Just had a facinating poisoning lecture at college today & thought you would really like to hear the following items that are toxic to your dogs & cats - you may know some & be suprised by others! :

The obvious - chocolate = contains 'Theobromine' - the darker the choc the worse it is...

Plants: LABURNUM, DEADLY KNIGHTSHADE (DOH!), BLUEBELLS, FOXGLOVES, RAGWORT & ACORNS!! Apparently just 3 or 4 acorns can take down a large breed dog! All cause gastric ulceration (stomach ulcers), liver & kidney failure over time & can lead to gastric torsion (Bloat) which as we all know, with having deep chested dogs, can kill within the hour!

Human medicine:
CONTRACEPTIVES - a lot of dogs get rushed in having eaten a packet of pills etc - this is ok & it will pass through their system in due course.
ASPIRIN - causes stomach irritation in large enough doses ie over 1/2 dozen
PARACETAMOL - 1 tablet can kill a cat! It causes hypoxia & cyanosis (oxygen deficiency in tissues & blue mucous membranes ie gums & skin)
IBUPROFEN - causes gastric ulceration, & liver & kidney failure

Herbicides(weedkillers):
PARAQUAT & CHLORATES - causes inflammation of the mouth, vomitting, diarrhoea & respiratory distress. Paraquat can lead to death.

Insecticides:
BORAX (ANT KILLER) - vomitting/diarrhoea > collapse & convulsions
ORGANOPHOSPHATES (OLD STYLE FLEA KILLERS) - same as above plus excess salivation & twitching. Causes Miosis (eye pupils V small)

Molluscicides (slug bait) :
METALDEHYDE - causes incoordination, twitching & convulsions

Rodenticides (mouse & rat bait) :
ALPHACHLORALOSE - decreased body temp > progressive hypothermia
ANTICOAGULANTS eg WARFARIN - prevents clotting > haemorrhage

Household Chemicals:
DISINFECTANTS - cats v prone : esp. phenols eg 'pine' disinfectants espech Dettox! = corrosive > inflammed stomach, vomitting/diarrhoea, abdominal pain > seizures > death
ETHYLENE GLYCOL - (found in car radiators) - tastes lovely to dogs apparently = causes kidney failure, incoordinated muscle movement (ataxia), depression & rapid breathing
PETROL PRODUCTS - very corrosive > inflammed stomachs & skin/paw burns, vomitting/diarrhoea, depression, collapse > death.

---------------------------------------------------------------
If you ever suspect your dog/cat has ingested something remember to try & take the packaging to the vets with you .

Is there anything wet, greasy or smelly on the coat?? try to not let them lick at it (wrap towel over body or around head) - particularity with cats as they are fastidious groomers & this is how they ingest poisons 9 times out of 10.

Try to identify where they have been ie in garage/shed, have you just treated the garden/lawn with anything? is there building work anywhere that might have exposed rat bait etc

If you can identify the source the vets often have access to antedotes - even better if you can tell them on the phone before you head down as some antedotes are only avail through regular human hospitals so they can have them being delivered as you drive there...all saves time!

Collect any faeces/vomit to take to vets - if source of poisoning isnt known these can be sent off to the laboratory who will find source whilst vet treats symptoms!

If the product has been ingested in the last 4 hrs you can if you wish try to induce vomitting (do NOT use a salt solution - animals kidneys cant take it in the ways ours can) - use a mustard water solution - will need to syringe down throat, or washing soda - 1 or 2 crystals max on back of tongue - stand well back for both!!

ONLY INDUCED VOMITING IF : INGESTION WAS WITHIN LAST 4 HRS, PATIENT IS FULLY CONCIOUS (so doesnt then choke on vomit), TOXIN INGESTED IS NON-CORROSIVE (otherwise will cause even more damage coming back up again!)

** AND ONLY DO ABOVE UNDER VETS ADVISE!! ** AGAIN COLLECT VOMIT FOR EXAMINATION & HEAD TO VETS ASAP...

Hope some of that is new to you, certainly was to me!






-- Edited by Suzanne at 20:11, 2005-04-20