Monday, February 20, 2012
Toxin training
Illustration
The Roanoke Times
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Dogs make terrible edible calls.
Anything that hits the floor in my house is at least fair game for a taste.
Usually just telling my pets to "leave it" is enough to make them cease munching. But when one of them is out of my sight for a moment, it's a little scary to think of all the possible toxins that can be lurking in what I think is my relatively poison-free house.
The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center, a 24-hour service in Urbana, Ill., reports that it answered more than 165,000 calls in 2011 from worried people whose pets ate something they shouldn't have.
The Pet Poison Helpline, another round-the-clock service poison control center based in Minneapolis, estimates that it has handled more than a million calls over the first eight years of its operation. And while dogs make up the majority of the consumers of potential poison, cats do their share of nibbling on potentially perilous products, too.
Here's a list of some of the most common causes of calls to the poison-control lines from pet owners.Medications
According to Dr. Tina Wismer, medical director of the ASPCA Poison Control Center, almost 25,000 calls were placed last year were about animals unintentionally ingesting medications.
Wismer said that among the worst possible pills that a pet could find is calcium channel blockers (Diltiazem, Verapamil), used to treat high blood pressure in humans. Other heavy hitters in the hazardous category are antidepressants (Prozac, Paxil, Celexa) and drugs used to treat ADHD in children (Adderall and Concerta.)
"Kids don't want to take their medication so they may leave it on a plate," Wismer said, and that's where a snooping snout may mistake it for a tasty treat.
These drugs can cause serious side effects for dogs including incoordination, agitation, tremors and seizures, neurological damage and death.
It's not just pills that attract dogs, said Dr. Justine Lee, associate director of veterinary services of the Pet Poison Helpline, it's the pill containers. Rattling bottles and weekly pill counters look and sound a lot like toys and squishy tubes can feel like a treat-filled stuffie. Lee said that a common cream used for psoriasis, Calcipotriene, is particularly poisonous.
Over-the-counter drugs are no safer for your pet than ones from the pharmacy and, unless directed by your vet, should be kept away from your critters. Even a small dose of NSAIDS (Advil, Aleve, Motrin) can cause ulcers and kidney failure.
Lee advises to keep your pet in another room when you swallow your medication. She also suggests that you keep handy a list of all medications (with dosage amounts) for all the people in the house and make sure that guests keep their prescription medications secure from nosy pets.
Foods
Some common human foods can be downright deadly to dogs and cats. The chocolate that many of us have leftover from Valentine's Day or will be coming our way soon in Easter baskets can be very toxic to dogs if ingested in large amounts. Theobromine (a relative of caffeine in milk and dark chocolate) can cause vomiting and diarrhea (leading to dehydration), seizures and rapid heart rate.
"Dark chocolate, baker's chocolate and cocoa powder are especially dangerous," Wismer said. The more concentrated the theobromine in the chocolate — and the smaller the pet — the more likely a trip to the vet will be in order.
For example, an M&M gobbled by a Great Dane will not likely cause a problem, but a couple of bites of a bitter dark chocolate bar chowed by a Chihuahua warrants an immediate vet visit.
If you like to save a few calories, keep any food containing the artificial sweetener xylitol — often used in gum and candies — away from your dogs; it can cause possible liver failure.
You also want to make sure your dog steers clear of grapes and raisins, which can cause kidney failure, and avoid feeding dogs anything with onion or garlic, which can cause anemia.
Household items
It's common knowledge that you should keep household cleaners and insecticides away from curious kids, but it's also a good idea to keep them away from your curious pets.
Lee suggests that new pet parents follow the same routine for pups as parents follow for toddlers: Get down on the floor and get a puppy-eye view of the household items your pet could encounter. All insecticides should be stored where pets can't access them, as well as other cleaners, automotive products and lawn and garden supplies.
Wismer also warned of fireplace logs.
"They seem to be very attractive to dogs," the veterinarian said. Eating a large chunk of a fireplace log can cause an upset stomach and possibly an obstruction in the dog's colon.
Home and garden
Easter will be here soon, and this is when kitties can be exposed to serious risks. Lilies are beautiful plants, but they are also potentially deadly to cats who choose to nibble them. Easter lilies, Asiatic lilies and stargazers should be avoided.
"One or two leaves, or even the pollen if the cat grooms it off, can kill the cat," Lee said. "It can cause acute kidney failure."
Once common only in temperate climates, Sago palms are now often sold as houseplants and they pose a big risk to pets. "It can kill dogs," Lee said, by causing liver failure.
But there are varieties of palms that are safe, Wismer said, so she suggests doing research before bringing a potted palm home.
As soon as the last frost thaws, my husband likes to get fresh mulch spread around our bushes and trees. But because our three dogs like to treat mulch like sticks (OK, it is sticks), we avoid using cocoa mulch. Sure, it smells heavenly and I love the rich dark color, but the potential for chocolate poisoning is not worth it.
What to do
If you suspect your pet has gotten into something toxic, call or take your pet to your veterinarian right away. If your vet is not available, keep the poison control center phone numbers handy (both charge for the service, so get your credit card ready when you call.)
Time is of the essence if your pet has ingested something poisonous, and I know this from experience.
Two years ago on a warm spring evening, our greyhound Coral munched on what we suspect was the fungus that sprouts all over our yard after a heavy rain. It made her violently ill; in less than an hour she was so dehydrated we almost lost her. A trip to Roanoke's Emergency Veterinary Services saved her life.
