Sugarless candies can be toxic to pets. Candies
containing xylitol have been recognized by the National
Animal Poison Control Center to be a risk to pets. This
information was first published in July 2004. This
compound can cause liver damage and death in dogs
susceptible to being poisoned with xylitol. If your dog
ingests sugarless candy it would be best to contact the
NAPCC (1-888-426-4435). It is possible your vet will not
be familiar with this source of poisoning as this
information is fairly new and candies have not usually
been associated with poisonings in dogs if they did not
contain chocolate as the major ingredient.
Mike Richards, DVM
11/30/2004
Salmon Poisoning Disease
This is primarily a problem in the Pacific
Northwest and California. But if you feed a raw meat
diet it can be a problem anywhere.
It is caused from the infection by a rickettsial
organism,Neorickettsia helminthoeca. SPD has been known
since the early 19th century in North America. It had
been observed that dogs that ate raw salmon frequently
died however the connection between the fluke and the
rickettsia was not established at this time.(1) It is
unusual in that the rickettsial organism does not
directly infect the dog but is instead carried by a
parasite, a trematode (flatworm or fluke) called
Nanophyteus salmincola through two intermediate hosts
first: freshwater snails and salmonid fish (salmon,
trout and steelhead).
Nanophyteus salmincola are found to infect freshwater
snails particularly Oxytrema plicifer. The infected
snail forms part of the salmonid species food web and is
ingested. Neither the fluke nor the rickettsial organism
act as pathogens in the fish. The dog is exposed only
when it ingests the secondary host - an infected fish.
After the dog ingests the fish, the encysted fluke
larvae burst and embed in the dog’s intestinal tract and
the rickettsia are introduced. The cycle continues when
ova are excreted in dog feces to infect snails.
It is necessary for your dog to eat raw salmon to get
salmon poisoning disease.
A sudden onset of symptoms occur 5-7 days after
ingestion of fish.Initial symptoms include lethargy and
anorexia. Peaking of temperature between 104-107 in the
first two days and then slowly returns to normal.
Persistent vomiting by the fourth day. There is bloody
diarrhea within a few days of vomiting onset. The
diarrhea is often bright yellow color. There are
enlarged lymph nodes.
In the acute stages, gastrointestinal symptoms are quite
similar to canine parvovirus. Nasal and ocular symptoms
can resemble canine distemper. If left untreated, SPD
has a mortality rate of up to 90%. Treatment is
supportive to maintain hydration as well as antibiotic
therapy to kill the disease producing organism. Dogs
that survive are immune.
It is preventable by cooking all fish before feeding
your dog. If you are outdoors hiking or camping or live
near streams and rivers were salmon spawn, keep a close
eye on your dog on don't let your pet run free to insure
that no fish carcasses are ingested. Please see your vet
immediately if you suspect your dog has ingested raw
salmon.
Michal
7/28/2004
Holiday Toxic brew - Raisin and
Alcohol toxicity
One of our readers nearly lost both of her Labs to
the sediment of a neighbors holiday brew.
He thought he would share a treat with them.
They ingested 8 teaspoons each. (Some fell on the
ground, the spoon was a
bit heaped) This was in the form of pulp.
The mixture is as follows: raisins, oranges,
sugar, wine yeast and water.
the pulp was in the bottom of the container which had
fermented for 5 days.
"Pretty Strong Stuff".
Her vet stated: They both had alcohol toxicity
and raisin toxicity.
The 9 year old lab had sampled this mixture
approximately a week before sharing the second ingestion
with the readers 18 month old lab. This time it was
intensive care for both dogs.
While both dogs survived their ordeal, the older
lab has suffered permanent kidney damage.
Michal
12/15/2001
Onion and Garlic toxicity
in dogs and cats
Question: Dr. Richard's,
Thank you for your help with past questions and
creating this web site.
I have a question about onions and dogs. I read
somewhere onions are
poisonous for dogs yet onions are often ingredients in
dog treats. Is it just
raw onions that are so dangerous? What about meat that
has been cooked with
onions is this dangerous?
What are some things that are toxic for dogs besides
chocolate and onions?
Also I own several cats are there foods toxic to them
as well?
Kim
Answer: Kim-
Dogs develop hemolytic anemia if they eat enough
onions. I don't think that it matters too much
whether the onions are cooked or not. The quantity of
onions required is high enough that dogs
can generally tolerate small doses of onions without any
problem and moderate amounts of
onion without clinically apparent disease, even though
there may be measurable changes on lab
test results. Cats are probably a little more sensitive
to onion toxicity than dogs are. I can't find
an exact quantity of onions required to cause toxicity
problems in dogs, but there are several
case reports of onion toxicity and they involve whole
onions or sizable portions of chopped
onions (like a cup or more). I think that feeding dogs
meat that has been cooked with onions is
pretty safe but you might want to avoid giving them the
broth from around something like
pot-roast if there were a lot of onions used in the
cooking, just to be safe.
Large amounts of garlic will produce similar
toxicity problems in both dogs and cats. I think that
the amount required is not likely to be eaten by a cat
but there are probably a few dogs who
would lap up a container of spilled garlic.
Among common foods, the only other significant
toxicity that I can think of are recent reports of
toxicity from eating grapes and raisins that have been
reported in dogs.
Mike Richards, DVM
11/15/2001
Grape and raisin poisonings in
Dogs
Recently, there was a letter in the AVMA Journal
from Dr. Gwaltney-Brant and others at the ASPCA Animal
Poison Control Center discussing grape and raisin
poisoning in dogs. Apparently, grapes and raisins can be
toxic to dogs when ingested in large quantities.
The grapes and raisins came from varied sources,
including being eaten off the vine directly. The dogs
exhibited gastrointestinal signs including vomiting and
diarrhea and then signs of kidney failure with an onset
of severe kidney signs starting about 24 hours after
ingestion of the grapes or raisins. The amount of grapes
eaten varied between 9oz. and 2 lbs., which worked out
to be between 0.41 and 1.1 oz/kg of body weight. Two
dogs died directly from the toxicity, three were
euthanized due to poor response to treatment and five
dogs lived. Due to the severity of the signs and the
potential for death, the veterinarians at the poison
control center advocate aggressive treatment for any
dogs suggested of ingesting excessive amounts of grapes
or raisins, including inducing vomiting, stomach lavage
(stomach pumping) and administration of activated
charcoal, followed by intravenous fluid therapy for at
least 48 hours or as indicated based on the results of
blood tests for kidney damage.
I have fed my dogs a few grapes every now and then
for years, so I don't think there is a need to panic if
a dog eats three or four grapes but if the whole bunch
is missing from the table one day, it would be good to
think about watching for any signs of a toxic reaction.
Michael Richards, DVM
6/5/2001
Michal response: You may wish to give your
veterinarian a call if you suspect your dog has ingested
a bunch of grapes but aren't sure. It's a good idea to
know where he is going to be if you might have an
emergency later, in case you need to make other
arrangements . You both may decide to assume that the
dog has eaten the grapes and treat the dog. Whatever the
decision, letting your vet know that there is a
potential problem going on is a good idea.
Iron overload
Question: We seem to have a lot of iron in our
well water, now that the bacteria
situation has been cleared up. The dishwasher gets
stained dark
orange inside (Tang Beverage Powder clears this
discoloration up
nicely, by the way), and the dogs' stainless steel
feeding bowls are
getting tinged with that color on the bottom. It also
has a slightly
metallic odor. Some kind of filter is supposed to help
with this and
we are looking into this, but I wonder if it will be
effective enough,
and with the dogs drinking so much water, and
information coming out
about excessive iron being harmful to folks, do I need
to worry about
the dogs?
Thanks, Helen
Answer: Helen-
There veterinarians who feel that iron overload is
a problem among pets and
that it would be more commonly diagnosed, if more
veterinarians were aware
of the possibility. However, water is probably not the
source of the iron
excesses in pets. Pet foods often contain higher iron
levels that the
minimum recommendations but I know of none that have
iron levels exceeding
the maximum recommendations of the American Association
of Feed Control
Officials (AAFCO), which provides the guidelines for
nutrient contents in
dog and cat foods.
Iron oxide, which produces the red color in iron
in water, can not be
absorbed by dogs and cats, according to the authors of
"Small Animal
Clinical Nutrition, 4th ed." I checked online for
references, just to be
sure and found this web page:
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/water/g1280.htm
, which also states that iron in the water is not
considered to be a
health hazard but provides some advice on how to
eliminate iron from the water.
Mike Richards, DVM
2/19/2001
Chemical toxins
Question: Hi Dr Richards
My husband last night found some bug bites on
his back while on the couch so he spray
some insect killing powder on the whole couch. The
power is said to be organic and would
not do damage to pets. It contains 88% silocone
dioxide. This morning one of my dogs
slept on the couch and I found him licking the
powder. His hair must also have got the
power on. He licks his feet also. I am worried if
the power is going to be poisonous to
him. If a pet gets poisoned, how long usually will
symptoms be shown? A friend of mine
told me his dog died of kidney problem, and autopsy
showed that the animal was poisoned
by a poisoned steak (given by a neigbour) 5 weeks
ago. I also know of a dog who was
given a poisoned cookie a month before and then she
got sick 2 weeks later and then
eventually died of kidney failure. Could some poisons
take so long to be damaging? If my
dog is OK for the next few days, can I assume the
powder is safe.
Also, my dogs sometimes roll over on my
neighbour's lawn which are chemically treated
(i.e. contains insect killing chemicals), is the
chance of getting poisoned high? Yes I do try
to watch them but sometime the flex leash is so long
by the time I caught them my dogs are
already rolling on the grass. If my dog then licks
his hair, will be get poisoned?
The second question is recently I began taking
my dogs to a leash-free park of the city. It
means there are always some 5-15 dogs in the park.
Sometimes they drink from the same
bowl of water. Are there any contagious/skin diseases
that I need to watch out for. All the
dogs are supposed to be vaccinated. Should I let my
dog drink from the same bowl. Is
socializing with all dogs OK healthwise, assuming they
are vaccinated.
Thanks a lot and look forward to your reply ASAP.
Lily
Answer: Lily-
I couldn't find any indication that there have
been problems with silicone dioxide toxicity in pets. I
think that these products have been shown to be
irritating to pets with asthma, but that isn't a
toxicity problem. I suspect there is no worry there.
In the past, there have been reports of a slight
increase in risk for lymphoma (a form of cancer) in dogs
exposed to a lawn treatment chemical referred to as
2,4-D. This is probably not a problem with low exposure,
though.
There are risks of communicable diseases through
using a common water bowl. The most likely risk would be
infectious tracheobronchitis (kennel cough), which can
be vaccinated for. I think that this situation would
justify that vaccination. There is a small chance of
transmitting roundworms in this manner, so using one of
the heartworm prevention medications that also controls
roundworms would be a good idea. Adequate flea and tick
control would be more important in dogs playing in an
area with many other dogs. Sarcoptic mange could be
transmitted in this situation, too. The overall risk of
a serious illness is pretty low. There would also be a
risk of trauma due to fight wounds if one of the dogs
gets aggressive --- but this is one of those
risk/benefit things that you just have to think through.
There is a lot of fun for these dogs in this situation
too. Most of the time, I think I'd favor letting my dogs
have a good time over worrying about small risks, but
keeping a good eye out for obviously ill or obviously
aggressive dogs and going home on those days would be a
good idea.
Hope this helps some.
Mike Richards, DVM
8/10/2000
Mushroom toxicity
Question: Dr. Mike,
I have a few questions about mushrooms. I have a two
year old yellow
lab named Reilly. He weighs about 81 pounds and is very
healthy. He is
an inside dog, but we go on a 2-3 mile walk every day,
which he enjoys
very much. Unfortunately, Reilly will eat anything and
while we walk I
have to constantly watch him so he does not eat anything
bad for
him. Sometimes, I can't get to him fast enough. It has
been pretty damp
here the last couple of weeks and mushrooms have sprung
up all over the
place. Reilly has taken to eating mushrooms
occasionally and twice in the
last two weeks has become very ill. He has excessive
salivation for
almost 12 to 14 hours, and also has vomiting and
diarrhea. He really
doesn't have any other symptoms. He is somewhat
lethargic, but not
extremely so. The symptoms usually resolve within 14
hours. He is less
active for another day or two, but then returns to his
normal, very active
self. Both incidents happened on weekends and late in
the evening after
the vet's office had closed.
Should we induce vomiting in this situation?
Reilly doesn't vomit until a
few hours after he starts salivating and he seems to
feel much better
after he does vomit. In fact, the diarrhea hits him
faster than does the
vomiting. I don't know what kind of mushrooms he is
eating, but could
they have any long term effects on his health? Could
anything else be
causing this? Should we take him to the vet's office
immediately or let
the situation resolve itself (as we had been doing)?
Answer: Alyssa-
Mushroom toxicity does occur in dogs and it can be
fatal if certain species
of mushrooms are eaten. Amanita phalloides is the most
commonly reported
severely toxic species of mushroom in the US but other
Amanita species are
toxic. They can cause severe liver disease and
neurologic disorders. The
recommendation is to induce vomiting when these
mushrooms are ingested and
to give activated charcoal, as well. Supportive
treatment for liver disease
may also be necessary.
There are probably species of mushrooms with less
toxicity but enough to
induce the milder symptoms you are seeing. Inducing
vomiting would still be
a good idea, I think, when these species of mushroom are
eaten. It is
possible to induce vomiting using hydrogen peroxide
given in small amounts
until the dog vomits or by using syrup of ipecac (it
takes about 1 teaspoon
of ipecac syrup per 10 lbs. of body weigh to induce
vomiting, on the
average so it can be hard to give enough of this --- and
overdosage can
cause heart problems so it does have to be measured).
Apomorphine is a
good choice for inducing vomiting, too -- but usually
only available
through your vet and it is pretty expensive.
I can't really think of a another cause for
excessive salivation along with
vomiting and diarrhea that doesn't involve some sort of
toxin but it is
possible that there is something else going on. It would
be a good idea to
talk this over with your vet on the next visit, so that
he or she has these
episodes in the medical history for future reference.
It is hard to stop dogs from ingesting odd things
but you should keep
trying to prevent mushroom ingestion, as well as you
can.
Mike Richards, DVM
6/16/2000
Napthalene or moth balls in vacuum
bag
Question: Dr. Mike,
Can I put 2 or 3 month balls in my vacuum bag to
kill fleas?
M
Answer: M-
I have seen this suggestion, but I have also seen,
somewhere, a warning that napthalene is pretty toxic and
that it will produce toxic fumes if placed in a vacuum
bag. Some people also
recommend using a flea collar in a similar manner and
there are similar warnings about doing
this. It would probably be better just to use a good
flea and tick control product, such as
Frontline (tm), Advantage (tm) or Program (tm) on your
pet, consider use of a premise flea
killer and throw the vacuum bags out a little quicker
than your normally would, if fleas are a
problem in your house.
Mike Richards, DVM
6/12/2000
Since we received this email I have been checking
the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center
webpage to keep a check on their investigation. Please
read the statement at the bottom of the page.
Michal
Rumor -
Febreze - Is it Dangerous to Pets -
Q: Dear Mike:
I received this from one of my e-mail friends. I'm
forwarding it on to
you. I know that everything you hear on the Internet is
not necessarily true, but
this sounded pretty ligament.
Thanks for your time.
Andrea B
Fabreze rumor
"There have been multiple instances of dogs and
birds who have died or
became very ill after being exposed to Febreze, a
deodorizer/air freshener.
Febreze contains zinc chloride, which is very dangerous
for animals. "
This is from a friend of mine at UVA - her dog
died and this is what the
vet had to say. If you have a cat or bird, FEBREZE
(odor spray) is TOXIC!!!! This
has been confirmed by a vet. It will kill your animal.
A friend's dog died
unexpectedly and the vet strongly suspects this product
as well. ''
A-The National Animal
Poison Control Center has a note on their website which
says that they have not been able to find any evidence
to date that there
is a risk to pets from Febreze.
The URL for the NAPCC is
http://www.napcc.aspca.org
Mike Richards, DVM
4/7/99
May 26 Update - Fabreze statement from the Animal
Poison Control Center
Date: March 26, 1999
To: Whom It May Concern
Subject: Febreze™ Fabric Refresher
Recently there have been comments and discussions
posted on the Internet suggesting that the
use of Febreze™ Fabric Refresher in households is
dangerous to animals. We have issued the
following statement in order to help disseminate
accurate information:
"Veterinary toxicologists at the ASPCA National
Animal Poison Control Center are conducting
an on-going investigation into claims that use of
Febreze™ in the home caused the death of
several pets. All information reviewed to date suggests
that there is no evidence that Febreze™
represents any risk to pets when used according to label
instructions. Presently, the center
considers the product safe to use in households with
pets. As with any cleaning product, the
center recommends that birds be removed from the room
until the product application has dried
and the area has been ventilated. Please call
1-800-345-4735 if you have any questions or have
a pet that you suspect is experiencing problems or visit
us at http://www.napcc.aspca.org."
Please photocopy this letter or download our
statement from our web site and pass the correct
information on to other friends of animals.
Sincerely,
Steven R. Hansen, DVM, MS
Diplomate American Board of Veterinary Toxicology
Senior Vice President
Chocolate toxicity
Q: A veterinarian sent me
a e-mail two days ago telling me that my for
dosages Chocolate toxcity were incorrect. Would you
please tell me what dosage is acurate.
Thank you. Dr G
A: Dr. G
The LD50 -- dose at which 1/2 of the dogs exposed
to a substance will die
--- is about 100mg/kg for chocolate. The dose that
causes signs of
toxicity, such as excitement, increased urination,
muscle tremors and rapid
heart rate may occur at a lower dosage.
The other problem with dogs eating chocolate is
that a lot of formulations
of chocolate are high in fat and dogs often get
enteritis or pancreatitis
following ingestion of a lot of milk chocolate.
Your dosages of 44mg theobromine/oz for milk
chocolate, 150mg/oz for
semi-sweet chocolate and 390 mg/oz for baking chocolate
match the dosages
that I have seen published. Using a dose of 100mg/kg as
the toxic dose the
toxic dosages per pound of body weight for dogs work out
to be roughly:
1 ounce per pound of body weight (2 ounces per kg
of body weight) for milk
chocolate.
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight ( 1 ounce per
1.5 kg body weight) for
semi-sweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight ( 1 ounce per
4 kg) for baker's chocolate.
So the dosages I am familiar with match what you
have included in your
email for death by chocolate. Toxic signs may occur at
lower dosages. The
best estimate that I have seen for this is that clinical
signs may develop
in some pets with dosages as low as 10% of the LD50
dose.
I have been practicing for 20 years and I do not
recall having a patient
die from ingestion of chocolate but I have seen some
very excited dogs and
I have seen some dogs that probably would have died from
the secondary
enteritis without treatment.
I have talked to veterinarians who feel that they
have seen dogs that died
from heart problems, pancreatitis or other complications
following
chocolate ingestion even though the dogs ate less than
the theoretical
toxic dose.
I think that the chances of causing a toxicity
with milk chocolate are very
very low and I don't think it is a big deal if my
clients share their M&Ms
with their pets but semi-sweet chocolate morsels and
baker's chocolate
should be put where pets and small children aren't
likely to find and
ingest them.
I hope this is the information you were looking
for.
Mike Richards, DVM
3/6/99
Be Careful of Holiday Toxins and
Dangers
This is the time of year when pets can be exposed
inadvertently to toxic substances or tempting taste
treats that can be dangerous. One "toxic" plant you
don't have to worry much about is the poinsettia,
though. These plants are either nontoxic or only
slightly irritating to the gastrointestinal tract,
depending on the reference source. On the other hand,
mistletoe berries are poisonous and it is best to be
very careful when hanging mistletoe so that pets are not
exposed to the berries. Even one or two berries of this
plant may be fatal. Even the products used to help
plants make it through the holidays can be a problem.
Some of the solutions used to make the Christmas tree
last through a long holiday season can be pretty
irritating to mouth or stomach tissues. If you add these
to the water in your Christmas tree stand you should be
sure that pets can not drink the water.
Plants are not the only problems. Holiday food
treats and decorations can be dangerous to pets. It
takes a fairly large amount of milk chocolate to cause
poisoning problems in dogs and cats but a whole box of
chocolates is likely to cause diarrhea at the least and
may be toxic to smaller pets. Tinsel strands seem to be
very attractive to cats and these will often cause
severe problems, often requiring surgical removal to
prevent the death of the cat if they are ingested. For
some reason, almost every season a dog or cat in our
practice eats a Christmas tree ornament or even one of
the light bulbs off the tree. Chewing on the extension
cords to the tree lights or the electric train around
the tree sometimes leads to problems, too. The abundance
of food found at holiday tables presents a danger even
if it isn't cooked by your mother-in-law who believes in
partially thawing the turkey then cooking it a 200
degrees. We see a definite increase in pancreatitis
around the holidays due to pets getting fat laden table
scraps. At least one dog a year manages to eat the whole
turkey carcass and has a major case of constipation in a
day or so. Try to resist the urge to cover the pet's
food with the extra gravy and put the trash out of reach
of pets after an attractive meal!
Pets sometimes have a really hard time adjusting
to the increases in family activity around the holidays.
They may not handle the stress of house guests well.
Often just scheduling a few minutes at approximately the
same time each day to spend playing with your dog or
reviewing those obedience exercises can make the
holidays a lot easier for an anxious canine. Cats are a
little harder to reassure and it is sometimes best just
to make sure they have a safe haven in the house where
the guests can't find them, especially the very young
guests. Make sure their litter pan is private, too.
If you are going to board your pet for the
holidays make sure their vaccinations are current well
before the time for boarding and check to see if there
are special vaccination requirements at the boarding
kennel, such as requiring Bordetella (kennel cough)
vaccination. Make sure you have all the contact numbers
for wherever you will be written down for the kennel,
pet sitter or veterinary hospital. You might even
consider giving your vet written permission to treat
your pets in your absence, especially if your
relationship with your vet is not close enough to be
sure he or she would be comfortable caring for the pets
without your permission. Do not tranquilize pets for air
travel if you are taking them with you, unless you are
absolutely certain it is necessary. A recent review of
pet deaths during airplane trips revealed that most of
the pets who died had been sedated. The effects of
sedatives are intensified at higher altitudes and even
though cargo holds are pressurized they are at a lower
atmospheric pressure than is found at ground level. If
you do have to sedate a pet follow the veterinarian's
directions EXACTLY. It could save your pet's life!
If you take a little time to prepare and think
about the special risks holidays impose your pet should
be safe. Just in case, make sure you know the number of
the emergency veterinary hospitals in your are and can
drive by it to be sure you can find it an emergency when
you may not be thinking as clearly as on an ordinary
day.
Michael Richards, DVM
12/98
Antifreeze Poisoning from Ethylene
glycol
Q: Dear Dr Mike
Recently in Australia a number of show dogs have
been poisoned by
antifreeze. People have assumed that dogs have been
poisoned on purpose by some unknown party contaminating
dogs water bowls at shows.
It has also been suggested that this may have occurred
by air-conditioning
systems. eg: Home & Cars etc.
Could this be the case?
What are the symptoms to look out for & how long does it
take for symptoms to occur after ingestion?
Your reply to these questions would be gratefully
received.
Margaret R
A: The most commonly used
antifreeze compounds contain ethylene glycol, which is
toxic to dogs and cats if ingested. The minimal lethal
dosage for cats is
1.4ml/kg of body weight and for dogs 4.4 to 6.6 ml/kg of
undiluted ethylene
glycol, according to Thrall, Grauer and Dial in Kirk's
Current Therapy XII.
This means that 1 teaspoonful of antifreeze (5ml) could
kill a 7 pound cat.
Antifreeze is normally diluted for use in automobiles so
more of the diluted
solution would have to be ingested to achieve toxic
levels. Unfortunately,
antifreeze seems to be palatable to dogs and cats and
ingestion of large
amounts of the solution can occur.
Ethylene glycol has similar effects to ethanol
(the alcohols imbibed
recreationally by humans). However, it is broken down in
the liver into
different compounds than ethanol and these metabolic
products cause damage
to the kidneys and are more toxic to the central nervous
system than the
ethylene glycol.
Antifreeze poisoning normally occurs when pet
become exposed to antifreeze
leaking from a car's cooling system or when antifreeze
is changed.
Sometimes antifreeze is placed in home plumbing systems
when heat will not
be maintained during winter months (such as a summer
cottage). When this is
done it is extremely important to remember to flush the
system well prior
to letting pets in the house. Pets have been exposed to
antifreeze
poisoning maliciously in some instances, as well.
There is at least one brand of antifreeze sold in
the U.S. that does not
use ethylene glycol and is considered to be safer for
pets.
After exposure to the ethylene glycol clinical
signs will develop in as
short a time as 30 minutes to approximately as long as
12 hours, depending
on the dose ingested. Depression, signs of intoxication
similar to alcohol
ingestion, vomiting, depression, coma and death may
occur among the initial
signs of poisoning. These signs normally last less than
12 hours in dogs
causing some owners to think the danger has passed. Cats
are less likely to
recover from the initial signs. After the central
nervous system effects
are over, the kidneys are damaged by the antifreeze. In
cats this may seem
like a continuous thing because the kidney effects often
show up just as
the CNS signs would have diminished. In dogs the kidney
problems usually
show up one to three days after ingestion of the
antifreeze. Formation of
urine drops off until urine is not produced at all. This
severe renal
failure causes vomiting, sores in the mouth, a
noticeable increase in oral
odor, severe depression and then eventually coma and
death.
The really bad thing about antifreeze poisoning is
that treatment must be
initiated very promptly for the pet to survive. Dogs do
best if treated
within five hours of ingestion of the antifreeze. Cats
need to be treated
even sooner. The chances of survival diminish rapidly 8
hours post
ingestion in the dog and 4 hours post ingestion in cats.
For this reason,
it is extremely important to consider the possibility of
antifreeze
poisoning almost any time there are unexplained central
nervous system
disorders that occur acutely in dogs and cats.
There are tests specifically for ethylene glycol.
An "in-house" test kit is
available to veterinarians and local hospitals are often
willing to test
for this toxin on an emergency basis when exposure is
suspected.
Examination of the urine reveals crystals that are
highly suspicious of
ethylene glycol exposure about six hours after the toxin
is ingested but
waiting for these to show up places the pet at risk.
Looking for crystals
when the timing of exposure is unknown can give good
prognostic
information, though.
Treatment for this condition is best done with
4-methylpyrazole (4-MP, or
fomepizole (Antizol-Vet(TM)), which was recently
approved for use in dogs.
This medication competes for the liver enzymes that
break down ethylene
glycol and slow its metabolism down, keeping the serum
levels of the toxic
metabolites down and allowing them to be excreted safely
when used early
enough. If 4-MP is not available treatment consists of
using ethanol,
usually intravenously. Ethanol also competes for the
same enzymes and
inhibits breakdown of the ethylene glycol. The problem
is that ethanol
itself causes severe central nervous system depression
at the dosages
necessary and this can have an additive effect with the
ethylene glycol. It
is still much better to treat when exposure is know to
have occurred or is
documented by lab work, though.
Antifreeze poisoning causes a terrible death and
it is inexcusable for a
human being to inflict that kind of suffering on a pet
intentionally. I can
not begin to understand why people would do such a thing
but have
personally dealt with at least one case of antifreeze
toxicity in which a
dog was intentionally poisoned.
Mike Richards, DVM
Call Poison Control
Q: My two rotten
dachshunds took a tube of ArthriCare (Del
Pharmaceuticals) from beside me and punctured the tube
while playing with it. I fear the ingested some of the
cream. I have a call into the emergency vet center, but
hoped I might get an answer from you too. The warnings
say "if ingested call a Poison Control Center
immediately" -- well, I am in Panama (yes the
country)...but does not say what poison to treat for.
The ingredients are listed below. Active Ingredients:
Menthol 1.25%, Methyl Nicotinate 0.25%, Capsicum
Oleoresin (containing Capsaicin 0.0.25%) Inactive
Ingredients: Aloe Vera Gel, Carbomer 940, Cetyl Alcohol,
DMDM Hydantoin, Emulsifying Wax, Glyceryl Stearate SE,
Isocetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Propionate, Propylparaben,
Purified Water, Stearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine.
A: I suspect your
dachshunds are probably fine but it is always good to
call a poison control center.
A good number to keep on hand: National Animal
Poison Control Center ( 1-900-680-0000)
There is a charge for calling the center so listen
to the details on that when you call. I am not sure you
can call directly from Panama but you probably have
figured all of that out after living there.
It is actually pretty hard to look up many toxins
without access to a poison control center. Of the
ingredients listed, I could only find capsaicin and
nicotine (which probably isn't the same thing as
nicotinate) in the references I have at home. I'm not
sure why the dogs would like something containing
capsaicin since it is the "heat" producing compound.
Hope all is well.
Mike Richards, DVM
Sugar overload
Q: I really love you web
page!! As for my question....as a medical student I have
been going round and round trying to figure out what
happened to my 1 yr old Jack Russell Terrier last week.
On Wednesday she went 'garbage diving' and ate an entire
box of brown sugar + god knows what else. On Thursday,
she had copious, cholera-like, watery diarrhea early in
the day, then she progressively lost her spunk even
though she was drinking fluids. During Thursday evening,
she had a fever of 104.2, went into stupor, stumbled
over herself, irregular gait, inability to get
comfortable (stay still) etc. Although she was still
responsive to her name and her favorite squeaky toys.
Abdomen was distended, full. I took her to the ER where
they said her reflexes were depressed, she had a fever,
and was in danger of becoming dehydrated. Liver enzymes
were just outside the high range of normal, and her WBC
was elevated. Vet gave her a shot of ampicillin, and I
took her home. During the night I gave her water, but
she would not eat. Friday....much better prognosis, but
still unsteady on her feet. Eye contact was more
pronounced and she readily accepted watered-down baby
cereal to which some salt was added. She ate/drank 3
bowls of it. After the first bowl, she had a
seizure-type event which subsided and was not repeated.
By Sunday, she was back to her JR terrier self, bouncing
off the walls, What could have caused my dogs illness?
Was it bacterial toxin from the garbage? (Can dogs get
botulism or salmonella) Was it the dehydration ? For
what it's worth, the Yellow Lab that shares her space
has not been sick at all. Thanks for you insight and
help! Dawn
A: Dawn- I think it is very
likely that a whole box of sugar could lead to an
osmotic induced dehydration or that it could lead to a
bacterial overload or imbalance in the digestive tract
that led to diarrhea. Dogs do get Salmonella and other
food poisonings, so that is possible, too. Even
fermentation of the sugar in the digestive tract seems
possible, with excessive gas formation leading to pain
and digestive problems and systemic signs. I'm just
guessing at these things because I don't really have a
reference that discusses ingestion of large quantities
of sugar! It always amazes me how many things happen
that aren't covered by the textbooks.
Hope this helps some.
Michael Richards, DVM
Organophosphate poisoning or White
shaker dog syndrome
Q: Our 10 month old Westie
is being treated with prednisone for white shaker dog
syndrome as of this morning. He has also been tested for
lead poisoning (results pending). Our neighbor had their
lawn treated with insecticide recently. How would our
Vet determine whether our puppy has "organophosphate
poisoning" as opposed to White Shaker Dog Syndrome, and
how would it be treated? Our dog seems VERY sick and we
are very frightened. Any thoughts or information will be
appreciated!
A: Organophosphate
poisoning has some signs such as excessive salivation,
"wet" respiratory sounds, diarrhea, slow heart rates and
miosis (pinpoint pupils) which help to distinguish it
from other conditions. To aid in the diagnosis it is
also possible to test cholinesterase (ChE) levels in the
bloodstream. A reduction of 50% from "normal" levels is
indicative of problems and levels of 25% or less are
very very suspicious for organophophate poisoning.
Mike Richards, DVM
Broccoli toxicity
Q and nudge: Dear Mike,
This is follow-up on yesterday's conversation just to
remind you. If the stuff is a no-no for dogs as well as
ex-Pres. Bush, maybe it's worth noting in your web site.
Thanks, NvB
A: It is always good to
remind me of things -- I had forgotten.
Broccoli toxicity has been noted in livestock.
Apparently in California it is widely available at
certain times and the dairy cattle there are fed
broccoli due to this. If the percentage of broccoli in
the diet exceeds 10% it can cause gastrointestinal
upsets and if it exceeds 25% it is fatal.
I could not find any references to problems with
broccoli in small animals, probably because no one feeds
them more than 10% of their diet as broccoli or possibly
because they don't have rumens and therefore don't
digest the broccoli as thoroughly.
The toxic ingredient in broccoli is isothiocyanate
and it is reported to be a pretty potent
gastrointestinal irritant.
So G. might be right. But I did find several
references suggesting that broccoli should be fed to
pets because of the bioflavinoids in it and their cancer
fighting capabilities. So he might be wrong.
Personally, I wouldn't worry about it unless you
are planning on feeding a lot of broccoli at one time to
Kate. But your daughter might want to follow her vet's
advice or find out if there is more evidence of toxicity
than I can find.
Mike Richards, DVM
Chocolate toxicity
Chocolate contains a xanthine compound,
theobromine, that is toxic in sufficient quantities.
Examples of other xanthine compounds are caffeine and
theophylline. The toxicity from all of these compounds
is similar.
It takes a fairly large amount of chocolate to
cause problems. In "The Handbook of Small Animal
Practice" by Dr. Rhea Morgan, the following data is
given:
The toxic dose of theobromine is about 100 to
150mg/kg
Milk chocolate contains 6mg of theobromine per
ounce. Semi-sweet chocolate contains about 22mg/oz. and
baking chocolate about 35 to 45mg/oz.
From this it is pretty easy to see that milk
chocolate poses only a minor threat while the other
forms of chocolate can be a bigger problem.
Xanthines affect primarily the central nervous
system, the cardiovascular system and peripheral nerves.
There is a diuretic effect as well. So the sign seen
with toxicity include hyperexitablility, hyper
irritability, increased heart rate, restlessness,
increased urination, vomiting and muscular tremors or
tenseness. Under some circumstances these signs can lead
to secondary problems like hyperthermia. In severe
cases, seizures or cardiac arrest can occur. Death can
result from severe intoxication.
There is no specific antidote for this poisoning.
Inducing vomiting can help if the ingestion is known and
has occurred within one to two hours. Administration of
activated charcoal may inhibit absorption of the toxin
from the digestive tract. It may be necessary to use
medications to control the effects of the poisoning,
especially seizure control medications, oxygen therapy,
intravenous fluids, and medications to control the
effects on the heart.
With ingestion of milk chocolate, diarrhea is a
common secondary problem. This may require therapy and
often occurs 12 to 24 hours after eating the chocolate.
If you suspect chocolate poisoning and your dog or
cat is showing clinical signs of the problem, it is
important to contact your vet.
Michael Richards, DVM
Chocolate Toxicity
Q: Dr. Mike, My friend has
three Shih Tzus (one adult male, one adult female, and a
3 month old male) and they just managed to gobble up one
and a half chocolate bars while we weren't watching. My
friend is pretty worried and claims that chocolate will
kill them. I've never heard this before. Assuming they
live, can you tell me how serious this could be if they
do it again, and what actions can we take to help them?
Mike
A: Mike- I'm sure the dogs
are fine by now. Milk chocolate rarely contains enough
chocolate to pose a serious threat to dogs from
chocolate toxicity. A lot of dogs get pretty good cases
of diarrhea after eating chocolate treats in large
quantities, though. Baker's chocolate is concentrated
enough to pose a threat to dogs and they can die from
chocolate toxicity. So your friend is right about the
possibility of chocolate toxicity but it is just not
likely with milk chocolate ingestion, except in very
large quantities.
Mike Richards, DVM
Lead Poisoning
Lead is extremely common in the environment. It is
found in linoleum, caulk, toys, lead based paint (esp.
paint from prior to 1977), solder, batteries, weights,
golf balls, bullets and other items. This toxicity must
be considered as a possible diagnosis with a variety of
clinical signs, including loss of appetite, abdominal
pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Especially if these
gastro-intestinal signs are accompanied by neurologic
signs, such as blindness, seizures, difficulty walking,
tremors, or usual behavior. This can be a cause of
increased drinking and urinating as well. Since these
signs occur with a number of other diseases, it is easy
to miss lead poisoning. Be sure to tell you vet if there
is a possibility of lead poisoning that you are aware
of, such as living in an older house or a dog that tends
to eat unusual objects.
Lead poisoning interferes with certain enzymes in
the body. It causes the red blood cells to be weak and
easily destroyed. Anemia can result from this but is
usually mild. Blood vessel irritation leads to the other
clinical signs.
Most of the time lead poisoning occurs in younger
dogs because they are the most likely to ingest unusual
items such as fishing sinkers or lead putty. Older homes
that have been remodeled recently are a common cause of
lead poisoning. Older buildings are always a risk for
lead based paints and items like lead sash weights.
Lead poisoning can be diagnosed through lab tests
of the blood of affected pets. It is a treatable
condition but the treatment can be expensive, especially
if extensive supportive care such as IV fluids are
necessary for extended periods. Retreatment is sometimes
necessary.
If there is lead poisoning in a pet, it is
important to consider the possibility that it might also
occur in children in the household if it is related to
old paint or lead containing objects available for
ingestion. Please tell you family doctor or local health
department if your pet is diagnosed with lead poisoning
and you have children.
Michael Richards, DVM
Awesome Annie's Able Mabel
A
new comer magazine but still piked full of information and one that I
subscribe too.
German Shorthaired Pointers: Everything About Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Breeding Behavior, and Training (Complete Pet Owner's Manual) by Chris C. Pinney
Breed History:
German Shorthaired Pointer Champions, 1952-1980 - by Jan Linzy
Here
is a book on house breaking puppies! 
