“Hidden” Poisons
Despite the common belief that animals know not to eat what might harm them, pets don’t really know how to do that. On top of that, there are also common products that are good for us but toxic to our pets.
The purpose of this article is to draw your attention to what your pet puts in its mouth so you can protect them. The list here is very short and you shouldn’t base solely on it.
1. Poisons:
Rodenticides (Rat poison) – rodenticide poisoning is very common in dogs due to the smell and taste of the poison. Most rodenticides are anticoagulants and as such they result in bleeding.
*The treatment the animal will get will depend on the time that had passed from eating the poison and will usually involve inducing vomiting, treating with activated charcoal to absorb the poison and administering vitamin K1 which contradicts that poison’s activity. In cases where bleedings already occur, the treatment will also depend on the location of the bleeding.
*Alophachloralose (“Tardamon”) – this poison is often used against rodents and birds but it also draws cats and dogs that might eat it. The active ingredient in “Tardamon” (alophachloralose) is an anaesthetic and as such it affects the central nervous system, stimulates it and later depresses it.The common clinical signs are apathy, ataxia, imbalance, etc. that make the pet seem drunk.
“Tardamon” has no antidote so the treatment in case of “Tardamon” poisoning is only supportive.
2. Drugs:
Non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – these drugs (such as “Advil” and “Nurofen”) can be found in almost any household where they are used for fever and pain.
NSAIDs poisoning may occur if a pet swallows tablets that belong to its owner (whether if by accident or because the owner gave it and hoped it would help the pet) or when a pet is overdosed (like when a cat eats a tablet that is meant for a dog).
*The clinical signs of NSAIDs poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, stomachache and ulcerations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In severe cases these ulcers may cause severe bleeding and even ruptures in the stomach or intestines. High NSAIDs doses may cause acute kidney damage. Ibuprofen (“Advil”) in high doses can cause neurological symptoms such as seizures and coma.
Cats are generally more sensitive to NSAIDs poisoning than dogs.
*Treatment includes inducing vomiting (if caught early enough), administering activated charcoal and drugs that protect the GI tract so ulcers would not form. Fluid therapy will also be given in order to protect the kidneys.
If the treatment is aggressive enough and done early enough the prognosis is good.
Acetaminophen/Paracetamol (“Acamol”) – similar to NSAIDs poisoning, this drug is also given sometimes to pets by their owners that are trying to help but are not aware that the drug is not suitable for pets.
*The clinical signs of poisoning include depression, vomiting, difficult breathing, change of the mucous membranes’ (and blood’s) colour to brown, swelling in the face and paws and liver damage.
In asymptomatic cats we will induce vomiting and give activated charcoal. We will also treat with oxygen and N-Acetylcysteine that contradicts the effect of acetaminophen by binding it.
This is a good opportunity to note that cats and dogs normally have a higher body temperature than people and therefore it is very important to consult your veterinarian if you think your pet has a fever and you should never treat it with any fever reducing drug on your own!
Please note, a single acetaminophen tablet is enough to kill a cat!
3. Plants:
Lily (lilies of genera Lilium and Hemerocallis) – these flowers can cause acute kidney failure and death in cats. The mechanism of action of the toxin is not fully understood yet but it is known that exposure to very small quantities (a few pollens, nibbling a leaf, etc.) is enough to cause damage. Therefore, any exposure to the flower should be considered as life threatening and demands treatment.
*Clinical sings: Cats that have been exposed to the plant may vomit several hours post-exposure but this vomiting subsides within a few hours usually. At this time the cat will not show any clinical signs or will be a bit depressed and inappetant. Without treatment the cat will develop kidney failure a day or two post-exposure that will manifest by urinating small amounts or none at all, vomiting, diarrhea, depression, inappetence, dehydration and hypothermia. In some cases disorientation, edema in the face and paws, difficulty breathing and seizures were also seen.
*Treatment: Intensive treatment with fluids, vomiting induction and activated charcoal within 18 hours of exposure to the plant has been shown to have good results in preventing kidney damage. However, postponing treatment till after 18 hours usually end in death of the cat or euthanasia due to kidney failure.
Sago Palm (Cycas revulata) – this plant is commonly found in many gardens and parks. All the parts of it are dangerous and eating them may result in severe liver damage (see Jack’s story)
4. Food:
Chocolate – this is the most common food poisoning, especially in dogs. In fact the cocoa beans are the problem for dogs. Cocoa contains methylxanthines such as caffeine and theobromine that trigger the dog’s nervous system and may cause different clinical signs.
Generally, the darker the chocolate is (the higher its cocoa content is) the more dangerous it is for dogs so eating dark chocolate is more severe than eating milk chocolate. White chocolate also contains theobromie but in a very small amount (less than 1% than in milk chocolate). The quantity of chocolate that was eaten and the size of the dog also play a role in the severity of the poisoning. For example, a large (30kg) dog that would eat a 100 gram bar of dark chocolate (60% cocoa) would probably vomit and have diarrhea while a smaller dog (15kg) that would eat the same amount would probably die. If these 2 dogs had eaten the same amount of milk chocolate then the smaller dog would probably vomit and have diarrhea while the larger dog would probably show no clinical signs.
*The clinical signs of chocolate poisoning usually start 6-12 hours after consuming the chocolate and usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, weakness, increased urination, tremors, seizures, arrhythmias.
*Treatment: If the dog arrives at the clinic within a few hours of eating the chocolate we will induce vomiting. We will also treat with intravenous (IV) fluids and activated charcoal. In some cases we will monitor the dog’s heart beat with an ECG. If the dog is already seizing we will treat the seizures. Sometimes, when the quantity of chocolate that was eaten is very large, dogs develop pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas).
Many times the consumption of the chocolate is not the only/most severe problem but rather what was in the chocolate and can be just as poisonous, such as raisins or macadamia nuts (see below).
Grapes and raisins – the mechanism of action of the toxin that is found in grapes and raisins is not known but it is suspected that there is a mycotoxin involved. A small amount (9-18 grams per 1 kg body weight) is enough to cause severe kidney damage.
*The clinical signs usually start within 48 hours of poisoning and include nausea, vomiting, inappetence , increased drinking, decreased urination and later no urination.
*The treatment is supportive treatment to protect the kidneys and include IV fluids, antiemetics and GI protectants. In severe cases dialysis might be indicated.
Macadamia nuts – the mechanism of macadamia nuts poisoning is also not known but they may cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors and paralysis in dogs.
*Treatment: After pumping out the stomach the treatment is supportive and includes fluids, antiemetics and drugs that would reduce the tremors.
Usually, with the treatment, the dog fully heals 72-96 hours post exposure.
Onions (genus Allium) – onion, garlic, chives and leek contain sulfoxide and disulfide compounds that damage the red blood cells’ (RBC) membrane and therefore cause anemia and methemoglobinemia (meaning that RBC cannot bind oxygen). The level of toxicity varies within this genus and depends on the amount that was consumed but all forms (fresh, crushed, cooked, dry) are a danger to pets. Dry onion contains less water compared to fresh onion and is, therefore, more dangerous, obviously.
Dogs tend to eat onions more than cats but cats are more sensitive to it then dogs.
An average onion weighs 160 grams and 13 grams per 1 kg body weight are enough to cause damage to a dog.
*The clinical signs depend on the severity of the anemia and methemoglobinemia and will include inappetence, pale or yellowish mucous membranes, weakness, rapid breathing, high heart rate, diarrhea and collapse. These signs usually appear 24-72 hours after eating the onion.
*The treatment is an aggressive treatment with IV fluids and blood transfusions. Vitamin E may also help by stabilizing the RBC’s cell membrane.
Xylitol – this is an artificial sweetener that is used in different products (chewing gum, for example) that does not cause a significant increase in blood sugar in people. In dogs, however, it causes a rapid release of insulin. This results in a significant decrease of sugar levels in the dog’s blood which causes vomiting, weakness, depression, seizures and even coma. These signs can show even 30 minutes after ingesting xylitol and can last over 12 hours even with intensive treatment. Xylitol can also cause liver damage within 72 hours even in dogs whose blood sugar level did not go down significantly.
*Treatment: Xylitol poisoning is also treated by inducing vomiting or pumping out the stomach and administering activated charcoal. We will also treat with dextrose (an IV sugar solution) in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels. This treatment, in cases that do not show clinical signs that suggest liver damage, usually has a good prognosis.
Yeast dough – many dogs will love eating raw yeast dough that was left to rise on the kitchen counter but its yeast would ferment in the dog’s stomach. This fermentation releases ethanol which causes alcohol poisoning and these dogs will seem drunk.
*The common clinical signs are vomiting (both because of the ethanol and because of the expanding dough that is pressing the stomach walls), imbalance, depression, incontinence, vocalization. As the dough’s volume increases dogs may develop gastric dilatation volvulus (also known as twisted stomach, gastric torsion and GDV) and even stomach rupture.
If the dog has no neurological signs we will induce vomiting. We will also do a gastric lavage with cold water in order to stop the fermentation and give activated charcoal to absorb the ethanol.
In summary, there are not so few “hidden” poisons in your pets surrounding and that is why it is very important that you keep an eye on them and prevent them from ingesting all kind of “surprises” they find on the street. If you pet have ingested something unknown, contact your veterinarian.