“March” into Pet Toxin Awareness Month (March 2019)

HOWLo everyone! Did you know that March is Pet Toxin Awareness Month? Being an Emergency Dogtor, I see many animals every week that have been exposed to a toxin in and around the home. People are unaware many of these substances can be harmful to their pets.

Since spring is (hopefully) right around the corner, our pets will be spending more time out in the yard and being natural scavengers, they can be easily exposed to toxins. For instance, in the warm, damp weather, we can see many different species of wild mushrooms pop up all over the place. Ingesting mushrooms can range in severity from “no big deal” to deadly. Toxic mushrooms are common and can range in danger from upset stomach, liver failure, kidney damage, neurologic signs, seizures and death. Since mushroom identification is tricky and clinical signs can occur rapidly--don’t spend time trying to figure out what type of mushroom it is if your pet eats one. Always assume a mushroom is potentially dangerous and take them to a local emergency veterinarian for decontamination and any potential treatment needed.

Other common “spring” dangers to be on the lookout for include fertilizers, algae, pesticides, compost, snakes and many species of plants including Lily of the Valley, tulips, crocus, hyacinths, daffodils and lilies. Lilies are especially toxic to cats and eating only a small amount (such as 2 petals or leaves) can lead to severe kidney failure.

So, what do you do if you think your pet has been exposed to/ ingested a toxin? If your pet is acting normal, you can always call a local veterinary practice or contact Animal Poison Control or Pet Poison Helpline. If your pet is acting sick or abnormal in ANY way, have them evaluated by your veterinarian or taken to a local pet emergency service. Below, we have included the Top 10 Dog Toxins and the Top 10 Cat toxins courtesy of Pet Poison Helpline. For more information and complete list of pet toxins, please visit https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ or https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control. And remember, Trust me, I’m a Dogtor.