Don't Let Your Pet Eat That - Pet Poison Prevention Tips

Pet poison prevention is a crucial aspect of pet ownership and is often overlooked until it happens to your pet. There's always that one dog that gets into everything from the garbage bins to a backpack. They eat full-size candy bars you thought you tucked safely away or those vitamins you left on your nightstand. Pets are naturally curious and tend to get into things they're not supposed to, which is why this blog aims to help you be as educated as you can be when it comes to keeping your pets safe.

What to Know About Pet Poison Prevention

March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month, and as pet owners, we want to provide a safe home for our pets so they live long and happy lives. Many things in and around our homes are dangerous for our pets, and some can have severe repercussions for their health. Below, we'll go over common pet poisons you may or may not know.

Foods

Some foods are safe for your pet in limited quantities, and some are not safe in any quantity. The safest bet is simply not to feed your pet any human food, but even if you aren't feeding it to them, they could still get at it in other ways, like "garbage diving" or "counter-surfing."

Below are some common foods that are toxic for your pet. These are mainly for dogs, but can also pertain to cats.

Chocolate: All chocolate is toxic for your pet, but baking chocolate is more harmful than milk chocolate.
Grapes and raisins: What is toxic about grapes and raisins for your pet is unknown, but eating them can cause kidney failure.
Onions, garlic, and chives—Cats are more susceptible to their toxins, which can cause GI upset, red blood cell damage, and anemia.

This list is not all-inclusive. You can learn more here about foods to avoid giving your pet.

Xylitol: The dangers of Xylitol to your pet need a more in-depth discussion. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substance often used as an artificial sugar in foods. It is extremely toxic for dogs and cats, but it affects them differently. It's safe to assume you should avoid it for both dogs and cats.

Xylitol causes your pet to release insulin abruptly and have a fast drop in blood sugar. Your pet will exhibit vomiting, weakness, tremors, seizures, and difficulty walking or standing. Over time, it can cause severe liver failure. If your pet ingests Xylitol, your veterinarian must closely follow it for some time, and it will need supportive care for its liver.

Xylitol is found in numerous items, not just food—including human toothpaste. Below is a great graphic from the ASPCA showing where all Xylitol can be found.

Image credit: ASPCA

Over the Counter and Prescription Medications

Our pets, being smaller than us, process substances differently. Human medications can lead to various toxicities in pets. For example, dogs metabolize drugs differently from humans and lack certain enzymes that we have. Just because a substance is safe for humans doesn't mean it will also be safe for pets. Even a single exposure can result in severe harm to your pet. If your veterinarian hasn't explicitly instructed you to give medication to your pet, it's best not to do so.

Over the Counter

Below are some over-the-counter medications that can harm your pet.

Acetaminophen: Causes liver failure and damages red blood cells.
Ibuprofen: Causes kidney issues and stomach ulcers.
Antihistamines with decongestants. It causes increased heart rate, seizures, and respiratory and cardiac failure. Any with a "-D" after the name is very dangerous for your pet.
Aspirin: Causes GI upset, ulcers, and kidney failure.
Vitamins/supplements - especially Vitamin D, which is toxic to pets.

Prescription

Below are common prescriptions that can harm your pet.

Antidepressants
ADHD medications
Blood pressure medications
Sleep aids

Don't leave any over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, or vitamins/supplements on your counter. Store them safely as you would if you were trying to keep them out of the hands of small children or toddlers. Pets will chew through those plastic bottles. They may be "child-proof," but they are not pet-proof.

If your pet does take a medicine prescribed by your vet, keep it separate from any human medications so it doesn't get mixed up. We've had clients who have accidentally given their dogs their medicine and taken their dogs.

If your pet has an accidental ingestion, please call for help immediately. If your pet gets into any medication, you'll want to contact your veterinarian immediately or an emergency vet if your primary veterinarian is unavailable. If neither is an option, the ASPCA has a poison control hotline (Animal Poison Control | (888) 426-4435 | ASPCA) that you can contact, and they will help you triage your pet.

*Note: The ASPCA does charge a fee for this service.

Household Poisons

In addition to food and medications, there are many things in and around your house that are harmful to your pet. While the list below of household poisons is not exhaustive, it showcases some of the more common household toxins to be aware of.

Rat and mouse poisoning: One of the more toxic types of rat and mouse poisoning on the market is Decon, identified by a green pellet. The green color serves a purpose for veterinarians, helping us identify the toxin when inducing vomiting, and it's all green. Decon affects the liver and uses Vitamin K to make clotting agents. The other is rodenticide. With this one, there is no cure or antidote, only supportive care by your veterinarian.

Topical Spot-On Flea & Tick Prevention: Certain cat topicals contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats and can cause horrible neurological symptoms. If you have dogs and cats in your household, you absolutely cannot mix your dog topical with your cat topical.

Plants: The list of both household and outdoor plants that are toxic for your pets, mainly cats, is very long. However, one of the most poisonous plants for cats is lilies. Others include tulips and daffodils. The most toxic household plant is the aloe plant, and the gel inside the leaves is the most toxic. Ingesting the gel can cause lethargy, vomiting, and diarrhea. Generally speaking, even if your pet ingests any plant material, even if it is non-toxic, it will cause some form of GI upset, vomiting, diarrhea, or both.

Fertilizers with herbicides and insecticides: These can cause severe harm to your pet. Some symptoms include GI upset, gas, diarrhea, vomiting, and drooling. They can cause pancreatitis and even bowel obstruction.

What Happens If Your Pet is Poisoned

You may not know if your pet has gotten into something it shouldn't have until it gets sick. The most visual signs you'll see are vomiting, diarrhea, or both. Others can include lethargy, seizures or tremors, difficulty walking or standing, or not acting as they normally do.

Once you know that your pet has ingested something toxic, it's essential to stay calm and act quickly. Contact your veterinarian immediately, or if they are unavailable, the emergency vet in your area. If neither is available, contact the ASPCA poison control hotline.

Your veterinarian will first want to know when your pet ingested the poison as best as you can determine.

Determining how long the toxin has been in your pet's system is often challenging. Activated charcoal absorbs the toxins, allowing your pet to pass them through without causing further harm to their organs.

Afterward, your pet should continue being monitored by your veterinarian, which often includes follow-up bloodwork days, weeks, and sometimes months later.

Pet Poison Prevention Tips for Your Home

Pet proofing your home is something every pet owner should do to keep your pet safe. Here are some things you can do to keep your pet safe at home:

Keep things picked up around the house.
Put things up high in medicine cabinets or cupboards.
Make sure your garbage cans have lids.
Educate visiting family and friends.
Have a first aid kit for your pet.

Don't Let Your Pet Eat That!

Many things in and around our homes can cause serious health issues for our pets. Even though they may be safe for us to take or consume, it doesn't mean they are safe for your pet. That's why it's imperative to be aware of the more common pet poisons and be proactive when keeping your pets safe. We hope this blog provides valuable information about pet poison prevention and encourage you to share this with your fellow pet owners. Here's to happy, healthy, and safe pets!

Additional Resources:

This blog has shared resources to learn more about pet poison prevention. Here is a complete list of those resources, plus a few extra:

Animal Poison Control | (888) 426-4435 | ASPCA

People Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pets | ASPCA

Xylitol Poisoning in Dogs | VCA Animal Hospital | VCA Animal Hospitals (vcahospitals.com)

Human Medications That Aren’t Safe for Dogs | Zoetis Petcare

Poisonous Household Products | ASPCA

Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (aspca.org)

How to Make a Pet First Aid Kit | ASPCApro