Bad things for your dog

[yellowlabsrule]

Some clips from the ASPCA newsletter.

NICOTINE CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR ANIMAL COMPANION'S HEALTH
The effects of cigarette smoking on humans have been well-documented, but did you know that tobacco products can be fatal to domestic canines, felines and birds if ingested? Signs of nicotine poisoning often develop within 15 to 45 minutes, reports Jill A. Richardson, DVM, of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), and can include excitation, salivation, panting, vomiting and diarrhea. More advanced signs include muscle weakness, twitching, depression, collapse, coma, increased heart rate and cardiac arrest; death can occur secondary to respiratory paralysis. Adds Richardson, "It's more common for a dog than a cat to eat cigarettes, but amazingly, pet birds often chew on them, too."

If you or any of your family members smoke, please be sure to keep cigarettes and cigars out of your pet's reach; the same applies to the nicotine patches and gum often prescribed to stop smoking. And keep in mind that butts contain about 25 percent of the total nicotine content of a cigarette, so dump those ashtrays frequently.

In addition to offering information at APCC online, the Center runs an emergency hotline--1-888-4-ANI-HELP--that provides round-the-clock telephone assistance.

HEALTH TIPS TO HELP MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT FOR PETS
"We see an increased number of calls related to pet poisoning during the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's," says Dr. Steven Hansen, DVM, director of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Here's one holiday list you can check twice to help keep the furry members of your family happy and healthy:

Season's eatings shouldn't include holiday greenery such as holly, mistletoe, lilies and amaryllis. While commonly used to deck the halls, they can make your pet sick if ingested.

Look before you light. Lit candles produce fumes that can be harmful to birds if inhaled. And don't forget, your pet's wagging tail can easily knock over a burning candle. Liquid potpourri is also dangerous to pets, who could ingest it from decorative bowls and simmering pots.

Whoa, Christmas tree! Their branches definitely delight pets, who've been known to chew on them and whatever decorations may be hanging from them. Place small, breakable ornaments up high, and keep tinsel and garland out of your pet's reach, as these can get caught in his throat. And make sure that pine needles, which can be toxic, don't get eaten.

Keep batteries loose and in packages away from pets. They contain corrosives that can cause ulceration in your animal companion's mouth, tongue and gastrointestinal tract if bitten or swallowed.

Shy animals can get stressed with the hustle and bustle of holiday guests, so make sure there's a quiet room to which your pets can retreat.

STRANGE FRUIT? ASPCA REPORTS ON CASES OF CANINE KIDNEY FAILURE FROM GRAPES AND RAISINS
In response to reports of dogs developing kidney failure after eating large amounts of grapes or raisins, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) conducted a review of all related cases in its database. Veterinary toxicologists found that all of the companion canines developed vomiting within six hours of ingestion; the estimated amounts of grapes or raisins eaten ranged from nine ounces to two pounds. Other commonly reported signs included diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy and abdominal pain, and all of the dogs developed evidence of kidney disfunction. Adds APCC's Charlotte Means, DVM, "Whether the ingested grapes were purchased fresh from grocery stores or grown in private yards didn't seem to matter, nor did the brand eaten." Clinical signs lasted for several days--sometimes even weeks. And after aggressive treatment, which included intravenous fluids and medications, half of the dogs recovered, while the others died or had to be euthanized.

At present, the exact role of grapes or raisins in these cases--what exactly is the toxic component--is still unclear. But a dog who has ingested large amounts can now be diagnosed and treated successfully. The first line of defense is decontamination, and the canine should be hospitalized and placed on IV fluids. If the blood work appears normal after three days, it's unlikely that kidney failure will occur; if there is evidence of renal failure, more aggressive treatment--including fluids, medication and possibly dialysis--is called for. For more on treating and identifying poisoning from grapes and raisins, please visit APCC online.

If you suspect that your dog has ingested large quantities of raisins or grapes--or any other potentially dangerous substance--call your veterinarian or the APCC's emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP for round-the-clock telephone assistance. For more information on poison prevention, go to APCC online.

UPDATE: ARE TOO MANY GRAPES AND RAISINS BAD FOR DOGS?
When ASPCA News Alert ran an item two weeks ago on the incidence of poisoning in dogs from the ingestion of large amounts of grapes and raisins, many readers wanted to know more. We checked in with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's Dr. Jill A. Richardson for the answers to your questions:

Several canine caretakers wrote in to say that they would no longer give their pets the occasional grape or raisin as a treat. "There are many people who have decided to do the same thing," responds Richardson, "but no one has reported poisoning from their pets ingesting the occasional single grape or raisin. The cases we have received involved ingestion of 2 ounces to 4.4 ounces."
Dog-owning reader Bill Benson was concerned that the few slices of banana he regularly shares with his basenji at breakfast could be harmful to her. Not to worry--"Bananas are okay," says Richardson.
B.J. Shultis e-mailed us about the family's 11-year-old dog, who has had fresh fruit and veggie snacks--including grapes, lettuce and carrots--throughout his life. "After all the years of giving him grapes as treats, could he still possibly get kidney dysfunction?" Shultis asks. Replies Richardson, "We haven't had any reports of dogs developing long-term effects from small ingestion of grapes--one or two as treats, I assume--over the years."
"Can grapes or raisins hurt small animals such as rats and gerbils?" wonders Paula Lizotte. The APCC has not yet received a case involving small animals, or pocket pets, and grapes or raisins. "But we still don't know why some types of the fruit are causing problems and others are not," says Richardson. "And we have had one case of kidney failure in a cat who ate raisins."

POISON CONTROL ALERT: AVOIDING CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE MOTHBALL KIND
Traditionally used to prevent clothing from being eaten by moth larvae, mothballs are also scattered in backyards to repel deer, raccoons and other wild animals. But unfortunately, that hasn't stopped domestic animals from getting into this toxic household product. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), the ingestion of just one mothball can cause serious problems in dogs and cats. Symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, seizures and blood disorders. Kidney failure and coma can develop in severe cases.

"Mothballs are supposed to repel animals, but they don't always," says APCC's Jill A. Richardson, DVM, who remembers an emergency call from a pet owner who reported that her cat had bluish gums and seemed very depressed. "The owners mentioned that they had sprinkled some mothballs around an open closet, and their son said he saw the cat lick some of them," says Richardson. The owners were instructed to bring their pet to the local animal hospital, and the veterinarian there consulted the APCC for recommended treatment--which included, in this case, medication, blood transfusions and oxygen therapy, "as the cat's blood was not carrying oxygen well," explains Richardson. Treatment continued for several days, and the cat was later released to her owner.

To prevent this from happening in your home or backyard, always keep mothballs in areas that aren't accessible to pets or other animals, and keep in mind that the most dangerous mothballs are the old-fashioned type, which contain 100-percent naphthalene. "Paradichlorvos is a safer type to use," says Richardson. And if you suspect that your pet has ingested a mothball--or any other potentially dangerous substance--call your veterinarian or the APCC's emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP for round-the-clock telephone assistance. For more information on poison prevention, visit APCC online.

PUT A LID ON IT, PET OWNERS--YOUR BATHROOM COULD BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR ANIMAL COMPANION'S HEALTH
When a dog's thirsty, he'll drink from whatever source he can find--including that large porcelain bowl in your bathroom. According to veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), "eau de toilette" can irritate a pet's gastrointestinal tract--particularly if you use drop-in cleaning tablets in the tank, which contain corrosive agents that can cause mild vomiting and nausea.

The APCC's Dr. Jill A. Richardson handled the case of a thirsty golden retriever who returned from a long walk with his owner and, after emptying his regular bowl, went on to the next available water source--the toilet. The owner had placed a cleaning tablet in the tank earlier in the week, and her husband had forgotten to close the lid. When she heard her dog lapping up some of the blue water, she immediately contacted the APCC. "Once we received the dog's health history and product information, we were able to assess the case," says Richardson. "If the tablet itself had been chewed on, it could have caused chemical burns, but fortunately, when these products are put into the tank and diluted, they become more of an irritant. In this case, the dog was completely normal, so we recommended a very small amount of milk and water to dilute the effects still further."

The easiest way to prevent this from happening to your dog or cat (yes, there have been cases involving felines) is to simply keep the lid down on all the toilets in the house. As a common-sense caution, adds Richardson, "We always tell pet owners to never allow their pets access to areas in which cleaning agents are being used or stored." If you suspect that your animal companion has drunk from a toilet in which a tank drop-in has been placed--or gotten into any other potentially toxic substance--call your veterinarian or the APCC's emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP for round-the-clock telephone assistance. For more information on poison prevention, visit APCC online.

CANINE/FELINE HEALTH ALERT: HOLD THE ONIONS, PLEASE!
Raw, dehydrated, cooked, or powdered--onions in any form can be dangerous to your dog or cat, say veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC). Should your pet partake of a toxic dose, thiosulphate in the onions can cause hemolytic anemia, in which the red blood cells are spliced and unable to supply enough oxygen. The minimum toxic dose will vary, depending on the animal's size and sensitivity and the amount and type of onion ingested, but initial signs of poisoning include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea, progressing to lethargy, weakness and difficulty breathing. Says the APCC's Dr. Jill A. Richardson, "Often the pet owner realizes there is a problem when the damaged red blood cells are eliminated in the pet's urine, which becomes a bright red color."

Poisoning can occur with repeated ingestion of small amounts of onion or with a single ingestion, as was the case with two collie mixes from Philadelphia. The dogs ate some fried onions out of the trash can on a Friday. "By Sunday, the dogs' urine was red--from the free hemoglobin released from ruptured red blood cells," reports Richardson. "At that time the owner brought them into an emergency clinic, thinking the dogs had urinary tract infections."

Upon examination and discussion, exposure to onions was confirmed. The clinic's veterinary staff contacted the APCC for treatment solutions. Says Richardson, "Our recommendations included administering fluids to protect the kidneys, a blood transfusion and aggressive nursing care." The dogs responded well and were released later in the week.

Sorry this is so long, but these are really important things. I almost gave Winnie an onion a couple days ago, but I remembered that they were bad. Whew!

[yellowlabsrule]

WOW this is longer than I thought it would be! Talkative me! :wink:

[Daisysmom]

I had heard that Pointsettias (sp) are also poisonous. :o