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Power intoxicates men. When a man is intoxicated by alcohol, he can recover, but when intoxicated by power, he seldom recovers. – James F. Byrnes
This time an article about what our pets should not eat: common poisonings in dogs and cats. Unfortunately, curious noses can sometimes come into contact with things that can be harmful or even deadly.
In this blog, I will discuss the 10 most common poisonings I encounter in the clinic.
Prevention is certainly better than cure here. Always keep these substances out of your pet’s reach. Read on to learn how to protect your pet!
Despite the fact that almost every pet owner knows that chocolate is poisonous, I regularly get calls about dogs, but sometimes also cats, who have eaten chocolate. It is still one of the common poisonings in dogs and cats. Especially around Easter and Christmas, it is often a hit. Usually they forgot to take that bowl of chocolate off the table before they left home, or there was an unpacked shopping bag in the hallway.
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, substances that are harmful to the nervous system and heart of dogs and cats.
Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, restlessness, increased heart rate, and in severe cases, even convulsions and death.
The amount of chocolate that is harmful depends on the type of chocolate and the weight of your pet. Dark chocolate is the most dangerous, as it contains a lot of theobromine. Milk chocolate is less dangerous but can still cause problems, and white chocolate usually does not contain real chocolate and is therefore not dangerous in most cases.
A rough guideline is that 20 mg of theobromine per kilogram of body weight can cause mild symptoms, but sensitivity varies from animal to animal. Small dogs and cats are more sensitive than large animals.
If you suspect your pet has eaten chocolate:
1. Call your vet right away: Don’t wait, especially with larger quantities or dark chocolate. The vet will do the math with you and think about whether the amount of chocolate eaten is harmful or not.
2. If the amount is potentially harmful, the vet will have an injection to make your dog or cat vomit. This usually (not always) works well. It is important to induce this vomiting within 1-1.5 hours after eating the chocolate. After that, so much has already been absorbed into the body that vomiting no longer makes sense.
Never make an animal vomit yourself with salt or hydrogen peroxide or other methods that are sometimes shared on the internet. These methods can be dangerous and can aggravate the situation.
Grapes and raisins can cause serious poisoning in dogs, and possibly in cats as well, although this is rarer. The exact substance that causes the toxic reaction is still unknown, but even small amounts can lead to acute kidney failure. This is one of the lesser-known poisons in dogs and cats.
Initial symptoms usually appear within a few hours of ingestion and include:
– Vomiting and diarrhea
-Lethargy
– Decreased appetite
-Bellyache
In severe cases, the poisoning can lead to kidney failure, which manifests itself in symptoms such as decreased urine output, dehydration and even coma.
There is no safe amount. Even one grape or raisin can be harmful, especially in sensitive animals. The risk and sensitivity vary from individual to individual, which is why any intake is an emergency.
If you suspect your dog or cat has eaten grapes or raisins:
Xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly used in sugar-free gum, candy, toothpaste, and baked goods, is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can cause serious damage. In cats, xylitol poisoning has been reported less frequently, but the risk also exists.
When a dog ingests xylitol, it leads to a sudden release of insulin, resulting in dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). In some cases, it can also lead to acute liver failure. Unfortunately, xylitol poisoning can be fatal.
Initial symptoms can appear within 30 minutes to several hours and include:
-Vomiting
– Weakness and lethargy
– Loss of coordination
– Tremors and seizures
– In severe cases: liver failure, jaundice and bleeding
The amount needed to cause poisoning is very small. Just half a chewing gum with xylitol can be dangerous for a small dog.
What to do in case of Xylitol poisoning?
The vet will therefore usually do blood tests and admit your dog for further support and treatment.
Dogs can accidentally ingest drugs, which can lead to severe poisoning. Often this happens by finding drugs in garbage, eating pills off the floor, or even by eating human feces that contain traces of drugs. Because dogs are often curious and naturally explore things with their mouths, they are quickly put at risk. It also occurs in cats, but less often.
The following drugs are most often found in cases of poisoning in dogs:
– Cannabis (weed/marijuana): This can be ingested by eating waste, such as cigarette butts or edibles (cannabis-infused foods). Cannabis is toxic to dogs and can cause severe neurological symptoms.
– Cocaine: Very dangerous, even in small amounts, and can lead to hyperactivity, increased heart rate, convulsions and sometimes death.
– Amphetamines (such as ADHD medications): These substances can cause severe stimulation of the nervous system, resulting in tremors, convulsions, and increased body temperature.
– Opiates (such as heroin or morphine): These can cause lethargy, difficulty breathing, and coma.
Symptoms vary depending on the type of drugs, but some common symptoms include:
– Disorientation and loss of coordination
– Tremors or convulsions
– Lethargy or hyperactivity
-Vomiting
– Loss of muscle control
– Loss of appetite
What to Do in Case of Drug Poisoning?
1. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog has ingested drugs. This is always an emergency.
2. Try to find out what drugs your dog has ingested and report this to the vet.
3. Depending on the type of drugs your dog (or cat) has ingested, the vet will initiate treatment.
Many human medications, including pain relievers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol in higher doses, are very harmful to pets. They can cause damage to the kidneys, liver, and stomach. Human medications are one of the most common causes of poisoning in pets.
The symptoms and consequences obviously depend on which drug has been eaten.
Has your dog or cat ingested medication? Contact the vet immediately to discuss.
Rat and mouse poison (rodenticides) are lethal to rodents, but also pose a great risk to dogs and cats. Even small amounts can cause serious health problems, ranging from internal bleeding to kidney failure. The problem with these toxins is that the effects often only become visible after a few days, so it is sometimes too late to intervene effectively.
Most rodenticides work by interfering with blood clotting, leading to internal bleeding. Other types of toxins can affect the kidneys or nervous system. There are three main types of rodenticides:
1. Anticoagulants: Prevent blood clotting, causing internal bleeding.
2. Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3 poison): Increases calcium and phosphate levels in the blood, which causes kidney failure.
3. Bromethalin: Affects the nervous system, leading to convulsions, paralysis, and death.
The symptoms vary depending on the type of poison, but may include the following:
– Lethargy and weakness
– Bleeding: From the mouth, nose, urine, or stool (in the case of anticoagulants)
– Pale gums
– Vomiting and diarrhea
– Convulsions or loss of coordination (in the case of neurotoxic toxins)
– Increased thirst and urination (in case of cholecalciferol poisoning)
What to Do in Case of Poisoning?
1. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your dog or cat has ingested rat or mouse poison.
2. Try to find out what type of poison your pet may have eaten and share this information with your veterinarian. Different toxins require different treatments.
3. Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible, even if there are no symptoms yet. Early treatment can save lives.
Preferably do not use rodenticides but more animal and environmentally friendly methods. If you do use them, always keep them out of reach of pets.
Pay attention during walks: Dogs can encounter poison outdoors, especially in urban areas or around homes where pest control is provided.
Many everyday cleaners we use in the home contain chemicals that can be harmful or even fatal to dogs and cats. Cleaning products such as bleach, disinfectants, degreasers, and toilet blocks can cause serious health problems if inhaled, licked, or come into contact with pets’ skin. This happens more often than you might think!
Dogs and cats can be exposed to cleaning products by:
– Licking up spills or residue from surfaces that have been recently cleaned.
– Drinking water from the toilet bowl in which cleaning products have been used.
– Inhalation of fumes or spray mist during cleaning.
Common Toxins:
1. Bleach (chlorine): This can cause severe irritation to the mouth, throat, and stomach.
2. Ammonia: If inhaled, it can cause respiratory problems, and if swallowed, it can cause chemical burns.
3. Phenols (in disinfectants): These chemicals can affect the liver and kidneys and are especially toxic to cats.
4. Oven cleaners and degreasers: These products are extremely corrosive and can cause severe burns to the mouth and stomach.
The symptoms of detergent poisoning can vary depending on the type and amount of exposure, but may include:
– Vomiting and diarrhea
– Excessive drooling
– Difficulty breathing
– Lethargy and weakness
– Chemical burns in the mouth or on the skin
– Foaming at the mouth due to irritation of the mucous membranes
What to do in case of poisoning?
1. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your pet has come into contact with a cleaning product.
2. Do not give food or water without consulting a veterinarian, as this can sometimes aggravate the poisoning.
3. Gently rinse your pet’s mouth and skin with lukewarm water if the detergent has gotten on the fur or in the mouth, but avoid forcing it if the animal is very stressed. When it comes to soap or detergent, it can often help to get your pet to eat some butter, but don’t do this without consulting a veterinarian.
How to prevent poisoning?
– Store cleaning products safely, out of reach of pets.
– Allow surfaces to dry before allowing pets to access them again.
– Use animal-friendly cleaning products without harmful chemicals whenever possible.
Antifreeze (usually ethylene glycol-based) is extremely toxic to both dogs and cats, and even small amounts can be fatal. The biggest danger of antifreeze is that it tastes sweet, which makes it attractive to pets. A few drops of spilled antifreeze on the ground or leaked from a car can be enough to cause serious poisoning.
Ethylene glycol, the active ingredient in many antifreeze products, is converted in the body into toxins that can seriously damage the kidneys. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to acute kidney failure and death.
Even a very small amount of ethylene glycol can be fatal. For dogs, as little as 5 ml per kilogram of body weight can be fatal, and for cats, as little as 1.5 ml per kilogram is enough to cause severe poisoning.
The symptoms of antifreeze poisoning develop at several stages:
-Vomiting
– Unsteady walking (drunken behavior)
– Confusion or lethargy
– Excessive thirst and urination
The symptoms seem to improve temporarily, but internally the damage to the kidneys begins.
– Severe kidney damage
– Little to no urination
-Lethargy
– Breathing problems
– Coma and possible death
What to Do in Antifreeze Poisoning?
1. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your pet has ingested antifreeze.
2. Time is of the essence: Antifreeze poisoning requires emergency treatment, preferably within hours of ingestion.
3. Take your pet to the vet as soon as possible: Treatment may include administering an antidote and/or intravenous fluids to support the kidneys.
How do you prevent antifreeze poisoning?
– Always store antifreeze out of reach of pets, tightly sealed in a safe area.
– Regularly check for leaks under vehicles and clean any spills immediately.
– Consider propylene glycol-based antifreeze, which is less toxic, although it can still be dangerous.
Lilies are beautiful flowers, but they are extremely poisonous to cats. All parts of the lily – including the flowers, leaves, stems, and even the pollen – can cause serious poisoning. Even a small amount of lily ingestion, such as licking the fur on which pollen has fallen, can have deadly consequences.
In cats, any intake of lilies can lead to acute kidney failure. The exact toxic component is still unknown, but the damage to the kidneys is often severe and rapidly progressive.
The symptoms of lily poisoning can occur within a few hours to a few days after ingestion and include:
– Vomiting and decreased appetite
– Lethargy and weakness
– Excessive thirst and urination (early signs of kidney problems)
– Increased heart rate
– At a later stage: decreased urination or no urination at all, indicating kidney failure.
What to Do in Case of Lily Poisoning?
1. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat has been in contact with lilies. This is a medical emergency.
2. Timely treatment is crucial: The sooner treatment is started, the better the chances of recovery. A cat treated within 18 hours of ingestion has the best chance of preventing serious kidney damage.
3. Treatment consists of intravenous fluid therapy to support the kidneys and reduce possible absorption of the toxin. Regular blood tests are also done to check the salts and monitor the kidney values. In general, cats that have ingested lilies are admitted to the hospital on an IV drip for at least three days.
Lilies and cats don’t mix at all. Even a small amount can be life-threatening, so it’s important to avoid lilies in any home with cats.
Mushrooms can be a major threat to dogs and cats, especially if they roam outside unsupervised. Many mushrooms contain toxic substances that can cause serious health problems, ranging from stomach upset to life-threatening organic damage. The main problem is that many poisonous mushrooms are difficult to spot, and even the more innocent-looking species can be harmful. Mushrooms that are edible to humans are edible to dogs and cats as well. But there are some others out there in the field that can be very poisonous.
The toxins in mushrooms can affect various organs, such as the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The symptoms can vary depending on the type of mushroom, but they can quickly become life-threatening.
There is no safe amount; Even a small amount of a poisonous mushroom can have serious consequences. The severity of the poisoning depends on the type of mushroom and the amount ingested.
The symptoms of mushroom poisoning can occur within hours of ingestion and include:
– Vomiting and diarrhea
– Lethargy and weakness
– Abdominal pain and discomfort
– Loss of coordination and balance
– Dilated pupils or other neurological symptoms
– Yellow skin or eyes (in severe cases of liver damage)
-Epilepsy
What to Do in Case of Mushroom Poisoning?
2. Take your pet to the vet: Early treatment can reduce toxin absorption and reduce the likelihood of serious harm.
3. Collect a sample of the mushroom (if possible) to help with identification and treatment. Or take clear photos.
By being alert and acting quickly, you can prevent serious health problems in your pet. Make sure toxins are always out of reach of your pets and be aware of the risks that everyday household objects and food can pose.
Do you have any comments or questions? Feel free to send me a message, I’ll be happy to help you!
