Pet Poisoning

Pet Poisoning Decontamination and Treatment

• Ocular exposure should be flushed repeatedly with tepid water or saline solution for a minimum of 20-30 minutes and examined for corneal damage, excessive redness, lacrimation, and pain.
• Dermal exposure should be bathed in mild liquid dishwashing detergent and repeated if an oily product was involved, with body temperature monitored after bathing and gloves worn to prevent personal exposure.
• For oral ingestion, corrosive or irritant substances should be diluted with milk or water at a dosage of 1-3mL per pound, and exotic animals should consume juicy fruits or vegetables in place of milk.
• Emesis for oral ingestion should be determined by factors like time since ingestion, the species, medical conditions, and type of poison, with certain animals contraindicated for vomiting.
• Decontamination methods for oral ingestion include the use of activated charcoal, an adsorbent that binds to toxins and prevents absorption into the bloodstream, administered orally at a dosage of 1-3g per kilogram of body weight.
• Gastric lavage, a gentle stomach pump, is contraindicated with caustic agents or petroleum distillates and requires general anesthesia and a cuffed endotracheal tube.
• Supportive care for pet poisoning involves monitoring vital signs, collecting blood samples for monitoring, providing nutritional support if needed, and tailoring continued care to clinical signs, side effects, and recovery.
• Chocolate toxicity in pets is caused by methylxanthines like theobromine and caffeine, with the darker and more bitter chocolates being more toxic and causing clinical signs such as lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, increased heart rate, tremors, and seizures.
• Onions, including garlic, leeks, and chives, contain a toxic principle that can cause hemolytic anemia in pets, leading to clinical signs such as lethargy, weakness, vomiting, pale mucous membranes, and red/brown urine (hemoglobinuria).
• Xylitol, an artificial sweetener found in gum, candy, dental products, chewable medications, and some peanut butter, can cause severe low blood sugar and liver failure in pets, necessitating treatment such as emesis and 5% dextrose for hypoglycemia.
• Grapes and raisins can cause acute kidney failure in dogs, with clinical signs including vomiting, lethargy, anorexia, and abdominal pain, and treatment involving decontamination, fluid diuresis, and monitoring for azotemia.
• Moldy food containing tremorgenic mycotoxins can lead to neurotoxic clinical signs in pets, such as muscle tremors and convulsions, requiring treatments like minimizing absorption, emesis, lavage, activated charcoal, and muscle relaxants.