If you have any concerns that your pet may have ingested something toxic, please call either of the Poison Control Centers at the numbers below:
There are potentially hundreds of toxins in our homes that could negatively impact the health and wellbeing of our beloved pets. It is important to recognize common household dangers to prevent potentially life threatening situations. Follow along for a brief intro to the top 10 poisons for dogs and cats!
Chocolate is consistently at the top of the list for the most common household toxin for dogs and cats. It is important to know that there are different types of chocolate with increasingly higher concentrations of theobromine which is similar to caffeine. While toxicity all depends on the amount of chocolate ingested in relation to the size of the pet, generally speaking white chocolate contains the least amount of theobromine, milk chocolate is in the middle and dark/baking chocolate contains the highest amount of theobromine. Therefore, white chocolate is almost never toxic and dark/baking chocolate only takes a small amount to cause serious health issues. The most common clinical signs of toxicity are vomiting/diarrhea, increased thirst/urination, panting, restlessness, and increased heart rate. In severe cases, symptoms can include muscle tremors, seizures and heart failure.
While many dogs do not have a poor response to eating grapes/raisins, it is possible that ingesting these items can cause kidney failure in our canine friends. Affected dogs usually develop vomiting and/or diarrhea within 6-12 hours of ingesting the grapes/raisins. Other clinical signs can include lethargy, anorexia, abdominal pain and weakness. Kidney failure develops within 24-72 hours of ingestion and can be fatal if the dog’s kidneys fail to the point of no longer producing urine.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used in some sugar-free gums, candies and peanut butters. Ingestion of xylitol by dogs can cause profound hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) that can result in vomiting, weakness, depression, seizures and/or coma. Some dogs also develop liver failure as a result of xylitol ingestion.
Ibuprofen is a common NSAID used by humans for pain, fever and inflammation. It also goes by the brand names of Advil, Motrin, and Midol. In our dogs and cats, ibuprofen has a very narrow safety margin. This means that even small amounts of ibuprofen can cause serious health issues in our furry family members. Please do not give this medication to your pet and contact poison control and your vet immediately if you think your pet accidentally ingested this medication. The most common clinical signs of toxicity are related to the GI tract with irritation and ulceration being likely. This may cause decreased appetite, vomiting (possibly with blood), diarrhea (possibly with blood), and/or abdominal pain. It can negatively affect the kidneys and/or liver leading to increased or decreased thirst/urination, yellowing of the skin/mucous membranes, and/or tremors, seizures, and/or coma.
Bromethalin is a neurotoxin used in certain non-anticoagulant rat poisons. If you suspect that your pet has ingested bromethalin, take it to your local vet/ER immediately and contact poison control. Toxicity leads to neurological signs within 1-7 days after ingestion and severity of the clinical signs is dose dependent. It is very important to decontaminate the stomach as soon as possible after suspected/known ingestion to decrease the risk of side effects. Clinical signs include acute weakness, hindlimb paralysis, tremors, and seizures.
Marijuana toxicity is becoming more common in our pets with dogs being the most likely to be affected. Our pets can become affected by marijuana by ingesting it (either in baked goods, candies, etc or eating the cannabis itself) or by second hand smoke. It is very important that you be honest with your veterinary team about possible marijuana toxicity. We are not here to judge and will not contact the authorities. Our top priority is to accurately treat your beloved pet! Most of the clinical signs of marijuana toxicity are neurological including incoordination, hyperactive or sleepy, disorientation and being very vocal. They can have dilated pupils and typical present dribbling urine. In severe cases, tremors, seizures and/or coma can occur.
Anticoagulant Rat Poison is designed to poison rodents by disrupting their ability to clot their blood. They come in many different formulations from blocks to powders and can include a number of active ingredients including brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, and warfarin. While directly eating the poison is the most common way to ingest it, pets can also have secondary poisoning through ingesting a rodent that has been previously poisoned itself. This poison works by preventing vitamin K1 recycling within the body. Vitamin K1 is needed to produce certain clotting factors and without it leads to uncontrolled bleeding. It takes 1-2 days for the K1 and clotting factors within the body to be used up and then an additional 3-7 days for clinical signs from blood loss to show up. Evidence of bleeding can sometimes be seen from the nose, mouth or in the eyes, but sometimes it is less obvious due to being in the lungs, abdomen or GI tract. It is possible for undiagnosed poisoning to lead to death, so it is very important to contact poison control and your vet as soon as possible after suspected ingestion.
Onions/Chives/Leeks/Shallots/Garlic poisoning is common in our dogs and cats because they are regularly part of our diets and present in our kitchens on a regular basis. These foods from the Allium spp. affect our pets by causing GI symptoms and the rupture of red blood cells within the body. Any form of these foods can affect our pets whether it is dry, powdered, cooked, raw, etc. Clinical signs vary depending on the amount eaten but include decreased appetite, vomiting/diarrhea, depression, and abdominal pain. Damage to the red blood cells leads to weakness, elevated heart rate and respiratory rate, pale gums and/or red colored urine with kidney damage being possible.
Vitamin D3 poisoning commonly occurs when pets ingest rodenticides containing cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), supplements containing vitamin D and/or ingesting topical medications for psoriasis. Clinical signs usually start 12-36 hours after ingestion and vary depending on the amount of vitamin D3 ingested. In lower doses, clinical signs include vomiting/diarrhea, increased thirst and urination, abdominal pain, depression and decreased appetite. Higher doses can cause elevated levels of calcium and phosphorus which can lead to kidney failure. Severe poisoning can cause increased respiratory rates, difficulty breathing, slow heart rate and/or mineralization of body tissues. Death is possible without appropriate treatment.
Carprofen is a common NSAID used with our dogs to treat/manage pain and inflammation. It also goes by the brand names of Rimadyl, Carprieve, Novox and Vetprofen (among others). At therapeutic doses it is a very effective and well tolerated medication. It is possible, however, for dogs to overdose on carprofen (usually from accidentally getting to the pill vial sent home from the vet). Overdose can result in severe GI ulceration and acute kidney failure. Clinical signs include vomiting (possibly with blood), diarrhea, black tarry diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy, abdominal pain and/or increased thirst/urination. Carprofen is not approved for use in cats so ingestion of any amount of carprofen is a medical emergency.
In addition to chocolate, onions/chives/leeks/shallots/garlic, ibuprofen and vitamin D3 listed above, cats have 6 other poisons in their top 10. Most of these include flowers that fall into the lily family. All cat owners should be extremely cautious with any flowers that they bring into their home.
All members of the plant genuses Lilum (true lilies) and Hemerocallis (daylilies) are toxic to cats. The entire Lily plant is toxic to cats. This includes the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in the vase. Lilies are commonly included in cut flower bouquets and are especially popular around Easter and Mother’s Day. Contact with any part of the lily plant (including biting a leaf or cleaning pollen off of their fur) can cause your cat to develop fatal kidney failure within 3 days. Clinical signs initially include vomiting, lethargy, drooling and loss of appetite. Increased urination and dehydration are signs of kidney damage and typically show up after 12-24 hours. If the kidneys start to fail, they may no longer be able to produce urine which is life threatening. Without appropriate treatment, death can occur within 36-72 hours. It is strongly recommended that cat owners do not bring any type of lily into the home to prevent this unfortunate toxicity.
The Peruvian Lily is not a “true lily” and will not cause kidney failure as listed above. While it is not likely to be life threatening, if ingested these lilies can cause clinical signs of vomiting and diarrhea. It is best to avoid all lilies when there are cats around, just to be safe!
Tulips are also toxic to cats due to allergenic lactones which are most highly concentrated in the bulb. Ingestion of large amounts can cause irritation to the tissues of the mouth and esophagus. Clinical signs include drooling, vomiting and diarrhea. In severe cases, ingestion can cause increased heart rate and respiration rate and difficulty breathing.
Amphetamine Combinations are commonly found in ADHD and weight loss medications along with illegal street drugs like ecstasy and crystal meth. Severe clinical signs can be seen that affect the central nervous system, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. Clinical signs can include agitation, tremors, seizures, drooling, vomiting/diarrhea, increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure, and panting. Aggressive decontamination and supportive care is needed to overcome this toxicity.
Again, if you think your pet has come in contact with a toxin (either listed in this article or not), please contact poison control at one of the numbers below and head to your veterinarian immediately!