FOLIO
Dogs and cats often explore the world with their noses and mouths, and often get into things they shouldn’t — like poison. It can be eaten, absorbed through the skin, even inhaled. Some poisons act immediately, some take days to appear — all can be fatal. If you ingest something harmful, time is of the essence. Knowing what to do can mean the difference between life and death.
Dear Davi,
I was snooping around the garage yesterday and found some bright green pellets on the floor. It looked like kibble, so I gobbled a mouthful and walked into the house. Within hours, I felt weak and was having difficulty breathing. I knew something was wrong, and so did my human. What could he do for me?
Wally the Retriever
Wally,
Egads! Sounds like you ate poison! Because your human did not see you ingest the pellets, he will not immediately know what’s wrong, but your signs of distress should raise a red flag that you might be poisoned. While rat poison may not create problems immediately, a series of events will soon take place, and things will start deteriorating quickly. Don’t underestimate the problem; go directly to your vet. Vomiting will be induced to remove toxins from your stomach, followed by vitamin K treatment. Activated charcoal can be given to help prevent absorption of the poison. The prognosis is generally good with early decontamination and proper medical treatment.
About 25 percent of poisoned pets recover within two hours. Of the pets that take longer to recover, many can be treated at home following the advice of a vet or Pet Poison Hotline. Sadly, even with treatment, one out of 100 poisoned pets dies.
Dear Davi,
I’m worried. I was prowling around a lovely garden yesterday and found a blooming bush. The bright flowers looked good enough to eat, so I nibbled on some leaves and chewed on the woody stem. Now I feel sluggish and there’s diarrhea in my litter pan. My human looked in my mouth and saw excessive drooling. What could she do for me?
Albert the Abyssinian
Albert,
Making a meal of unfamiliar vegetation is not wise. Word from my feline
friends is that cats in the wild probably ate plants as a source of fiber, but now the wrong bite could cause more harm than good. Some plants are poisonous — even deadly. Though your human missed your binge, he should rush you to the vet because your symptoms point to poisoning. Without immediate attention, you could fall into a coma and possibly die. The vet will induce vomiting or give you activated charcoal to prevent absorption of toxins into your blood stream. Your recovery is more hopeful if you get medical care quickly.
There are thousands of plants and flowers, but only a few are truly dangerous. Make sure you know which ones are most deadly and avoid them. Go to petpoisonhelpline.com/pet-owners/basics/top-10-plants-poisonouse-to-pets.
If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680 for initial information. It’s a 24/7 emergency service with licensed veterinarians and toxicologists answering your call. These are not free calls; have a credit card handy.
Be safe!
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