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Did your dog eat something they shouldn’t have? If you see these dog poisoning symptoms you need to act fast. When it comes to life-threatening situations, every minute counts and we all want the same thing, your dog to live!
So read our dog poison symptoms carefully and be prepared in case your dog is suffering. It’s better to learn this now before you think your dog is poisoned.
Article Overview
Important:
If you believe your dog may be poisoned, stop reading this and contact your vet now! If you cannot reach your vet, contact the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-764-7661 or use our “Ask A Vet” feature to chat with a professional and get help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Signs To Watch For
There are many different types of dog poisoning that have various symptoms. Overall, if you are afraid your dog has been poisoned, look out for these visible signs.
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Blood in the stool
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Bruising
- Nosebleeds
- Irregular heartbeat
- Inability to urinate
If your dog is suffering from one of these things you’ll want to get help immediately.
Symptoms Of Dog Poisoning
Beyond the more noticeable signals are some more serious, longer-term issues to keep an eye out for. Below are the different types of symptoms associated with dog poisoning.
Irregular Heart Beats
Dogs with irregular heart rhythms and cardiac symptoms have most likely gotten into a medication or plant. This includes jimson weed, kalanchoe, milkweed, mountain laurel and oleander.
Kidney Failure
Antifreeze poisoning can cause your dog kidney failure and the inability to produce urine. Plants can also cause kidney damage. These types of plants include dieffenbachia, Easter lily, caladium, pigweed and philodendron. Learn more in our guide to poisonous plants.
Liver Damage
Medications like acetaminophen and plants such as tansy ragwort or rattlebox can cause liver damage. Find out what over the counter medicines are okay for dogs (and which are potentially toxic).
Loss Of Blood
If your dog has bruising, blood in their stool, nosebleeds or anemia they have most likely gotten into rat or mouse poison. However, if they’ve gotten into your garden or kitchen and eaten too much onion, garlic, sweet clover or bracken fern they could also suffer from anemia and could even die.
Neurological Symptoms
Dogs suffering from seizures and other neurological symptoms have possibly ingested one of many things. This list is long and includes the following:
- antidepressants
- alcohol
- aspirin
- drain cleaners
- dishwasher soap
- gasoline
- marijuana (learn more about dogs and marijuana)
- flea repellents
- tobacco
- furniture polish
- strychnine.
Exposure to, or bites from, poisonous animals can cause dogs to seize as well. These animals include certain breeds of snakes, spiders, toads and frogs. Specifically, you’ll want to look out for Florida marine toads, Coral snakes, Colorado River toads and brown recluse spiders. Read about how a venomous snake bite nearly killed my dog.
Plants can cause neurological symptoms as well, this includes buckeyes and horse chestnuts.
Stomach Concerns
Garbage, lead paint, English ivy, English holly, snake bites, chocolate, medications, poinsettia, iris, Chinaberry, daphne and pokeweed are all dangerous to dogs. Digesting these substances can result in gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, loss of appetite and vomiting.
What Foods Are Dangerous To Dogs?
In 2011, dogs eating toxic foods was the #1 cause of dog poisoning. It’s impossible to watch your dog 24/7, but if you know there’s something your dog shouldn’t get into you should put it up high in a cupboard, or somewhere else you know they can’t reach. Dogs eating chocolate or grapes is preventable. Be cautious of where you place your food and check out our extensive list of foods dogs should not eat.
To learn more about the dangers of dogs eating chocolate, watch this video below.
Our First-Hand Experience
We all know our dogs get into things they aren’t supposed to. So, it’s our job to keep hazards away from them. But sometimes accidents happen to even the best dog parents. One of our team members shares her brush with a scary situation and how it panned out.
Our King Charles Cavalier Spaniel Lexie decided it was a good idea to eat an alcohol prep pad (why that would be tasty who knows?). I found the evidence of the package ripped up on the sofa and called the 24/7 ASPCA poison control hotline immediately. They responded right away, asked a few questions about what happened, when and how much was consumed.
Then the vet explained that dogs process rubbing alcohol similar to how humans process liquor; it’s not toxic in small amounts but can make them a little impaired or drowsy if they consume too much. The vet also said Lexie might appear to be “drunk” (i.e., sluggish or sleepy). However, if she starts to exhibit signs of more elevated alcohol poisoning (like vomiting), we were instructed to give her soft, white bread to absorb the alcohol (and to help push the pad out of her system). Once the alcohol was out of her system, Lexie was back to her happy, sweet self. – Sadie C.
Tips To Keep In Mind
Program your vet’s phone number into your phone as well as the emergency vet. You should also have it written down in a place you can find easily at home.
If you think your dog has poison symptoms don’t hesitate to call the vet or poison control hotline. Explain your situation. Ask them for advice on what steps to take next.
If your dog may be experiencing dog poison symptoms, be sure to also read our article on how to treat a poisoned dog. Remember, it’s important that you learn these things now before your dog is in distress, so that you can act quickly and efficiently is trouble arises.
Has your dog every gotten into something they shouldn’t have?
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Like, your not even human at this point for torturing my babies, but anyways doctor what do you assume happened to my babies?
Hematology
11/12/2015 (Order Received)
11/14/2015 @ 3:34 PM (Last Updated)
RBC 6.38 5.39 – 8.7 M/µL
Hematocrit 45.8 38.3 – 56.5 %
Hemoglobin 15.5 13.4 – 20.7 g/dL
MCV 72 59 – 76 fL
MCH 24.3 21.9 – 26.1 pg
MCHC 33.8 32.6 – 39.2 g/dL
% Reticulocyte 0.4 %
Reticulocyte 26 10 – 110 K/µL
WBC 0.6 4.9 – 17.6 K/µL L
% Neutrophil 4.0 %
% Lymphocyte 84.0 %
% Monocyte 12.0 %
% Eosinophil 0.0 %
% Basophil 0.0 %
Neutrophil 0.024 2.94 – 12.67 K/µL L
Lymphocyte 0.504 1.06 – 4.95 K/µL L
Monocyte 0.072 0.13 – 1.15 K/µL L
Eosinophil 0 0.07 – 1.49 K/µL L
Basophil 0 0 – 0.1 K/µL
Platelet a
82 143 – 448 K/µL
Chemistry
11/12/2015 (Order Received)
11/14/2015 @ 3:34 PM (Last Updated)
Glucose 97 63 – 114 mg/dL
BUN 18 9 – 31 mg/dL
Creatinine 0.9 0.5 – 1.5 mg/dL
SDMA a
12 0 – 14 µg/dL
BUN / Creatinine
Ratio
20.0
Phosphorus 2.7 2.5 – 6.1 mg/dL
Calcium 9.7 8.4 – 11.8 mg/dL
Sodium 142 142 – 152 mmol/L
Potassium 3.8 4.0 – 5.4 mmol/L L
Na / K Ratio 37 28 – 37
Chloride 110 108 – 119 mmol/L
TCO2
(Bicarbonate)
15 13 – 27 mmol/L
Anion Gap 21 11 – 26 mmol/L
Total Protein 7.4 5.5 – 7.5 g/dL
Albumin 3.0 2.7 – 3.9 g/dL
Globulin 4.4 2.4 – 4.0 g/dL H
Alb / Glob Ratio 0.7 0.7 – 1.5
ALT 33 18 – 121 U/L
AST 33 16 – 55 U/L
ALP 147 5 – 160 U/L
GGT 2 0 – 13 U/L
Bilirubin – Total 0.2 0.0 – 0.3 mg/dL
Bilirubin –
Unconjugated
0.1 0.0 – 0.2 mg/dL
Bilirubin –
Conjugated
0.1 0.0 – 0.1 mg/dL
Cholesterol 337 131 – 345 mg/dL
Triglyceride 62 20 – 150 mg/dL
Amylase 706 337 – 1,469 U/L
Lipase 59 138 – 755 U/L L
Creatine Kinase 411 10 – 200 U/L H
Hemolysis Index 1+
b
Lipemia Index N
c
Serology
11/12/2015 (Order Received)
11/14/2015 @ 3:34 PM (Last Updated)
Ehrlichia canis NEGATIVE
Antibody by IFA
a
Coccidioides IgG NEGATIVE
Antibody
Coccidioides IgM NEGATIVE
Antibody
Immunodiffusion NOT INDICATED
Titer
She eventually laid there pretty much motionless, and we made the excruciating painful decision to put her to sleep. It wasn’t about the money. It was about her being miserable.. She would be 12 this September.
Was she poisoned? Did she have cancer? Was it tetanus? I need answers. I’m heartbroken.
My life is worth no more than my dog’s life. It’d be stupid to want to have a pet and not expect to take care of them – they become a part of your family when you take them in. So you should treat them like family.
Pets aren’t accessories.
If you can’t treat them with the same amount of care that you give to yourself then don’t get one, and there’ll be no need to complain about it.
Also, for future references, maybe get a pet collar with a spy camera hidden inside it?
Or place a small camera in your backyard – they’re fairly decent priced (below $100) if you get an average quality one online.
Even in humans, a dermatologist will look at something and tell you, yes that’s a rash… but they also say 2 things… bad diet, and too much stress..
Just my 2 cents…
Hope she recieves the Med. Attention she needs:) sending warm furry hugs & thoughts
I hope your sweet baby got better