Every year thousands of dogs are accidentally poisoned, mostly as a result of owners simply not being careful or aware of what things are poisonous to their furry family. The best safeguard against your pet being poisoned is to know what things are poisonous and to prevent their exposure to them. Whilst there are many foods, plants and medications that can result in poisoning your pet, this article highlights the more common causes that are avoidable once you know about them.
Some of the most common causes of accidental poisoning in dogs
Posted by PetDirect on 9th Nov 2020
Some quick tips
Unfortunately, the most common poisonings treated by veterinarians are for Rat and Mice baits (rodenticides). If you do use these baits, please store and use them in a manner that avoids your pets having access to them. Also be aware that poisonings can happen due to your pet eating a rat or mouse that ingested the poison.
We often make the mistake of thinking that medications that are good for humans are also good for our pets – this is not the case. Drugs that might be beneficial or even lifesaving for people can have the opposite effect in pets. And it doesn’t always take a large dose to do major damage.
Some of the most common and harmful medications that poison dogs include over-the-counter drugs such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Advil, Aleve, as well as herbal and nutraceutical products. Prescription anti-inflammatory, pain medication, anti-depressants and blood pressure medication can cause serious damage and can lead to the painful death of your pet.
Foods that are harmful to your dog
Everyday foods that you must avoid feeding your dog are:
Chocolate
Yummy for us humans, but toxic to our fur friends. Chocolate contains a stimulant called theobromine that’s poisonous to dogs. Theobromine mainly affects the guts, heart, central nervous system, and kidneys. Signs of theobromine poisoning will occur between four and 24 hours after your dog has eaten chocolate. You may see vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, hyperactivity and seizures.
Caffeine
Much like chocolate, caffeine is a stimulant. A couple of laps of tea or coffee will probably do no harm, but if your dog swallows a handful of coffee beans or tea bags they could be in danger. Signs and treatment of caffeine poisoning are similar to chocolate toxicity.
Onions, garlic, and chives
Eating these vegetables and herbs can cause stomach and gut irritation and potentially lead to red blood cell damage and anaemia.
Onions are particularly toxic and signs of poisoning often only occur a few days after your dog has eaten the vegetable. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions or garlic. Left-over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness. Many prepared foods (including takeaways), sauces and gravies contain onion or garlic powder.
Alcohol
Alcohol is significantly more toxic to dogs than to humans. When consumed, even small quantities of alcoholic beverages and food products may cause vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased coordination, central nervous system depression, difficulty breathing, tremors, blood changes, coma and even death. So, remember to keep alcohol well out of your dog’s reach.
Mouldy foods
Mouldy food, including bread, nuts and dairy products, contain lots of toxins that could make your dog very ill. Make sure you dispose of leftovers carefully and be careful to keep your food waste bin well out of your dog’s reach.
Grapes and raisins
This fruit is extremely toxic. Although the substance in grapes and raisins is unknown, it will cause severe kidney damage and even death. Dogs that already have underlying health problems are at greatest risk and just one raisin can be severely toxic. Experts agree that there is no “safe” dose of grapes and raisins.
Macadamia nuts
Within 12 hours of ingestion, macadamia nuts can cause dogs to experience weakness, depression, tremors, vomiting and increased body temperature. These symptoms tend to last for approximately 12 to 48 hours.
Yeast dough
Yeast dough can cause gas to accumulate in your dog’s digestive system as a result of the dough rising. Not only can this be painful but it may also cause the stomach or intestines to become blocked. So while small bits of bread can be given as a treat — due to the fact that risks are diminished once the yeast has fully risen — never give your dog yeast dough.
Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob may seem like a healthy table scrap to give your dog, but unlike most vegetables, it does not digest well in a dog’s stomach. If your dog swallows large chunks of the cob, or even whole, it can cause an intestinal blockage due to its size and shape. Signs to look out for are vomiting, loss of appetite or reduced appetite, absence of faeces or diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort.
Xylitol
The artificial sweetener xylitol is found in many foods (especially in sugar free peanut butter) including some sugar-free gums, diabetic cakes and diet foods. It causes insulin release in many species (but not in humans) leading to potentially fatal hypoglycaemia (lowered sugar levels).
Dogs are extremely sensitive and even small quantities can cause toxicity. Early symptoms of xylitol poisoning include lethargy, vomiting and loss of coordination. Seizures may also occur.
Xylitol has also been linked to fatal acute liver disease and blood-clotting disorders in dogs. This effect is not thought to be dose related so even very small amounts can be extremely dangerous. If you think your dog has eaten any xylitol seek urgent veterinary advice.
Blue cheese
Like other dairy products, dogs find it difficult to break down cheese, while eating large amounts of higher fat varieties can cause sickness and diarrhoea.
However, blue cheeses, such as stilton and roquefort, are particularly dangerous. Many contain a substance called Roquefortine C, which dogs are especially sensitive to. Roquefortine C may cause vomiting and diarrhoea and potentially also tremors, twitching, seizures and a high temperature if eaten in large doses.
Avocado
You might think of them as healthy but avocados have a substance called persin that can act as a dog poison, causing vomiting and diarrhoea. Other foods you should keep away from your pet include tomatoes, mushrooms and most seeds and nuts.
Milk
As dogs do not have significant amounts of the enzyme lactase that breaks down lactose in milk, feeding your dog milk and other milk-based products can cause diarrhoea or other digestive upset.
Here are some different dog-specific treats that you can give to your dog instead:
Plants that are harmful for your dog
They may be pretty, but plants aren’t necessarily pet friendly. Some of the more toxic plants to dogs include:
Azaleas and rhododendrons
These pretty flowering plants contain toxins that may cause vomiting, diarrhoea, coma, and potentially even death
Tulips and daffodils
The bulbs of these plants may cause serious stomach problems, difficulty breathing, and increased heart rate.
Sago palms/Cycads
Our fur kids love to eat their seeds, just a single seed can kill them(which is highly toxic) the rest of the plant has toxic substances may be enough to cause vomiting, seizures, and liver failure.
Safeguarding your dog
Protect your fur friends by keeping poisonous substances away from them. No matter how tempted you are to give them treats that may include the above poisons, rather have healthy dog-specific treats available as and when needed.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten any of the above poisons, foods or plants, please get them to your veterinary clinic as soon as possible.