is another post entirely. (but trust me it
will be posted) :o)
So tonight, with all of this frustration, I set
out on a mission to see if I could find real people that realize that our
animals health is at the top of our priority list and just because they don’t
look like real little kids doesn’t mean they are not our kids. Someone who in
that moment of shear panic when you discover your animal has ingested something
poisonous won’t ask you for your credit card number before giving you the info
that can save your furbaby.
All I wanted to do was a post on poison
prevention, you know with links that go back to a site that I could feel good
about linking you to…that’s all
Well, I found them and some of my faith in this
world has returned but not all of it by a long shot.
The place to call if you suspect poisoning in your
child OR pet (I love that) is the
Children’s Hospital
Regional Poison Control Center at (800) 222-1222.
There are more I am sure…maybe. If you know of any
please leave the information in the comment section so others can see it too.
And now my little Rant is over…LOL
I will now get back to what I set out to do
tonight in the first place and that is offer you some info that could help you
prevent the poisoning of your animals.
So if you are still with me here we go….
Know the Signs of Poisoning in
Dogs and Cats
If you think your dog or cat has been poisoned,
call your veterinarian or call the Poison Control Center
at (800) 222-1222.
When it comes to poisoning, the sooner you treat
your dog or cat, the better the outcome.
While this list is not exhaustive or complete,
some common signs of poisoning generally include:
Gastrointestinal signs
·
Vomiting
·
Diarrhea
·
Drooling/hypersalivating
·
Inappetance
·
Nausea
Internal bleeding
·
Coughing
of blood
·
Vomiting
blood
·
Pale gums
·
A racing
heart rate
·
Weakness
or lethargy
·
Collapse
Kidney failure
·
Halitosis
(“uremic” breath)
·
Inappetance
·
Vomiting
·
Diarrhea
·
Excessive
thirst or urination
·
Absence
or decreased urination
Liver failure
·
Jaundice/icterus/yellow
discoloration to the gums
·
Weakness
or collapse secondary to a low blood sugar
·
Dull
mentation, acting abnormally
·
Vomiting
·
Diarrhea
·
Black-tarry
stool (melena)
What to do if your dog or cat is
poisoned:
·
Remove
your pet from the area.
·
Check
to make sure your pet is safe: breathing and acting normally.
·
Do
NOT give any home antidotes.
·
Do
NOT induce vomiting without consulting a vet or Poison Control Center Helpline.
·
Call the Poison Control
Center 1-800-222-1222
·
If
veterinary attention is necessary, contact your veterinarian or emergency
veterinary clinic immediately.
When you call the Center, be ready to provide:
·
Your
name, address and telephone number
·
Information
concerning the exposure (the amount of agent, the time since exposure, etc.).
For various reasons, it is important to know exactly what poison the animal was
exposed to.
·
The
species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved
·
The
agent your animal(s) has been exposed to, if known
·
The
problems your animal(s) is experiencing.
Be Prepared:
Your animal may become poisoned in spite of your
best efforts to prevent it. Because of this, you should be prepared. Your
animal companions regularly should be seen by a local veterinarian to maintain
overall health. You should know the veterinarian's procedures for emergency
situations, especially ones that occur after usual business hours. You should
keep the telephone numbers for the veterinarian, and a local emergency
veterinary service in a convenient location.
You may benefit by keeping a pet safety kit on
hand for emergencies. Such a kit should contain:
·
A fresh
bottle of hydrogen peroxide 3% (USP)
·
Can of
soft dog or cat food, as appropriate
·
Turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe
·
Saline
eye solution to flush out eye contaminants
·
Artificial
tear gel to lubricate eyes after flushing
·
Mild
grease-cutting dishwashing liquid in order to bathe an animal after skin
contamination
·
Rubber
gloves to prevent you from being exposed while you bathe the animal
·
Forceps
to remove stingers
·
Muzzle
to keep the animal from hurting you while it is excited or in pain
·
Pet
carrier to help carry the animal to your local veterinarian
Top 10 Pet Poisons
Dog Poisons:
1.
Chocolate
2.
Insect
bait stations
3.
Rodenticides
(i.e., mouse and rat poison)
4.
Fertilizers
5.
Xylitol-containing
products (i.e., sugar-free gums and candies)
6.
Ibuprofen
(Advil® or Motrin® in brand name or generic form)
7.
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol® in brand name or generic form)
8.
Silica
gel packs
9.
Amphetamines,
such as ADD/ADHD drugs
10. Household cleaners
Cat Poisons:
1.
Lilies
2.
Canine
pyrethroid insecticides (topical flea and tick medicine designed for dogs but
erroneously placed on cats)
3.
Household
cleaners
4.
Rodenticides
5.
Paints
and varnishes
6.
Veterinary
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (Rimadyl®, Deramaxx®)
7.
Glow
sticks/glow jewelry
8.
Amphetamines
(such as ADD/ADHD drugs)
9.
Acetaminophen
(Tylenol® in brand name or generic form)
10. Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin® in brand name or
generic form)
Things in your yard that are
poisonous to dogs & cats!
Blood meal:
This is dried, ground, and flash-frozen blood and
contains 12% nitrogen. While it’s a great organic fertilizer, if ingested, it
can cause vomiting (of some other poor animal’s blood) and diarrhea. More
importantly, it can result in severe pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the
pancreas. Some types of blood meal are also fortified with iron, resulting in
iron toxicity, so make sure to know what’s in your bag of blood!
Blue–green algae or
Cyanobacteria:
Growth of toxic algae can be found in both fresh
and salt water throughout the warm regions of the world. Blue-green algae
becomes concerning when algae accumulates on the surface of the water during
hot, dry weather with wind that can shift concentrated algae mats along the
shorelines. Affected water may have the appearance of pea soup with thick
layers of algae on the surface. Blooms of blue-green algae can contain
hepatoxins and/or neurotoxins, depending on the species. Exposures occur when
dogs ingest or swim in water that contains the cyanobateria. Clinical signs
with the hepatoxin variety are vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, shock,
icterus (yellow gums), and potentially death within 24 hours to several days.
Clinical signs seen with ingestion of the neurotoxin species occur acutely with
onset of tremors, lethargy, seizures, difficult breathing, and death within a
hour.
Bone Meal:
This is made up of defatted, dried, and
flash-frozen animal bones that are ground to a powder. This “bone” is also what
makes it so palatable to your dog, so make sure to keep your pet from digging
in it and ingesting the soil. While this also makes a great organic fertilizer,
it can become a problem when consumed as the bone meal forms a large
cement-like bone ball in the stomach – which can cause an obstruction in the
gastrointestinal tract – resulting in possible surgery to remove it!
Compost bins or piles:
While we applaud you for composting, make sure to
do so appropriately – your compost shouldn’t contain any dairy or meat
products, and should always be fenced off for the sake of your pets and
wildlife. These piles of decomposing and decaying organic matter and molding
food products have the potential to contain tremorgenic mycotoxins, which are
toxic to both pets and wildlife. Even small amounts ingested can result in
clinical signs within 30 minutes to several hours. Clinical signs include
agitation, hyperthermia, hyper-responsiveness, panting, drooling, and vomiting,
and can progress to serious CNS signs (including incoordination, tremors, and
seizures!). Ruleouts for this include toxins that cause “shake and bake,” such
as metaldehydes (snail bait), strychnine, organophosphates, and
methylxanthines. Prompt decontamination is the key if the patient isn’t
demonstrating clinical signs yet – this includes inducing vomiting and giving
activated charcoal. Once the patient is symptomatic, aggressive supportive care
includes the use of IV fluids, temperature regulation, cooling methods (cooling
down to a temperature of 103.5⁰
F/39.7⁰ C), IV muscle
relaxants (methocarbamol), and anticonvulsants (i.e., diazepam, phenobarbital).
Iron:
This is commonly added to fertilizers, and can
result in iron toxicity (from ingestion of elemental iron). This is different
from “total” iron ingestion, and can be confusing to differentiate. When in
doubt, have a medical professional at Pet Poison Helpline assist you with
finding out if the amount ingested was toxic or not. Large ingestions can
result in vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and potential cardiac and liver effects.
Mulch Products:
Cocoa bean mulch, a byproduct of chocolate
production, is the discarded hulls or shells of the cocoa bean. This mulch is
frequently used for home landscaping and is often very fragrant, especially
when first placed in the yard and warmed by the sun. This tempting smell of
warm chocolate often attracts and encourages dogs (Labradors!)
to ingest the mulch. Through the processing procedure of creating cocoa bean
mulch, much of the methylxanthine poison is removed, but still potentially
contains 0.19% to 2.98% theobromine and 0.5% to 0.85% caffeine. All animals can
be affected by methyxanthylates, but dogs tend to have more frequent exposure
opportunities to the chocolates, coffee beans and cocoa mulch that contain
them. Clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, tremors,
tachycardia, tachypnea, and potential seizures. Symptoms are dose-dependent and
an accurate dose is very difficult to determine because of the variation of the
concentration of methyxanthylates from one mulch product to next.
There have been anecdotal reports of a dog dying
after ingesting cocoa bean shell mulch, and this has been rapidly circulating
on the Internet. That said, how toxic is this stuff, really? The first report
of this poisoning was actually reported by Pet Poison Helpline’s Drs. Lynn
Hovda and R. Kingston at the 1993 International Congress of Clinical
Toxicology. Dr. Steve Hansen published this again 10 years later (Clin Tox
2003;41:5). Recently, Dr. Hansen stated that the cause of the one fatality ( a
young Labrador) was “highly suspect.” While theobromine and caffeine
(methylxanthines) can be toxic, clinical signs are usually more PROGRESSIVE –
such as vomiting, diarrhea, more vomiting, trembling, a racing heart rate, and
then seizures in very high doses. Cocoa bean mulch is very unlikely to result
in sudden death without showing other signs. Nevertheless, play it safe and
don’t allow pets to ingest this product! Typically, after a first rain, the
smell dissipates, making the mulch less attractive to pets.
Mushrooms:
There are various types of mushrooms located
throughout the United
States that
may be non-toxic; however, other types of mushrooms may be very dangerous and
include general groups that are gastric irritants, hallucinogenic, or
hepatotoxic (from cyclopeptides, hydrazine toxins, isoxazoles, or psilocybin
compounds). The latter group includes Amanita mushrooms, which can result in
acute hepatic necrosis (i.e., liver failure).
While the frequency of dangerous mushroom toxicity
is likely very low, the lack of readily available identification of mushrooms
lands all ingestions in the category of toxic until proven otherwise. With
ingestion of any mushroom, immediate emesis is recommended, provided the animal
is alert, asymptomatic, and able to adequately protect his or her upper airway.
Gastric lavage may be necessary for animals already exhibiting clinical signs.
Clinical symptoms are dependent on the species of mushroom ingested, the
specific toxin within that mushroom, and the individual’s own susceptibility.
Early clinical signs include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, ataxia,
depression, tremors, and seizures, with liver and renal damage occurring later.
One can collect all the pieces of the mushroom in a paper towel, place them in
a labeled (DO NOT EAT! POISONOUS) paper bag, and refrigerate the sample for
future possible identification. If you see your dog eat a mushroom, contact
your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately! Better yet, make sure to
scour your yard frequently and get rid of any mushrooms growing out there!
Mouse and rat poisons
(rodenticides):
As we prepare to winterize our garage, cabin, or
house, keep in mind that there are some more dangerous rat poisons to pick from
than others. Always make sure to place these poisonous baits in areas where
your pet can’t reach them (i.e., high up on shelves, hidden behind work spaces,
etc.). Currently there are four separate categories of rodenticides available
for general use. Each has a different and unique mechanism of action. This
results in four different sets of clinical signs in both the target rodent
population and our curious pets who might consume them. All of these
rodenticides also pose the potential for “relay toxicity”– in other words, if
your dog eats a whole bunch of dead mice poisoned by rodenticides, they can get
the secondary effects from this. This is most commonly seen in birds of prey
(i.e., raptors), so we generally recommend avoiding them in the first place!
·
Long-acting
anticoagulants (LAACs): By far the most
well-known and perhaps most widely used rodenticides are the LAACS. This family
of rodenticides works by causing internal bleeding and preventing the body from
clotting normally. Common signs include coughing (blood in the lungs), large
and soft lumps under the skin, vomiting, nose bleeds, bruised skin, exercise
intolerance, weakness, bloody urine, bleeding from the gums, and inappetance.
With LAACS, it takes 2-5 days before the poison actually takes effect and
before clinical signs of bleeding, but chronic ingestion shortens the time
period. If there is any suspicion of ingestion, a prothrombin test, usually
referred to as a PT test, supports the diagnosis (it takes 48 hours after
ingestion before this PT test will be abnormal). Fortunately,
prescription-strength Vitamin K1, the antidote, is routinely found in most
veterinary offices.
·
Cholecalciferol
(Vitamin D3): One of the most dangerous
rat poisons out there is a Vitamin D3-based rodenticide. This type basically
increases calcium blood levels so high that it causes a secondary kidney
failure. With this type of rat poison, only a tiny amount needs to be ingested
before it causes a problem, and long-term, expensive treatment is usually
necessary. This is the type to avoid in your garage, as it has no antidote!
·
Bromethalin: This rarer type of rat poison doesn’t have an antidote and
results in brain swelling. If toxic amounts are ingested, we see clinical signs
of walking drunk, tremoring, and seizuring. Treatment is symptomatic and may
require an extended amount of time in the veterinary hospital due to
long-lasting effects (days up to a week).
·
Phosphides: This type of poison is more commonly seen in mole and
gopher poison, and typically doesn’t come in the classic blue-green or yellow
blocks or pellets. Phosphide rodenticides typically come in a poisoned “gummy
worm” form that you put in the dirt. These types of phosphide poisons result in
phosphine gas in the stomach, resulting in severe bloat, profuse vomiting,
abdominal pain, and potential lung and heart complications. Like
cholecalciferol poisons, it only takes a small amount of poison to cause a big
problem! Make sure to keep these toxins away from your pets, as this type can
be poisonous to you too (if you inhale the phosphine gas if your dog vomits!).
Rose and plant fertilizers:
Some of these fertilizers contain disulfoton or
other types of organophosphates (OP). As little as 1 teaspoon of 1% disulfoton
can kill a 55 lb dog, so be careful! Organophosphates, while less commonly
used, can result in severe symptoms [including SLUD signs (which abbreviate for
salivation, lacrimation, urination, and defecation), seizures, difficulty
breathing, hyperthermia, etc. In some cases, it can be fatal!
Pesticides/Insecticides:
Most pesticides or insecticides (typically those
that come in a spray can) are basic irritants to the pet and are usually not a
huge concern unless a pet’s symptoms become persistent. Some may contain an organophosphate
which can be life threatening when consumed in large quantities. It is always
best to speak to a trained medical professional if there are any questions.
Slug and Snail Baits:
Slug and snail baits are commonly used on the West
coast and in warm-weather conditions, and are available in a variety of forms
(pellets, granular, powder, and liquid). The active ingredient is typically
metaldehyde, which is toxic to all species (particularly dogs).
When ingested, metaldehyde results in clinical
signs that resulted in the nickname “shake and bake.” Within 1 to 2 hours of
ingestion, clinical signs of salivation, restlessness, vomiting, and
incoordination are seen, which then progress to tremors, seizures, and
secondary severe hyperthermia. Treatment consists of early decontamination,
supportive care, temperature regulation (cooling down to a temperature of 103.5⁰ F/39.7⁰ C), anticonvulsants, and muscle relaxants. Generally, the
prognosis is favorable if treatment is quickly and aggressively implemented.
If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these
items or any other questionable substance, call the Poison Control Center 1-800-222-1222 or
your veterinarian for assistance. Accurate and timely identification of the
suspected substance is very important. Having the container, package, or label
in hand will save valuable time and may save the life of your pet.
And I would like to give a big huge Thank you to
the Children’s Hospital of Michigan.
You people are real human beings.
Thank you
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