March is Pet Poisons Awareness Month. We know you love your pets and we want to help you keep them safe, so we have compiled a list of the common dangers they can face within the home and garden.
If your pet has eaten something they shouldn’t please phone us immediately for advice, because the quicker we treat the greater the chance of success. In some cases, we can attempt to make the patient vomit, but this only works well within the first hour. Please keep hold of any packaging, so we can identify the ingredients in anything that has been eaten.
- LILLIES – THE WHOLE PLANT is toxic to cats if eaten/licked off fur. This is extremely serious in cats and can cause untreatable kidney failure. Death is possible. Prevent any licking/ wash the coat if the fur is contaminated.
- GRAPES/RAISINS/CURRANTS/SULTANAS – can cause untreatable kidney failure in some dogs, even a small quantity can be dangerous in susceptible individuals.
- CHOCOLATE – in dogs and cats it can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, irregular heart rhythms and seizures; dark chocolate is more toxic than milk and white.
- ONIONS/LEEKS/GARLIC/SHALLOT – can cause damage to dogs red blood cells and the anaemia can be so severe a blood transfusion can be needed. Please consider onion can be added to many products e.g. gravy/soup that you might give as a treat.
- ANTIFREEZE- (Ethylene Glycol) – found in engine coolant and screen-wash. Dangerous to pets and humans, sadly ingestion is not often known about until too late when untreatable kidney failure occurs. Prevent access to where it is stored and wash away spillages.
- RAT POISON – dangerous to all pets, causes serious internal bleeding and neurological signs.
- XYLITOL – a sweetener and can cause blood sugar levels to drop causing a condition like a diabetic ‘hypo’ with collapse and seizures. It can be found in many products such as some chewing gums and sweets.
- MOULDY FOOD – mycotoxins poison the central nervous system and can cause seizures.
- HUMAN MEDICATIONS – don’t give these to your pets unless prescribed by a vet. Paracetamol, for example, is extremely toxic to cats.
- SLUG PELLETS (Metaldehyde)
- INSECTICIDES – e.g. permethrin can be toxic to cats and is contained in some dog flea products that can be bought in pet shops.
Less common dangers:
- Nicotine (e.g. vapes)
- Household chemicals, weedkillers
- Batteries
- Fungi (mushrooms/toadstools)
- Adder bites
- Blue green algae
- Bulbs and various plants – for more information check out these useful websites by Cats Protection and Dogs Trust.