Toxicity Awareness Month
Toxicity Awareness Months at Granville Island Veterinary Hospital are
August & September
TOXIC ITEMS FOR PETS
Acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol)
- Although this drug can be used in dogs, it has a narrow margin of safety.
- In cats it is; rarely, if ever used.
- In cats: poisoning results in methemoglobinemia (a type of severe red blood cell damage).
- In dogs: liver failure, “dry eye”, and in large amounts; RBC injury may be seen.
Alcohol
- Alcohol can be found in hand sanitizers, household cleaners, and even food!
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, distended abdomen, coma, and even death.
Aloe Vera
- Symptoms include: vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, changes in urine colour, and rarely; tremors.
Antifreeze
- Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol which is extremely toxic to all species.
- Found in deicing agents, automotive antifreeze, motor oils, photography developing agents, and some paints.
- As little as 1 tbsp in dogs and 1tsp in cats can cause severe acute kidney failure or death.
- Symptoms: Drunkenness, excessive thirst/urination, halitosis, panting, and lethargy
Avocado pits 
- Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of stool production.
Batteries
- Symptoms: drooling, pawing at mouth, difficulty swallowing, and abdominal pain.
Blue-green algae
- This algae actually contains a cyanobacteria which affects nervous system
- Signs include vomiting, lethargy, shock, weakness
- Seen after dog ingests or swims in affected water
Caffeine
- Symptoms: hyperactivity, vomiting, tremors, seizure, and collapse.
Compost piles/bins
- Toxic to pets and wildlife
- Create mycotoxins as they decompose
- Clinical signs include agitation, panting, drooling
- Signs can show within 30 minutes to several hours
Chocolate
- Chocolate contains a mixture of, theobromine and caffeine; this forms a stimulant which is toxic to dogs and occasionally cats.
- Symptoms: hyperactivity, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, collapse, and possibly death.
Daffodils
- All parts of the plant including the bulb are toxic.
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal breathing, and cardiac arrhythmias.
Flea and tick products
- Make sure that cats don’t have access to the ones labeled “dog only”
Fertilizers
- Most fertilizers are considered toxic, due to varying amounts of heavy metals, herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides.
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, and “muddy” coloured gums.
Firecrackers
- Usually just a frightening hazard
- Make sure pet doesn’t chase a lit fire cracker
- Causing burns on paws, mouth and face or GI if they ingest it
- Chewing on some brands can cause kidney failure
Garlic, Onions, Leeks, and Chives
- Causes oxidative damage to red blood cells.
- Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, exercise intolerance, collapse, and pale gums.
Grapes, Raisins, and Currants
- Ingestion of even small amounts can cause severe, acute kidney failure.
- Symptoms: abnormal drinking/urinating, halitosis, inappetance, and dehydration.
Heat and Humidity
- Not a direct poison, but animals don’t sweat like humans, so they over heat fast
- Cars can quickly get up to 150+ degrees
- Do not treat dogs with ice water, rather cool water and immediately seek veterinary attention
Ibuprofen
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS).
- These drugs are used sparingly in cats as it is tolerated poorly.
- Can cause severe kidney failure, poisoning, or overdose.
- Symptoms: bloody vomit or diarrhea, pale gums, loss of appetite, lethargy, and halitosis, and death.
- ** Never give your pet ANY drug without consulting your veterinarian first!
Lilies
- Extremely toxic and potentially fatal to cats.
- Common varieties include: Tiger, Easter, Stargazer, and Red lilies.
- Can result in severe, acute kidney failure.
- Symptoms: lethargy, hiding, diarrhea, vomiting, halitosis, abnormal drinking and urinating, seizures, and death.
Macadamia Nuts
- Symptoms: severe lethargy, tremors, joint stiffness, and hind end paralysis.
Marijuana
- Symptoms: severe depression, walking drunk, dribbling urine, vocalization, seizures, and coma.
Matches
- Heavy metal poisoning.
- Symptoms: vomiting, lethargy, walking drunk, low heart rate, and death.
Mistletoe
- Symptoms: drooling, walking drunk, collapse, seizures, and death.
Mole and gopher baits
- Contain zinc phoshides which causes gas formation in the stomach
- As a caution to us, if we release the gas from the pet’s stomach, it can be hazardous to us.
- Could contain a neurotoxin
Mothballsole and gopher baits
- Can be inhaled and absorbed through the skin and gastrointestinal system.
- Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, excessive drinking and urination, tremors, seizures, and potential kidney and liver injury.
Mouse and Rat Poison
- Toxicity is dependent on the active ingredient found in each rodenticide.Each ingredient has a different mechanism, therefore; different treatment and symptoms.
- If you are concerned that your pet has eaten rodenticide, inform your veterinarian immediately!
Mushrooms
- Most are not toxic
- If your eats a mushroom, induce vomiting to be safe
- Ensure that the pet stays alert and upper airway stays open
- Bring mushroom pieces in paper towel to your vet
- Signs of toxicity include abdominal pain, ataxia, diarrhea, vomiting, tremors
Mulch
- If made from a cocoa bean causes occasional toxicity
- When mulch is fresh, it has a chocolate aroma
Onions and garlic
- Large concentrations cause anemia
- Wild onions are more toxic
- Cats and cows are more sensitive than other animals
Plants
- Grasses is generally non-toxic to dogs
- Tomato plants
- Part of the nightshade family
- Green tomatoes are the worst
- Toxin decreases as the tomato ripens
- Signs of toxicity include GI irritation, ataxia and weakness
- Poinsettias
- stems and leavescause GI irritation and vomiting
- not deadly in small amounts
- Easter Lilies
- All parts cause depression, vomiting and diahrrea in cats
- If untreated cats will die of kidney failure
Pesticides
- Now a days, this is not the concern it used to be, as the active ingredients are used in lower concentrations
- More likely to cause pancreatitis or a foreign body block
- Check the label for more instructions
Rhododendrons
- Symptoms: drooling, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness, blindness, and seizures.
Rhubarb and Starfruit
- Symptoms: Inappetance, lethargy, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, tremors, and blood in urine.
Stone Fruit Pits
- This is any fruit with stones (or pits) in the centre.
- Pits contain cyanide.
- Symptoms include: dilated pupils, difficulty breathing, and bright red gums.
Salt water toxicity
- Though we don’t really live by a beach, it is interesting
- Causes salt poisoning because of high levels of salt in the sea
- Signs can follow in a quick progression include walking drunk, depression, seizures
- Easiest to prevent is by offering bottled water when at the beach
Tea Tree Oil
- Severe poisoning can result from as little as 7 drops of 100% essential oil.
- Symptoms: weakness, walking drunk, tremors, coma, and liver damage.
Tobacco
- Symptoms: vomiting, abnormal respiratory and heart rate, in coordination, seizures, tremors, paralysis, and collapse.
Tulip and Hyacinth bulbs
- Symptoms: drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing.
Xylitol
- Natural, sugar- free sweetener found in many mints, gums, foods, and toothpastes.
- Symptoms: weakness, collapse, seizures, black tarry stool, and liver failure.
Horse Chestnuts
- Symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, coma, and convulsions.
iThe sooner treatment is adminstered the greater chance your pet has of making a full recovery.
