| Keeping your pet safe from poisonous | | | | activation of several factors in the |
| insects, animals, plants and other | | | | clotting system and the poisoned animal |
| environmental and home hazards requires | | | | can bleed to death. Good information on |
| a mix of education, common sense, and | | | | anticoagulant rodenticide intoxication |
| planning ahead. | | | | is available at the Cornell University |
| The first step is to "pet proof" the | | | | Veterinary School site. The other type |
| house and yard, just like you might for | | | | of rat and mouse poisons that cause |
| a toddler; pets are often just as clever | | | | toxicities in dogs and cats are vitamin |
| at getting into things they shouldn't. | | | | D rodenticides. Large quantities of |
| Make sure that all chemicals, | | | | vitamin D cause massive increases in the |
| medications, food, "toys" that aren't, | | | | blood calcium and kidney failure. |
| and garbage are out of reach of your | | | | A number of outdoor plants and house |
| pet. Dogs are notorious for eating | | | | plants are toxic to animals. Many plants |
| things that smell good or look like toys | | | | are just gastrointestinal irritants and |
| but aren't. Every year we remove | | | | cause vomiting. Others are far more |
| countless nylons, peach pitts, corn | | | | dangerous. One example is the Easter |
| cobs, coins, diapers, super balls, and | | | | Lily, which can cause severe and often |
| many other items from the stomachs and | | | | fatal kidney failure. |
| intestines of dogs. For cats the worst | | | | Over-the-counter and prescription drugs |
| culprit seems to be strings and other | | | | intended for humans should not be used |
| similar materials, which get caught | | | | in dogs or cats except upon the advice |
| under the tongue despite being swallowed | | | | of that pet's veterinarian. Some drugs |
| and cause the intestine to scrunch into | | | | that humans use routinely are highly |
| a little ball trying to move the string | | | | toxic in pets. One example is |
| through the intestinal tract. | | | | acetominophen (Tylenol), which is highly |
| Ethylene glycol (found in antifreeze) is | | | | toxic in cats. The drug damages feline |
| a particulary dangerous household | | | | hemoglobin rendering it incapable of |
| poison. It tastes sweet and ingestion of | | | | carrying oxygen. |
| even a very small amount can cause acute | | | | Inappropriate use of flea and tick |
| kidney failure and death in dogs and | | | | products was once a relatively common |
| cats. You can visit the Pet Health | | | | cause of toxicity in dogs and cats. With |
| Initiative site for additional | | | | the advent on newer generation products |
| information on antifreeze poisoning. | | | | (eg. Advantage, Frontline, Program) |
| There is an antidote for ethylene glycol | | | | organophosphates and other insecticides |
| toxicity (dogs only) but to be maximally | | | | are used less commonly. Information on |
| effective it must be given within a few | | | | toxicities assoicated with flea products |
| hours of ingestion. You can read more | | | | in cats is |
| about Antizole, an antidote for ethylene | | | | available from CFA. |
| glycol toxicity courtesy of the drug's | | | | The last step in "pet proofing" your |
| manufacturer. Unfortunately, for those | | | | house is to ensure that you have the |
| dogs already in kidney failure, the | | | | telephone numbers for your veterinarian, |
| antidote is ineffective; and a | | | | emergency clinic, and local poison |
| prolonged hospital stay will be required | | | | control center readily available. There |
| for recovery. | | | | is a list of Poison Control Centers |
| There are two main types of rodenticides | | | | available on the Web. The ASPCA's |
| that are toxic to animals. | | | | National Animal Poison Control Center |
| Anti-coagulant rodenticides are more | | | | also has a web site that includes their |
| common. They interfere with the | | | | 800 number for emergency cases. |