☠ PETS ☠ and ☠ POISONS ☠

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GoY members have asked me to write a blog which details items possibly toxic to pets, mainly for dogs and cats.

These lists originate from reliable sources, such as the British Veterinary Association.

They are for general guidance, not intended to alarm.

The photos are mine … included just to break up the text and make the blog easier to read …

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Yesterday GoY member Marydoll, wrote a blog about her cute little 9 month old Yorkshire Terrier puppy, Zorro, who had suffered after swallowing peanuts intended as garden bird food.

Then GoY members started asking me about substances dangerous to pets .. hence this blog !

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BVA AWF PETS and POISONS Leaflet :

BVA AWF =
The British Veterinary Association Animal Welfare Foundation

Keep all medicines out of reach –
preferably in a locked kitchen cupboard

☠ Keep human and veterinary medicines
separate.

☠ Never give animals medicines intended for
human use – only medicines prescribed
by your vet.

☠ Some foods (for example, chocolate,
onions, grapes, raisins, sultanas, avocados,
certain nuts, liquorice, xylitol-sweetened
foods and sweets) can be toxic.

☠ Do not allow animals access to foods intended for
human consumption. Pets should only be
given food and treats formulated for
animals.

☠ Some plants are hazardous (for example,
lilies to cats, daffodils) – keep houseplants
and floral displays out of reach of pets.

☠ Restrict access to cleaning, DIY and car
products (for example, fuels, antifreeze,
white spirit and lubricating oils).

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PREVENTING POISONING IN THE GARDEN
OR OPEN SPACES:

☠ Prevent access to gardens where pesticides
or fertilisers have recently been used,
especially slug pellets and rodent baits.
Access to such baits can be reduced by
placing them in narrow tubes etc.

☠ Keep pesticides/herbicides in a safe and
inaccessible place – away from all pets.

☠ Never leave buckets or watering cans
full of mixed chemicals.

☠ Do not allow animals to drink from
ponds/puddles that appear oily or
otherwise polluted.

☠ Be careful not to leave plant bulbs
lying around.

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Don’t panic – remember, few cases have fatal
outcomes and few poisons act very rapidly.

☠ Remove your animal(s) from the source of
poison – protecting yourself if necessary.

☠ Contact your vet for advice immediately,
especially if your animal is unwell, and be
ready to provide information on when,
where and how poisoning occurred, as
well as the quantity consumed.

☠ If instructed to go to the practice, take a
sample of the poison and the packaging
with you.

☠ If the skin is contaminated then wash
thoroughly with WATER.

☠ DO NOT try to make your animal vomit –
unless you are instructed to do so by
your vet.

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SUBSTANCES OF LOW TOXICITY

The following is a list of substances that
are frequently eaten by pets. If these are
eaten it can generally be anticipated that
there will be no clinical signs, other than
drooling, vomiting and/or diarrhoea.

☠ Antacid tablets (‘over the counter’)
☠ Blu-tack® or other similar adhesives
☠ Chalk
☠ Charcoal
☠ Coal (real or artificial)
☠ Cotoneaster species
☠ Cut-flower/houseplant food
☠ Expanded polystyrene
☠ Folic acid
☠ Fuchsia species
☠ Holly (Ilex species)
☠ Honeysuckle (Lonicera species)
☠ Matches
☠ Mistletoe (Viscum album)
☠ Oral contraceptives and hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) tablets
☠ Pyracantha species
☠ Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
☠ Silica gel
☠ Wax candles/crayons

Although in many cases treatment may
not be necessary, if you are at all
concerned then contact your vet for
advice. The animal should always have
easy access to drinking water.

BVA ANIMAL WELFARE
FOUNDATION (BVA AWF)

The BVA AWF is the veterinary profession’s
charity committed to improving the welfare
of animals through veterinary science,
education and debate. The Foundation is
funded entirely by voluntary contributions.

If you wish to have a copy of this
BVA AWF Pets and Poisons leaflet,
click here

… or you can request copies by contacting
the Foundation at the following address:

BVA AWF
7 Mansfield Street
London, W1G 9NQ
Tel: 020 7636 6541
Fax: 020 7436 2970

Email: bva-awf@bva.co.uk
Web: www.bva-awf.org.uk
BVA AWF is a registered charity (287118)

VETERINARY POISONS
INFORMATION SERVICE (VPIS)

The VPIS is a specialist 24-hour emergency
service, which is only available to
veterinary professionals and animal welfare
organisations, providing information and
advice on the optimum management of
actual and suspected acute poisoning in
animals.

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BRITISH VETERINARY ASSOCIATION NEWS.
Published 15th July 2010

Vets warn dog owners about dangers of artificial sweeteners … a cake or muffin eaten by a dog can cause liver damage.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is warning dog owners of the danger that the artificial sweetener, Xylitol, can pose to their pets.

Xylitol is not considered harmful to humans, but if ingested by a dog the substance is dangerous because it triggers a sudden release of insulin which causes a dramatic drop in blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and can lead to liver damage.

Xylitol is increasingly used as a sweetener in sugar-free chewing gum and other confectionery; it is used in dental hygiene products and is also found as an excipient in many medicines.

Of particular concern are the sugar substitute products that contain Xylitol which are used in home baking as well as in manufactured goods. Cakes, biscuits and other goodies made with it are toxic to dogs. Owners may not be aware of these dangers and may not associate clinical deterioration with ingestion of these foodstuffs.

Other animals such as ferrets and cats may be similarly affected and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is monitoring all referred cases.

BVA Past President Nicky Paull commented:

“While most dog owners are now aware that foods such as chocolate and grapes can be toxic to their pets few are aware of the dangers if their dog eats a cake or muffin containing Xylitol.”

“If you think your dog may have eaten chewing gum or a sweet or cake containing Xylitol and appears unwell, perhaps vomiting or lacking coordination, then contact your vet for advice immediately and be ready to provide information on what’s been consumed.”

The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation and the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) have produced an easy reference guide to keeping pets safe from harmful substances.

The ‘Pets and poisons: keeping your animal safe’ leaflet can be easily downloaded from the BVA AWF website or you can request a copy from the Foundation.

Alexander Campbell, Head of Service at VPIS, added:

“With the increasing number of products containing Xylitol on the market the VPIS recognises the extreme importance of raising awareness of the danger to dogs of ingesting this substance, particularly in the light of a case we handled the other evening which involved a dog eating a muffin made with this sugar substitute.”

“This is yet another instance where a food or food additive deemed safe for human consumption proves to be dangerous for other species. Pets should really only be given foodstuffs formulated for them.”

“It is possible that other animals such as ferrets or cats might be affected similarly, but few cases are yet documented. The VPIS continues to monitor all referred cases in all animals with the aim of clarifying the situation in other species as and when more data become available.”

“The VPIS would like to see manufacturers of these products provide some visible warnings and information on the packaging and to inform the retail outlets they supply of the potential risks to dogs.”

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From Daventry Dog Training Club …

"This list is a work in progress to alert dog owners to ingestible items that can be harmful to dogs.

Please note this list is WORK IN PROGRESS from DDTC.

☠ Grapes and items including raisins (which are in fact dried grapes)

☠ Mince pies and fruit cake – these may contain raisins

☠ Lilies including pollen and bulbs ( inc. Onions and Garlic )

☠ Chocolate especially any with high cocoa content

☠ Antifreeze – Urgent contact vet

☠ Sugar-free foods, particularly those containing Xylitol – Urgent contact vet

☠ Anything containing macadamia nuts

☠ Onions

☠ Garlic

☠ The seeds/stones of apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and plums

☠ Avocados

☠ Broccoli

☠ Anything containing caffeine

☠ Hops

☠ Nutmeg

☠ Rhubarb leaves

☠ Salt

☠ Tomatoes

☠ Yeast/bread dough

☠ Garden bark derived from cocoa

☠ Slug pellets

☠ Potato peelings and green potatoes

☠ Human vitamins (especially any containing iron)

☠ Fertilisers

☠ Cleaning agents

☠ Detergents

☠ Moth balls

☠ Any non-canine medications

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I hope the above information will be of use to GoY members … published as guidance only …

I would be interested to know if the blog is of help.

Have fun with your pets :o)

• 24 Jan, 2011
• 14 likes

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