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Poison · Poison signs & symptoms · Poison diagnosis
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EMERGENCY: National Animal Poison Control Center: 1-888-426-4435
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Cat and dog poisoning occurs when a pet drinks or eats a harmful substance. The substance affects the brain, heart, liver, lungs, or kidneys so that your pet becomes ill. Illness can be immediate (acute) as with strychnine, or it can be long-term (chronic) as with swallowing a penny. The illness can be severe, as with rat poison, or mild, as with diarrhea caused by lapping soapy water used to wash the car.
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Among the common causes of pet poisons are prescription medications, moth repellants, mushrooms, paints, rodenticides, and household cleaners. Poisoning can also occur if your pet walks in toxic materials, such as herbicides and pets playing on lawns treated with fertilizers or pesticides are frequently poisoned.
Birds that breath the fumes of over-heated Teflon-coated pans can be poisoned.
How common is dog posioning & cat poisoning?
The ASPCA American Association of Poison Control Centers reported over 105,000 pet poisonings in 2005. This translates to 3-4 poisonings every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Over 90% of poisonings are accidental, and less than 10% are malicious.
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When do most dog posioning & cat poisonings occur?
The worst months for pet poisoning are July and August and half these poisonings involve pesticides—insecticides, herbicides, and flea and tick products.
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Where do most dog posioning & cat poisonings occur?
Most pets get poisoned at home.
Dog posioning & cat poisonings facts
- A 12-lb cat can die after drinking 1 tablespoon of antifreeze.
- A 50-pound dog can die after drinking one cup of antifreeze.
- A swallowed button battery can eat through a pet’s esophagus in 12 hours.
- One castor bean seed can kill a small pet.
- Two cycad seeds can poison a dog.
- 2 ½ grams of dehydrated onions per pound of body weight causes hemolysis and anemia, especially in Japanese Simbas and Akitas.
- The onion powder in baby food sickens kittens.
- Half an adult aspirin tablet can make a cat’s head swell so much it has difficulty breathing. It also damages the cat’s liver and red blood cells.
- Macadamia nuts, cigarettes, moldy and spoiled food, grape skins, and raisins in excess kill pets.
The top 10 causes of dog posioning & cat poisonings:
- Human medications
- Insecticides
- Rodenticides
- Veterinary medications
- Household cleaners
- Herbicides
- Plants
- Chocolate
- Home improvement products
- Fertilizers
Items throughout the house that may cause pet poisoning
Batteries, pennies, homemade play dough, potpourri oils, paint, mothballs, fabric softener sheets, automatic dishwashing detergent, human medications, dog medications, and glue.
Items in the kitchen that may poison
Raw salmon, chocolate, onions, onion powder, garlic, coffee, tea, yeast dough, salt, avocados, cigarettes, alcohol, macadamia nuts, grape skins, raisins, moldy or spoiled foods, and overheated Teflon or Silverstone coated pans (toxic for birds).
Items in the garage that may cause pet poisoning
Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, insect foggers, azalea, oleander, yew, rhododendron, potato leaves and stems, rhubarb leaves, tomato leaves and stems, bait for slugs, mouse and rat bait, and antifreeze.
Chocolate may cause pet poisoning
Chocolate is not good for pets, but not all chocolate is equally poisonous. Bakers chocolate is much more concentrated, and thus more dangerous, than is the milk chocolate found in most candy bars. A pet may be able to eat several candy bars before consuming enough chocolate to cause death, but 3 ounces of baking chocolate can kill a 15-pound dog.
Giving a pet a chocolate chip cookie, while not healthy, seldom contains enough chocolate to be poisonous. Giving a pet a dark chocolate brownie can cause health problems, including irregular heartbeats.
Who Gets Poisoned?
Active, inquisitive, unsupervised pets are poisoned most often. Most poisons are swallowed.
Pets kept in garages, kitchens, and bathrooms are at greatest risk. The American Animal Poison Control Center cites household cleaners, home improvement products, herbicides, fertilizers, insecticides, and rodenticides as among the top 10 causes of poisoning.
Puppies and kittens are poisoned more often than adult pets.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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Vomiting
Nausea
Seizures
Any signs are possible depending upon the poison
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10 pets are poisoned every hour.
3 ounces of baking chocolate can kill a 15-pound dog.
Poison proof your home for your pet just as you would for your child.
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Active, inquisitive, unsupervised pets
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