Between spending more time indoors and the holiday season, winter is a high-risk period for pet poisoning. Almost all poisoning cases we see are accidental, due to curious pets getting into things they shouldn't.
Here's a list of some of the common household items and foods that are toxic to your pet. If you have any of these in the house, be sure they are in pet-proof locations, and contact us immediately if you suspect your pet has gotten into them. If possible, bring the offending item and/or its packaging with you - this helps us determine exactly what your pet ingested and what treatment is required.
Foods
• Chocolate - two chemicals found in chocolate (caffeine and theobromine) are extremely toxic to dogs
• Caffeine
• Bread dough - the expanding dough can cause your dog's stomach to bloat, which may require surgical treatment, and the alcohol released during fermentation can be toxic
• Moldy food - mold-forming fungus releases specific neurological toxins
• Onions - even small amounts of onion or onion powder are dangerous for dogs and cats
• Macademia nuts - can cause upset stomach depending on how much is eaten
• Grapes and raisins - even 1 can cause serious kidney damage in dogs
• Xylitol - an artificial sweetener found in many 'low sugar' or 'sugar free' gums, candies, and foods
Household Items
• Anti-freeze - it tastes sweet, so curious dogs and cats lap it up, but it causes kidney failure if not treated immediately
• Toilet water - the chemicals in toilet 'drop-in' cleaners can be severely toxic
• Lily plants - just one petal or part of a leaf can cause kidney failure in cats
• Birth control pills - they have a sugar coating and can be dangerous depending on the dose ingested and active ingredients
• Silica gel packets - these small packets cause severely upset stomachs in dogs and cats
• Bug bait - ant and roach poisons can be dangerous, depending on the active ingredients, concentration, and amount ingested; if you suspect your pet has eaten some, bring your pet in with the poison packaging material
• Potpourri - liquid potpourris contain multiple ingredients that can cause neurological and skin problems
• Fabric softener - contains similar ingredients to potpourri
• Cigarettes and other tobacco products - nicotine toxicity causes respiratory distress and can be rapidly fatal
• Pennies - pennies can cause obstruction of the intestines, but also contain zinc, a heavy metal that is toxic to pets
• Mothballs - there are two main types of mothballs; if you don't have the packaging still, bring some of the other mothballs with you so we can distinguish which type they are; both cause toxicity, but treatment may vary depending on the type
• Rodent poisons - there are a few different active ingredients used and determining which one(s) were present is critical to our treatment plan