| March is National Pet Poison Prevention Month |
| Nothing is worse than when you arrive home to find a half-eaten sleeve of sugarless gum or a bag of chocolate or your Amaryllis plant stripped of a flower or a leaf. Telltale signs of potential pet poisoning, your stomach drops to the floor, is your beloved pet ok? First assess the situation. Remove the object from your pet’s mouth if you can do so safely. Keep your pet confined in a safe environment for close monitoring. Monitor your pet for: Difficulty breathing, Drooling, or difficulty swallowing, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Excessive drinking, and urinating, fast, slow or irregular heartbeat and weakness. Identify the source of the hazard, i.e. sugarless gum, chocolate, plant matter, cleaning solutions etc. if at all possible can you tell how much of the hazard has been ingested? Gather any vomit into a plastic bag in case you need to go to the vet.Call your veterinarian or emergency vet, they have access to the ASPCA’s Pet Poison Help Center or contact the Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661. According to ASPCA’s Pet Poison Help Center more than one fifth of their calls involve pets who have swallowed human medications. They compiled a list and here is the list of the top 5 toxins categories and the percentage of calls each category represents. (Source AAHA.org 2018) 1. Over-the-counter medications: 19.6% Over-the-counter (OTC) medications were the most common group of toxicants pets ingested in 2018, with 41,865 cases reaching the APCC. They include vitamins, OTC pain medications (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen), herbal supplements, antihistamines, and cold and flu medications. Ingestion of OTC medications is typically accidental, so it’s important to share the dangers of these common household items with your clients or new adopters. 2. Human prescriptions: 17.5% Ingestion of medications prescribed for people dropped to number two in 2018, with 36,916 of total cases. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, antidepressants, and heart medications make up a significant amount of these cases. Pet owners should be reminded often to keep all medications out of reach of pets. 3. Food: 11.4% Food is number three at 24,469 cases. Xylitol, grapes, raisins, onions, and garlic make up most of these cases. 4. Chocolate: 10.1% Chocolate moved up a spot from 2017 with 21,635 of APCC cases—working out to almost 60 cases a day. The popularity of chocolate gifts for occasions like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter adds to the danger. 5. Veterinary products: 9.3% Flavored medications and misread labels are a big reason pets run into trouble with veterinary products. Make sure you review with clients how they should give medication—and all pet owners should be reminded that childproof does not mean pet proof when it comes to containers. Keeping our pets and our client’s pets safe is our responsibility. Never keep prescriptions, vitamins or OTC drugs on a counter, a shelf or the top of a refrigerator. They should be stowed safely in a drawer or cabinet that cannot be opened by a curious kitty or pup. All candy and gum should be high enough up in a cupboard that will keep prying paws from accessing it. Always check the kid’s backpacks are up and hung high enough for Fido not to rummage. Be aware of plants that can poison cats or dogs, that beautiful flower arrangement may contain Lilies, Bird of Paradise or Baby’s Breath to name just a fewAs the saying goes, knowing is half the battle, so read up on some the most common pet health hazards that could be in your home: Over-the-counter medications: Even small amounts of ibuprofen (Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or naproxen (Aleve) can cause serious stomach and intestinal ulcers, as well as kidney failure. Prescription medications: Anti-inflammatory and pain medications, antidepressants, and blood pressure medications are especially dangerous, due to the risk of neurological problems like seizures, elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. Chocolate: Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, as well as caffeine, neither of which dogs can metabolize. The darker the chocolate, the more theobromine there is, and the more toxic it is. Xylitol: A sweetener used most often in sugar-free foods, xylitol causes a rapid drop in blood sugar, resulting in weakness and seizures. Rodenticides: In some cases, pets may find and ingest the poison itself, and in others, particularly with cats, exposure may occur when a poisoned rodent is eaten. Cleaners and chemicals: It may seem obvious, but most cleaning products and chemicals, from antifreeze to pool and hot tub products, are dangerous – and sometimes oddly appealing to pets. Plants: Lilies, tulips, daffodils, and sago palms are high on the list of houseplants and flowers that are toxic to pets, from bulb to bloom. Foods: Grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, macadamia nuts, and cherries top the list of foods that you need to grab fast if they fall on the floor. (This is where the “Drop it” command comes in handy!) (Source: Guardian Veterinary Specialists) Keep your pets and client’s pets safe by practicing preventative measures every time you enter or leave the house and hopefully you’ll never become acquainted with the Pet Poison Helpline. Pet Poison Helpline (855) 764-7661 |
