Valentine’s Day is just around
the corner and with this holiday of love comes gifts, many of which include
candies and flowers. The veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline share some of the
most common culprits of pet poisonings related to these well-intentioned
gifts.
“Unfortunately, some
well-intentioned gifts of love can be toxic to your pets,” said Ahna Brutlag,
DVM, MS, and assistant director at Pet Poison Helpline. “Certain flowers, candy
and sweeteners can be hazardous, so keeping those things out of their reach is
one of the most loving things you can do for your pets this Valentine’s Day.”
Flowers Lilies (Lilium
spp. and Hemerocallis spp.) are frequently sold in fresh bouquets and make a
beautiful but deadly alternative to Valentine’s roses. The most common
potentially dangerous lilies are the Stargazer lily, Tiger lily, other Asiatic
lilies, and some species of day lilies. They contain a toxin in the petals,
leaves, pollen and even the water in the vase.
Threat to pets: These
lilies are extremely toxic to cats and cause acute kidney failure within a day
or two of exposure. If untreated, the exposure will likely result in death. The
ingestion of just one or two leaves or petals can cause sudden kidney failure.
Even ingesting small amounts of pollen from a cat’s fur is considered
poisonous. Thankfully, these plants don’t cause serious harm in dogs – only in
cats. When ingested by dogs, they will result only in mild gastrointestinal
upset. Signs: Within a few hours of exposure cats may develop drooling,
inappetance, and lethargy. These signs progress to increased thirst and
urination and severe kidney failure. Without treatment, lily poisoning is fatal
in cats.
Treatment: Your
veterinarian may decontaminate the cat by inducing vomiting and giving
activated charcoal to prevent further absorption of the toxin. Most cats need
to be hospitalized on IV fluids for three days to help protect the kidneys, and
frequent blood tests are necessary to monitor progress. In rare cases,
hemodialysis may be needed, however, the availability of hemodialysis is
limited to only a few places within North America. Prognosis: Rapid treatment
is imperative for a good outcome. Without it, the prognosis is poor.
Roses are red, violets
are blue, but biting a thorn can do damage to you… and your pets. Threat to
pets: Although roses do not often cause serious poisoning beyond
gastrointestinal upset, there is risk for trauma to the mouth and paws from the
thorns. If a large amount is ingested, a bowel obstruction may result. Signs:
Drooling, pawing at the mouth, inappetance, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and
abdominal pain or discomfort.
Therapy: Check the mouth
and paws for signs of trauma from thorns. Veterinary treatment may be
necessary, including a thorough oral exam under sedation, pain medication, antibiotics,
or even anti-vomiting medication. Prognosis: Excellent with supportive care.
Chocolate
A classic Valentine’s
Day treat, chocolate, can be toxic to pets. The question is – how much is too
much? Chocolate and cocoa contain theobromine, a chemical similar to caffeine
that’s highly toxic to dogs and cats. Remember this fact: dark = dangerous! The
darker and more bitter the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains, meaning
that baker’s chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and gourmet dark chocolates are
the most dangerous. Foods covered/dipped in chocolate can also be dangerous, as
in addition to the chocolate, the food inside can be toxic to pets. The most
dangerous are chocolate covered raisins, espresso beans and macadamia nuts. In
general, white chocolate has very little theobromine, but all types of
chocolate contain large amounts of sugar and fat, which can potentially result
in pancreatitis.
Threat to pets: It’s the
dose that makes the poison! Pets that ingest a few M&Ms or 1-2 bites of a
chocolate chip cookie are unlikely to develop chocolate poisoning. For milk
chocolate, any ingestion of more than 0.5 ounces per pound of body weight may
put dogs at risk. Ingestions of more than 0.1 ounces per pound of dark or
semi-sweet chocolate may cause poisoning. Almost all ingestions of baker’s
chocolate can result in poisoning and are considered emergencies.
Signs: Ingestions of
small amounts of chocolate may cause mild vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst
and increased urination. Larger ingestions can cause severe agitation,
tachycardia (elevated heart rate), abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures
and collapse.
Treatment: Depending on
the amount of time since ingestion, treatment includes inducing vomiting and
treating with activated charcoal to bind the toxin. Treatment may also include
anti-vomiting medication, IV fluids, sedatives and heart medications.
Prognosis: Excellent in
pets with mild signs of poisoning, such as slight stomach upset or
restlessness. Poor in those with severe signs symptoms such as heart
arrhythmias, severe hypertension, collapse and seizures.
Xylitol
Commonly used as a sugar
substitute, xylitol is dangerous to pets. For Valentine’s Day, beware of
sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods, and breath mints containing xylitol.
Threat to pets:
Xylitol may cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar as well as liver
failure in dogs. Typically, the dose required to cause poisoning is at least
0.05 grams per pound of body weight (0.1 grams per kilogram of body weight).
Chewing gums and breath mints can contain as much 100% xylitol per piece, so a
10 pound dog would only have to eat as little as one piece of gum to experience
a potentially toxic dose!
Signs: Within 10 to 15
minutes of ingestion, dogs may develop hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Signs of
hypoglycemia include vomiting, walking drunk, acting weak, collapsing, and even
seizures. With large ingestions causing liver failure, signs may not be seen
for several days after ingestion. Treatment: Inducing vomiting should only be
performed in asymptomatic animals that have a normal blood sugar level.
Treatment for poisonous amounts of xylitol may include intravenous dextrose
(sugar) and fluids, along with monitoring blood sugar levels and liver values.
Prognosis: Excellent when the ingestion is caught early. Show your pets lots of
love this Valentine’s Day and throughout the year by protecting them from harm.
If you think your pet may have ingested something harmful, take action
immediately. Contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline at
1-800-213-6680. Pet Poison Helpline is the most cost-effective animal poison
control center in North America charging only $39 per call; this includes
unlimited follow-up consultations.
Source:
Published on February 6,
2012
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