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Beware of Common Household Items Poisonous to Pets
~In Recognition of Poison Prevention Week Veterinarians Highlight Common Household Poisons~
Tampa, Fla., Monday, March 16, 2009 – In recognition of National Poison Prevention Week, Florida Veterinary Specialists (FVS) is encouraging pet owners to become aware of common household items that can be severely poisonous to pets.
“Unfortunately, many pet emergencies that come through our doors are a result of our curious pets ingesting common things we keep around our homes rather than toxic chemicals,” says Dr. Neil Shaw DVM, ACVIM, chief medical officer of FVS. “This is especially important to point out because as we recognize National Poison Prevention Week we want pet parents to be knowledgeable of poisons of not just toxic chemical products but things like pennies and nuts.”
Dr. Shaw recommends all pet parents recognize National Poison Prevention Week by learning what can be toxic to their pet. “The first step to preventing life-threatening situation is to be knowledgeable of things around the home that are poisonous to our pets like pennies and raisins,” says Dr. Shaw. “The best protection for pets is their pet parent’s knowledge of common household toxins.”
Grapes and Raisins – Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. It is unknown what the substance is in grapes and raisins that affect dogs, so it is difficult to predict the amount that will be toxic to an individual dog. Pets that ingest grapes or raisins can suffer from sudden kidney failure. Pet parents must seek medical attention from a veterinarian immediately if their pet ingests a grape product.
Macadamia Nuts – Like grapes and raisons the toxic substance is unknown in macadamia nuts. Macadamia nuts cause neurologic signs in dogs like tremors, weakness and lack of coordination. The good news is that when pet parents bring their pets to their veterinarian or an emergency hospital the prognosis is excellent after a pet receives supportive care including fluids.
Chocolate – Chocolate is poisonous to our pets in sufficient quantity. The main toxic compounds found in chocolate are caffeine and theobromine. Both of these compounds can cause cardiac arrhythmias and seizures. Treatment is focused at eliminating the toxin from the body and sympotomatic treatment.
Garlic and Onions – “It is common for pet parents to feed their four-legged family members table food, however there can be great danger to doing so if there are ingredients like garlic and onions in it,” says Dr. Shaw. Garlic and onions cause a pet’s red blood cells to burst and can lead to anemia. When a pet ingests garlic or onions it is important for the pet to receive supportive care and depending on the severity of the anemia it may need a blood transfusion.
Pennies – All pennies made after 1983 are made with zinc. When a pet ingests a penny its stomach acids digest the penny and the zinc is absorbed, resulting in poisoning. It is common for the penny to stay in the stomach resulting in a the need for a removal by a veterinarian. “We can usually take it out with an endoscope to avoid invasive surgery and then treat the pet for their anemia,” says Dr. Shaw.
“It is important for pet parents to seek medical attention if they believe their pet has ingested any of the common household items,” says Dr. Shaw. “Having frequent discussions with your family veterinarian is a good way to keep yourself educated and protect your pet from potentially life-threatening situations.”
Florida Veterinary Specialists is a referral-based hospital with 24-hour emergency care services dedicated to providing a superior level of patient and client care through close cooperation with the family practitioner. Their specialized services include Acupuncture, Avian & Exotic, Behavioral Medicine, Cardiology, Critical Care, Dermatology, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Oncology & Radiation, Ophthalmology, Radiology, Rehabilitation and Surgery. Florida Veterinary Specialists is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is located at 3000 Busch Lake Blvd. in Tampa. In addition to its Tampa location, FVS has satellite facilities in Clearwater and Brandon. For further information, please visit www.fvs.com.
Florida Veterinary Specialists is a member hospital of BluePearl Veterinary Partners, along with NYC Veterinary Specialists (www.nycvs.com) and Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center of Kansas City (www.vseckc.com). BluePearl Veterinary Partners merged in 2008 and is one of the leading providers of emergency and specialized referral veterinary medicine.
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