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In this lesson, we're going to dive into how to recognize when you dog or cat has ingested a toxic substance and is now showing signs of poisoning. We're also going to supply you with some important information for your pet first aid kit.
Dogs and cats are naturally curious. They typically explore their environment using their mouths and noses. This makes them particularly susceptible to potentially ingesting a substance that is toxic to them.
The Signs of Poisoning
The signs of poisoning can come on suddenly within minutes, or those signs can occur hours or even days following the ingestion of a toxin. Also, as you're about to see, those signs of poisoning are numerous and incredibly varied.
Common General Signs of Poisoning
Some of the more common signs of poisoning can include the following:
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
Neurologic Signs of Poisoning
If your pet has been exposed to a toxin, he or she might also display some neurologic signs of poisoning. These can include:
- Stumbling
- Muscle twitching or tremors
- Depression
- Hyperactivity
- Seizures
- Unconsciousness
Other Signs of Poisoning
Other possible signs of pet poisoning can also include the following:
- Bleeding
- Mouth ulcers
- Skin ulcers
Pro Tip #1: If you suspect or know that your pet has been exposed to a substance that is poisonous, contact your veterinarian immediately and/or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Hotline at 1-888-426-4435 as soon as possible.
If you call your vet first, in cases involving some of the more uncommon toxins, your veterinarian may request that you call poison control for more information. They are, after all, the experts on such matters. More so than even your vet.
Be Prepared with Information that can Help
If you do suspect your pet has been exposed to a poison or toxin, when you contact your vet or poison control, there is some information that will be extremely helpful to have on hand.
Try to determine the following, if you can:
- What did your pet get into (the specific poison if you know)?
- How much poison might your pet have been exposed to?
- How long has it been since the exposure/potential exposure?
- What is the weight of your pet?
- Have you noticed any behavioral or vital signs changes?
Pro Tip #2: How can you tell how much poison your pet ingested? Well, it depends on the poison. If your pet got into a pill bottle, how may pills were there before and how many are there now. If your small dog just got into a large chocolate cake, how much is left and how much was there before?
Having this information on hand can greatly assist your veterinarian or poison control in providing prompt and effective care and treatment solutions.
Pro Tip #3: If you don't already have the number for the Animal Poison Control Hotline in your first aid kit, you may consider doing that now. Remember, contact information is one of the more important items in your kit and it helps if that contact information is complete.
