The use of antidepressants is very prevalent in North America and these drugs are one of the top medications prescribed by medical doctors. When ingested by dogs, signs of a racing heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, tremors, seizures, and death can be seen. Most importantly, pay attention to the name of the drug: for example, Claritin is safe to use in dogs and cats, but Claritin-D (“D” for decongestant) is potentially deadly (I always remember this as “D” for “deadly” for pets!). While we use antihistamines in dogs with allergies, it’s the other ingredients that can be deadly to your dog if accidentally ingested. Cold and allergy medicationsĬold and allergy medications typically contain large amounts of acetaminophen (which is Tylenol), decongestants (e.g., phenylephrine, pseudoephedrine), and antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine, loratadine, etc.). When in doubt, put them in places where your dog can’t get into them (e.g., behind the stove or refrigerator). The plastic on the bait station is more of a problem, as it can result in gastrointestinal (GI) signs or potentially foreign body obstruction (FBO), when ingested in large amounts. Thankfully, these bait stations have a wide margin of safety and are minimally toxic, as the active ingredient is often a low-concentration of insecticides that are commonly used in veterinary medicine. ![]() (Cats typically just bat these bait stations around and play with them, but rarely ever chew them up). Thankfully, these ant and roach bait stations are rarely toxic, but they are a common cause for calls to Pet Poison Helpline (an animal poison control center based out of Minneapolis, MN) due to frequent ingestion by dogs. You know those little plastic bait stations that you have around the house, sitting in the corners of your floor? Unfortunately, both dogs and ants like to get into the bait, thanks to the bait attractant inside (typically peanut butter-based). In today’s blog, we’ll cover the remaining five, including insect bait stations, cold and allergy medications, antidepressants, xylitol, and acetaminophen (Tylenol). ![]() This week, it's National Poison Prevention Week, marking over five decades of safer homes and saved lives… for both the two-legged and the four-legged! Last week, we tackled the five common canine toxicants in Part 1. ![]() Justine Lee's specialty is pet poison prevention, and in this blog she discusses some of the most dangerous toxins for dogs.
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