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Accidental Poisonings
Recently, I have had to treat a number of accidental poisonings and I would like to take this opportunity to go over the common household hazards. There are many products around the house that can cause serious harm to dogs and cats. One cannot imagine how it can be so difficult to give pills to an animal when you need to, yet they will eat medicine left lying around. One of life's ironies I guess.
Tylenol This very safe medication for people is very toxic to dogs and cats. One pill is enough to cause fatal damage to a cat. The reason for this problem is due to differing abilities of the liver to break the drug down. Never leave any lying around and never give any to your pet. There is an antidote so if you suspect a problem, call your vet immediately!
Aspirin
Although safer than Tylenol, it can cause serious damage to the stomach and kidneys especially to cats. Use only as directed by your veterinarian. There are new anti-inflammatory drugs available that have fewer side effects and are much more effective.
Chocolate!!
Yes this delectable tasty treat is a poison. Small dogs are particularly at risk because they know how to beg so well. It doesn''t take much to cause problems either. The lethal dose of bakers chocolate is very small: eight ounces of chocolate is enough to kill a 20 pound dog. Unfortunately, there is no antidote so as soon as you discover chewed chocolate, take action before it is too late.
Onion Soup
If your cat is like our "George", always chewing into everything food related, you better guard the soup mix well. Drawn by the salt and the smell, cats can lick up enough soup mix to make several bowls of french onion soup! The onions cause damage to the cats blood and causes a severe anemia. Again rapid treatment is required.
Slug Bait!
One of the worst cases of poisoning I have ever encountered was with this nasty product. A well meaning gardener tried to clean up the yard prior to guests and within two hours her dog was having severe seizures. Unfortunately most garden stores are unaware of the extreme toxicity of this substance and no warning signs are posted. To make matters worse, cats and dogs love the taste of these granules. There isn''t an antidote for this poison and even early supportive treatment usually fails.
Other "Innocent" Things
The above list is far from complete but it illustrates the point well: Innocent seeming things can be deadly. Other similar problems have been found with dogs licking up psoriasis medication, cats drinking antifreeze, not to mention dogs eating rope from roast beef and getting obstructed. Please go around your home and make sure it is safe. If your pets are eating or chewing anything not intended for the purpose, it may pose a hazard. Better to be safe than sorry. Call and ask before the problem occurs.
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