Common Drug Poisonings

The most common causes of poisoning in pets is the unintentional overdosing with veterinary and accidental ingestion of both human and veterinary pills. Many medications prescribed specifically by your veterinarian are flavored to encourage your pet to take the medication willingly. Unfortunately, if they are not kept well away from your pet, they may eagerly consume them if they find them.
Many well meaning pet owners purchase over-the-counter medications to give to their dogs for a variety of symptoms without veterinary approval thinking what works for people will work for dogs as well. Unfortunately, this belief is not correct and if given to dogs in human dosages may even be toxic.

Common pain relievers such Aspirin, Advil, and Tylenol are a particular problem. These drugs require certain enzymes to detoxify and help eliminate these drugs from the system which cats and dogs do NOT have. Since your pet can't eliminate these drugs from their systems, they can accumulate and reach toxic levels in their body. Severe organ damage in a medium sized dog can occur if they are given as few as 2 regular strength aspirin or Tylenol. The animal will quickly develop abdominal pain, salivation, vomiting, and weakness.

Treatment: If you suspect your pet has ingested a drug, immediately induce vomiting. For information on how to induce vomiting, click here. Call your veterinarian for further instructions. A specific antidote may be available for the drug which has been taken.

Prevention: Always consult your veterinarian before giving your dog any medication. Always store drugs in a secure place to prevent inadvertent consumption by pets or children. When giving prescribed medications to your pet, follow instructions exactly for frequency and dosage. Never assume that a human drug is safe for your pet!