#1 Chocolate: The toxic component of chocolate is called theobromine.  The less sweet and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is to your dog.  Dark chocolate is the most toxic, followed by baker’s chocolate, milk chocolate, then white chocolate.  Ingestion can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, and seizures in your dog.

#2 Rodenticides: Mouse and rat poisons are highly toxic to dogs and cats.  There are unfortunately several types of active ingredients for different products.  Each of these products have different mechanisms of action.  The most common cause internal bleeding and destruction of red blood cells, dangerous elevations in calcium and phosphorus, lung irritation through release of toxic fumes (can harm humans as well), and brain swelling.  These all have different treatments, and unfortunately some have no antidotes at all.  Most rodenticides are treated with a coding to make them bitter to prevent children from ingesting them. That does not work for dogs.  Your dog may have no interest in that block for months, but as soon as a rat or mouse has been there… It has a whole new smell and attraction for your dog!  If your pet has ingested this toxin, immediate action is need.

#3 NSAIDs: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories are toxic to dogs and cats.  These medications include tylenol, advil, aleve, excedrin, ibuprofen.  Aspirin is even controversial when given.  They do not have the same enzymes as humans do to break down the medications.  Ingestion can lead to bleeding, stomach ulcers and kidney failure.  Many well-meaning pet owners give these to their pets in hope to alleviate their pets discomfort, not knowing the dangerous consequences.  Please check with your veterinarian before you give your dog any medication!  You must also keep purses or bags containing these medications out of reach of your pet.

#4 Xylitol: Xylitol is used as a sugar substitute.  It is found in gum, candies, mints, mouthwash, toothpaste, some brands of vitamins and melatonin, baked goods, diabetic foods, nasal sprays, among many other things.  It can cause a very unsafe drop in your dogs blood sugar and can lead to liver failure.  Xylitol is becoming more and more dangerous because of its growing popularity.  Treatment is needed immediately and even a small ingestion of a product containing xylitol can be toxic to your pet.

#5 Household cleaners: This includes every thing from toilet bowl cleaners, bleach, antibacterial spray, and disinfectant products. Basically it includes anything that you use in your home to clean. Laundry pods have also become more of a concern as they gain popularity.  Signs include gastrointestinal upset to burns and pneumonia. All cleaning products have potential risks to our pets when ingested or with dermal exposure.

# 6 Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins are a unique toxicity.  Ingestion of both these lead to acute kidney failure in your dog.  There is no true toxic dose for dogs, some dogs are sensitive to this toxicity and some are not.  Therefore, if your pet has been exposed we treat all cases as potentially life threatening.  The toxic component in grapes and raisins is still unknown to this day.  Pet owners also need to be aware of products containing grapes or raisins in them, such as granola bars or trail mix.  We have had instances where pets have ingested a trail mix and owners were concerned about the chocolate toxicity.  The chocolate was not enough to be a concern, but as we went over the ingredient list, we found raisins listed and the dog needed immediate care.  The key here is that no matter the quantity, if your dog is the dog that will be affected by raisins or grapes, this is life-threatening.

Some of the most common pet poisons we see on emergency at the Village Veterinary Clinic of Hamburg are when our pets eat something they should not.  If you know or suspect your pet has ingested or has been exposed to one of the following items please contact your veterinarian or the Village Veterinary Clinic of Hamburg immediately (716-646-4023).  We are available 24/7 for emergency calls!

 

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