Pet Poisons

The telephone call I hope you never have to make is to a pet poison control center. If the situation does arise, however, I hope you will have the appropriate contact information close at hand.

Two poison control organizations that I strongly recommend, and which are available to you 24/7 are the Animal Poison Control Center (1-888-426-4435) and the Pet Poison Helpline (1-800-213-6680). If uncertain if your pet has ingested or been exposed to something that is toxic, call one of these organizations right away. You will either be fully reassured or instructed on what course of action to take.

The Pet Poison Helpline recently released their "top ten list" of toxicities based on calls received during 2011. They are ranked below in order of frequency:

Top Ten Toxins Reported in 2011 Helpline Calls

1. Foods- specifically chocolate, xylitol, grapes, and raisins.
2. Insecticides- sprays, bait stations, and spot on flea and tick treatments.
3. Rodenticides (mouse and rat poisons). By the way, rodenticides pose the potential for relay toxicity- pets can be poisoned by eating rodents that have died from the toxin.
4. Human nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
5. Household cleaning products (all the more reason I don't like to clean- could be harmful for my pets!).
6. Antidepressant drugs prescribed for people (Prozac, Paxil, Celexa, and Effexor).
7. Fertilizers including bone meal, blood meal, and iron based products.
8. Acetaminophen which is the active ingredient in Tylenol and many over the counter cough and cold remedies.
9. Amphetamine based human drugs including Adderall and Concerta.
10. Veterinary nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications (particularly those that are in tasty chewable tablet form) including Rimadyl, Deramaxx, and Previcox..

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