In 2008, the Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA) handled over 140,000 cases pertaining to pets that were exposed to toxic substances, and many included everyday household products in and around their own homes.
In response ASPCA put together the top 10 list of pet poisons in 2008, and it’s important that you become familiar with this list to help prevent any mishaps at home.
The Top 10 Poisons of 2008
1. Human Medications: 50,000 cases
It’s easy for pets to snatch pills from counters and bed-side tables, or quickly eat them if you’ve dropped a couple on the floor. Both over-the-counter and prescription medications including painkillers, antidepressants and even dietary supplements can be problematic.
2. Insecticides: 31,000 cases
One of the most common exposures involved using chemical flea and tick products incorrectly, such as applying a topical product for dogs on a cat.
3. People Food: 15,000 cases
Grapes, raisins, avocado and certain citrus fruits can all be dangerous for pets, but one of the worst offenders was chocolate, which contains large amounts of methylxanthines. If ingested it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, panting, excessive thirst, urination and hyperactivity, and in severe cases abnormal heart rhythm, tremors and seizures.
4. Rodenticides: 8,000 cases
Rat and mouse poison can contain inactive ingredients that are attractive to pets. Aside from eating the poison itself, pets can also become sick from eating a rodent that’s ingested poison. Exposure to rat and mouse poison can cause bleeding, seizures and kidney damage.
5. Veterinary Medications: 8,000 cases
Drugs meant for animals can still cause side effects, especially when they are misapplied or improperly dispensed. Some of the most common toxic exposures involved non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, heartworm preventatives, de-wormers, antibiotics, vaccines and nutritional supplements.
6. Plants: 8,000 cases
Azaleas, rododendrons, sago palms, lilies, kalanchoe, and schefflera are common houseplants that can be toxic to pets. Lilies are especially toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure even in small amounts.
7. Chemical Hazards: 5,500 cases
Many chemicals around your home can symptoms ranging from gastrointestinal upset and respiratory difficulties to depression and chemical burns in your pets. Examples include antifreeze, paint thinner, drain cleaners and pool/spa chemicals.
8. Household Cleaners: 3,200 cases
Bleaches, detergents and disinfectants contain chemicals that can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract in your pets.
9. Heavy Metals: 3,000 cases
Metals such as lead, zinc and mercury can all poison your pets. Lead is especially widespread and pets can be exposed via paint chips, linoleum and lead dust that’s produced when surfaces in old homes are scraped and sanded.
10. Fertilizer: 2,000 cases
If your lawn has been sprayed with a chemical fertilizer it’s essential to keep your pet off of it. Prevention is the best tip for avoiding accidental exposure to these potentially toxic chemicals.
What to Do if Your Pet is Poisoned
If your pet becomes poisoned, don’t panic. If your pet is showing symptoms, go to an emergency vet in your area immediately. Otherwise, if you think your pet may have gotten into a toxin but you’re not sure, collect any remaining toxic product and call Poison Control (888-426-4435), which comes with a $60 consultation charge. Have your pet’s age, breed, sex, and weight information, along with any remnants of the toxin, on hand to provide to the toxicologist.
You may also be asked to specify what the potential toxic substance was, about how long ago your pet was exposed and about how much your pet consumed.
But, again, if your pet is already showing symptoms of poisoning, such as respiratory distress, seizures, or loss of consciousness, go to your emergency vet immediately so your pet can get the urgent help he needs.
Which “Human” Foods are Toxic for Pets?
People food was the third top poison to pets in 2008, and while certain human foods can be very healthy for dogs and cats -- and it’s certainly preferable to feed your pets fresh, species-appropriate human-grade food as much as possible -- there are some foods that are toxic to pets.
Here are some human foods you absolutely should not feed your pets:
Grapes and raisins, which can sometimes cause kidney failure in very low amounts
Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, which are both classified as methylxanthines; these can cause hyperactivity, increased heart rate, tremors, and potentially death (the more bitter the chocolate, the more toxic it is for your pets)
Onions and members of the onion family, such as leeks and chives; these can cause damage to red blood cells that could result in anemia in both dogs and cats. The exception is garlic, which is metabolized into a different metabolite than onions that is not toxic to pets. A small amount of fresh garlic fed to pets daily actually has some great health benefits.
Macadamia nuts may cause problems including weakness, depression, vomiting, ataxia, tremors, and hyperthermia.
Rising bread dough can be life-threatening – The bread dough itself is not toxic but the animal's body heat can cause the dough to rise in the stomach, doubling or tripling in size and leading to impaction. The dough can also produce ethanol, which causes animals to stumble and become disoriented, lethargic and depressed.
Xylitol, a sugar substitute common in sugar-free chewing gum, can cause life-threatening hypoglycemia and liver damage in dogs; if your dog has ingested gum, bring your dog to the emergency vet immediately!
Again, if you know your pet has ingested a toxin and is showing signs of distress, take him to your emergency vet immediately. If your pet is not showing any symptoms yet, but you suspect he may have ingested a toxin, call Poison Control at 888-426-4435 to find out the next best steps to take.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
These 3 Things May Indicate Your Pet has a Bladder Problem ...
To understand your pet’s urine ph, it’s important to understand the Ph scale. Seven is neutral, everything above 7 is alkaline, everything below 7 is acidic.
Cats and dogs, being carnivores, are designed to have a slightly acidic urine Ph -- optimally between 6 and 6.5.
Dogs and cats, of course, are designed to eat meat, and this diet drops their urine into this slightly acidic range. Vegetarian animals, like goats and horses, have a more alkaline urine because they eat primarily grains and grasses.
A problem arises, however, when dogs and cats, which are designed to eat meat, are fed a grain-based diet, as is the case with many commercial dog and cat foods. This causes their urine to become more alkaline, which may lead to three major problems.
The Bladder Risks of Feeding Your Pet a High-Grain Diet
Three major problems come about when dogs or cats develop alkaline urine:
Infection, because the natural bladder defenses are unable to maintain the urine’s correct Ph. Urine is sterile when kept at the appropriate 6 to 6.5 Ph, but when it creeps up toward the alkaline side the urine loses it’s natural defenses becomes more hospitable environment for infection to occur.
Cystitis (bladder inflammation). Cats especially can end up with chronic inflammation of the bladder, a painful condition that can lead to bleeding and secondary infection.
Urinary crystals or stones. When a urine Ph becomes alkaline, minerals can settle out of the urine and form crystals, which are microscopic, sharp particles that irritate and inflame the bladder. If crystals remain in the bladder long enough, they can fuse together to form stones.
So a healthy urine Ph is incredibly important for your pet’s bladder health, not only to prevent infection but also chronic inflammation, crystals and stones.
What to Do if You Suspect Your Pet Has a Bladder Problem
If your pet is urinating outside the litter box or around the house, it could be an indication of a bladder problem. In this case, it’s important that you drop a urine sample off with your veterinarian so they can perform a urinalysis.
A urinalysis will provide valuable information about why your pet is having urinary problems. In addition to providing information about the presence of blood, protein, glucose, keytones and bilirubin, a urinalysis will also determine how well your pet can concentrate his or her urine … a good indication of kidney health. Urinalysis will also detect white blood cells, which means there is inflammation or infection, and a urine culture and sensitivity can determine if bacteria is present, and what type, to help devise a treatment plan.
If an infection is present, medication may be needed to treat the problem. However, sometimes pets experience inflammation or crystals without any infection present. In this latter case a different set of medications may initially be needed, but ultimately, in both situations, this is often a sign that it may be time to change their diet.
What Type of Diet is Best for Your Pet’s Bladder Health?
If your pet is experiencing chronic bladder problems, poor or improper diet is the culprit in the vast majority of cases.
A prescription diet, which many vets may offer you, typically combines high-carb foods with medications to drop your pet's urine Ph. Doesn't it make much more sense to feed your pet a food that does not contain those alkalizing carbohydrates, and that is naturally low in carbs?
By feeding your pet a species-appropriate, raw food diet, which will naturally be low in carbs, you can often help them achieve a perfect urinary Ph balance without the need for poor-quality prescription diets.
Cats and dogs, being carnivores, are designed to have a slightly acidic urine Ph -- optimally between 6 and 6.5.
Dogs and cats, of course, are designed to eat meat, and this diet drops their urine into this slightly acidic range. Vegetarian animals, like goats and horses, have a more alkaline urine because they eat primarily grains and grasses.
A problem arises, however, when dogs and cats, which are designed to eat meat, are fed a grain-based diet, as is the case with many commercial dog and cat foods. This causes their urine to become more alkaline, which may lead to three major problems.
The Bladder Risks of Feeding Your Pet a High-Grain Diet
Three major problems come about when dogs or cats develop alkaline urine:
Infection, because the natural bladder defenses are unable to maintain the urine’s correct Ph. Urine is sterile when kept at the appropriate 6 to 6.5 Ph, but when it creeps up toward the alkaline side the urine loses it’s natural defenses becomes more hospitable environment for infection to occur.
Cystitis (bladder inflammation). Cats especially can end up with chronic inflammation of the bladder, a painful condition that can lead to bleeding and secondary infection.
Urinary crystals or stones. When a urine Ph becomes alkaline, minerals can settle out of the urine and form crystals, which are microscopic, sharp particles that irritate and inflame the bladder. If crystals remain in the bladder long enough, they can fuse together to form stones.
So a healthy urine Ph is incredibly important for your pet’s bladder health, not only to prevent infection but also chronic inflammation, crystals and stones.
What to Do if You Suspect Your Pet Has a Bladder Problem
If your pet is urinating outside the litter box or around the house, it could be an indication of a bladder problem. In this case, it’s important that you drop a urine sample off with your veterinarian so they can perform a urinalysis.
A urinalysis will provide valuable information about why your pet is having urinary problems. In addition to providing information about the presence of blood, protein, glucose, keytones and bilirubin, a urinalysis will also determine how well your pet can concentrate his or her urine … a good indication of kidney health. Urinalysis will also detect white blood cells, which means there is inflammation or infection, and a urine culture and sensitivity can determine if bacteria is present, and what type, to help devise a treatment plan.
If an infection is present, medication may be needed to treat the problem. However, sometimes pets experience inflammation or crystals without any infection present. In this latter case a different set of medications may initially be needed, but ultimately, in both situations, this is often a sign that it may be time to change their diet.
What Type of Diet is Best for Your Pet’s Bladder Health?
If your pet is experiencing chronic bladder problems, poor or improper diet is the culprit in the vast majority of cases.
A prescription diet, which many vets may offer you, typically combines high-carb foods with medications to drop your pet's urine Ph. Doesn't it make much more sense to feed your pet a food that does not contain those alkalizing carbohydrates, and that is naturally low in carbs?
By feeding your pet a species-appropriate, raw food diet, which will naturally be low in carbs, you can often help them achieve a perfect urinary Ph balance without the need for poor-quality prescription diets.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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