How can I protect my pet from dog poison or other household hazards?

By Ernest Ward, DVM

Are dog poison incidents common?

• More common than you’d think.
• It’s easy to overlook poisons and other potential hazards to your dog's health and safety unless you know how to recognize the hidden dangers in and around your home.

What household items are known to be dog poisons or hazards?

First, the most common dog poisons include foods, human medications, household chemicals, garden insecticides and rodenticides (rat or mouse poisons). Here’s a detailed list:

• Garage: Antifreeze, fuels, wood preservatives, lead-based paints
• Kitchen/laundry/household cleaning: Acids, alkalis, bleach, disinfectants
• Human medications: Aspirin, acetaminophen, paracetamol, antidepressants, other prescription drugs
• Foods: Chocolate can be very toxic to dogs, as well as onions, grapes, raisins, raw fish, meat left out, warm bread that rises in the dog’s stomach,  
• Food contaminants: Bacteria, fungi
• Food additives: Xylitol (found in gum, candy, and other foods) is extremely dangerous
• Garden chemicals: Including rodenticides (warfarin and related substances, calciferol, strychnine, bromethalin), herbicides (sodium chlorate, paraquat), fungicides (pentachlorophenols or PCP), insecticides (pyrethrins, pyrethroids, organochlorines organophosphates and carbamates), and slug baits (metaldehyde)
• Plants: Mistletoe, daffodils and other bulb plants, English ivy, marijuana, many others. According to the ASPCA, dozens of plants may be toxic to dogs.

Second, the following household hazards can cause life-threatening intestinal obstruction or other emergencies if eaten:

• Gifts containing tasty treats or leather items such as clothing or sports equipment. Even wrapping paper (especially foil) can cause an intestinal obstruction if eaten.
• Ribbons and strings: These can become tangled up in the intestinal tract. 
• Paintballs: The paint filled 'ammunition' is extremely hazardous, even deadly to dogs. 
• Dangling power cords: If your pup bites through a plugged-in electrical cord, the tongue may be severely burned, or an electrical shock may damage the lungs or heart.

How can a dog become poisoned by a toxic substance?

• Directly ingesting it (eating or licking the substance)
• Eating poisoned animals such as a mouse
• Absorbing it through the skin, particularly the paws
• Inhaling it

What kind of dog poison symptoms should I watch for?

Your dog’s health may be compromise by a poison if you see any of these symptoms:

• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Tremors, lack of coordination, seizures, excitability, depression, or coma
• Coughing, sneezing, or difficult breathing
• Skin signs of redness, inflammation and swelling
• Jaundice
• Increased drinking
• Lack of appetite, weight loss

Some toxins produce a combination of symptoms. Some reactions are sudden problems; others may be delayed and chronic (lasting and recurring). Chronic poison symptoms can be very difficult to recognize and treat.

I think my dog has been poisoned or swallowed poison. What should I do?

Call your vet immediately, ask for advice, and plan to take your dog to your vet clinic or a local veterinary emergency hospital.

• If your dog refuses to be held or helped, wrap him or her in a towel and place in a box so you won’t get scratched or bitten.
• This also prevents your dog from licking more contamination from its coat.
• If you suspect that your dog swallowed the toxin, try to get your dog to drink water or milk to help dilute any absorbed toxins.
• Do NOT try to make your dog vomit, since he or she may choke on it. You may want to call the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680 or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888- 426-4435. (A $65 ASPCA consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.)

My dog seems to have a “chemical” on its fur. What should I do?

Call your vet to determine whether you should try home treatment or bring your dog to the clinic.

If the contamination is mild enough for home treatment, do the following to prevent skin absorption or keep your dog from licking it.

• Remove your dog's collar (and clean it if it was also contaminated).
• Clip off contaminated hair and remove as much of the contamination as possible to avoid spreading it during the wash phase.
• Remove oily or tarry material by rubbing it with clean, warm cooking oil or mineral oil on a cotton ball, and then wiping the residue off thoroughly before bathing your dog.
• Wash your dog in warm soapy water.
• After bathing, dry your dog thoroughly.
• Keep your dog indoors, in a warm, quiet room, for 24 hours of observation.

The good news is — exposure to a toxin or hazard does not have to end badly. Call your vet immediately for help.

Your vet is the best guide on what to do.