Summer is a time when we get to enjoy the great outdoors with our pets. Although the time spent outdoors is enjoyable for your pet, it also increases the risk of exposure to certain toxins. It is important to be aware of some common toxin ingestions in order to keep your pet safe and healthy.
Marijuana:Believe it or not, this is one of the more common toxin ingestions that we see. Often, it is a completely accidental ingestion, for example a dog eats some of the drug that has been discarded in a park or on the trail. Symptoms usually occur within hours and include vomiting, confusion, stumbling, dribbling urine, changes in pupil size and heart rate. Depending on the pet's condition and the time elapsed from ingestion, inducing vomiting and/or adsorbents may be appropriate. Treatment is supportive and most pets recovery well.
Rat Poison/Anticoagulants: The important thing to remember about rodenticide ingestion is that symptoms do not appear for several days after ingestion.Anticoagulant rodenticides affect the body's ability to clot blood through depletion of Vitamin K that the body depends on for normal coagulation. Once the pet can no longer clot normally they begin to show signs of internal bleeding. This can include blood in urine, vomiting blood, dark tarry stools, frank blood in stools, nosebleeds, weakness and pale mucus membranes. Blood tests that measure clotting times are used to confirm suspected cases of rodenticide exposure. The good news is there is an antidote vitamin K is given for a period of weeks (depending on exactly the type of product ingested) and most animals recover well if treated in a timely fashion. If you suspect your pet has ingested rat poison it is essential to seek veterinary care ASAP, asdepending on the time elapsed from ingestion, inducing vomiting and/or adsorbents may be appropriate.
Mushrooms:it is best to keep your pet away from all mushrooms, as identifying the numerous toxic mushroom species from harmless mushrooms can be difficult.Signs of ingestion can include, vomiting, diarrhea, slow heart rate, lethargy, seizures, yellow eyes/gums, drooling and slow heart rate. If you suspect your pet has eaten toxic mushrooms it can be helpful to collect a sample to narrow down the type of mushroom and toxic compounds present.Treatment is usually supportive once clinical signs develop and although some pets require intensive hospitalization, ingestion is rarely fatal.
- Angela Dattolicos is a doctor of veterinary medicine
