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Poison · Poison Signs & Symptoms · Poison Diagnosis
· Poison Treatment · Poison Related articles
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Treatment is specific for the poison involved and the symptoms. If your pet just gobbled up the poison, the treatment may begin by making your pet vomit. Your veterinarian will tell you whether or not to induce vomiting based upon what your pet ate. The veterinarian will explain how to get your pet to vomit using salt water, dilute hydrogen peroxide, or Ipecac.
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One type of poisoning for which vomiting is often prescribed occurs when your pet swallows a handful of a medication, such as aspirin, blood pressure pills, or too many of its own medications, such as a package of heartworm pills.
On other occasions, your veterinarian will tell you not to induce vomiting. Vomiting is actually harmful if your pet ate something that will cause a lung infection if any of the vomitus is coughed into the lungs. For example, poisons that contain petroleum products cause lung infections (aspiration pneumonia) when vomited. If your pet swallowed paint thinner, a petroleum product, the veterinarian will tell you not to induce vomiting. In cases like this, your veterinarian may tell you to give your pet activated charcoal to adsorb the poison. Endosorb can also be used to adsorb toxins in the stomach and intestines. It is available as tablets or liquid and is less messy than charcoal. Your pet may also need IV fluids.
About 25% of poisoned animals recover within 2 hours. Of the pets that take longer to recover, many can be treated at home with the advice of your veterinarian or with advice from the ASPCA Poison Control Center (www.ASPCA.org - telephone 888-426-4435). Even with treatment, 1 in 100 poisoned pets dies. Your pet has the best chance of survival if you get help immediately.
Steps for Taking Care of a Poisoned Pet
- Notify your veterinarian.
- Keep the pet calm.
- If the poison is on the skin, bathe the pet. Rinse. Rinse. Rinse.
- If the poison was ingested, get a sample of the poison’s container so the veterinarian can determine the best treatment.
- Give activated charcoal or Endosorb (as recommended by a veterinarian) for poisons such as chocolate or bromethalin.
For charcoal to work fully, give ten times as much charcoal as poison.
The charcoal is often given multiple times rather than all at once.
Charcoal causes diarrhea in some pets, and constipation in others.
The stools are dark black.
Don’t give charcoal when your pet is poisoned with an oil.
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- When advised to do so, induce vomiting. Never induce vomiting in an unconscious or convulsing pet, or in horses, rabbits and rodents because they don’t vomit.
To induce vomiting use 3% hydrogen peroxide at 1-2 teaspoons/10 lbs.
Insert a syringe or squeeze bottle between back teeth to give hydrogen peroxide to cats.
Repeat the dose in 10 or 15 minutes if the pet hasn’t vomited.
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At the vet clinic, vomiting might be induced with ipecac, which is diluted with equal parts of water and given to provide 1ml/lb for dogs, and 1 ½ ml/lb for cats. Unlike hydrogen peroxide, which may be repeated if your pet has not vomited after the first dose, ipecac is not repeated. Activated charcoal is not given with ipecac.
Use salt water to induce vomiting only when instructed to do so by your veterinarian because salt can causes salt toxicosis in some pets.
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What your veterinarian might do
In pets that shouldn’t or can’t vomit, the veterinarian may give your pet an anesthetic and flush its stomach. Gastric flushing removes a large amount of material, and removes materials that are slow to exit the stomach. Veterinarians will not use this technique with convulsing pets, or with pets that swallowed caustic materials such as bleach or petroleum products.
Treatment to prevent further damage from poisoning
After being poisoned, the pet’s liver and kidneys may be affected. Antioxidants, herbs, homeopathics, and supplements that benefit the liver and kidneys help these damaged organs heal Omega 3 fatty acids will help control inflammation. Examples of products that may help include Traumeel, Be Well, and Denosyl.
Helpful contacts
The ASPCA (American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is a nationwide organization with veterinarians available 24 hours a day. Their website is www.ASPCA.org, and their telephone number is 888-426-4435. Your pet’s veterinary clinic is also an excellent place to get help. Keep the clinic’s phone number on your fridge for emergencies.
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The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians
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