Onions are Toxic to Your Pets

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month 

Onions are Toxic to Your Pets

Onions are very toxic to dogs and cats.  The toxic ingredient in onions is called thiosulphate.  It actually takes a couple of days, after ingesting the onions, to show signs and symptoms.  All types of onions including raw, cooked or dehydrated are toxic.

Signs/Symptoms:

• Haemolytic Anemia (this causes the pet's red blood cells to burst while circulating in the body)
• Labored Breathing
• Liver Damage
• Vomit/Diarrhea
• Discolored Urine
• Pale Mucous Membranes 
• Elevated RR & HR

Treatment:

• Evac to your vet immediately if you suspect Onion Toxicity 
• The vet will induce vomiting by giving activated charcoal to decontaminate
• The vet may perform a daily blood smear test to evaluate the level of anemia 
• A blood transfusion may be necessary if severe anemia is present
• IV Dextrose (sugar) if needed

Cats are more susceptible to Onion Toxicity 

Safety 1st: When cooking with onions, it is best to make sure your pets are safely away from the kitchen counter.  Cats love to jump on counters and see what you are up to.   Never walk away and leave the onion(s) on the counter....cats and dogs are curious creatures, especially if it means food.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Horse Wormer is Toxic to Your Pets

March - Pet Poison Prevention Month

Horse Wormer is Toxic to Your Pets

I bet you never gave it any thought that when you went out to worm your horses, with your dogs tagging along, that the wormer that you’re giving a 800-1,200 horse is actually deadly to your dogs that are running around watching you.

There are two ingredients in equine wormers that are toxic.  Moxidectin and Ivermectin.  I personally have used wormers that carried both of these ingredients and one day, years ago, when I was getting ready to use it on my horse, Hazi, I was told by my friend to make sure that she completely swallowed the dose and to not allow it to hit the ground since her dogs were around.  At first I was a little perplexed about this and then she explained that all it takes is a dog to swallow a small drop of this stuff, which the dog will immediately shows signs and symptoms of toxic poisoning.  After taking several Equine classes, including Equine First Aid and Equine Anatomy and Physiology I now educate my equine clients of this fact. 

Also, even though it’s very rare, a dog that eats horse manure can actually ingest toxic amounts by eating the manure of horses that have recently been dewormed.  But, again, it is very rare.

Signs/Symptoms

•          Drooling
•          Dilated Pupils
•          Ataxia (think of an animal losing balance or acting like its drunk)
•         Trembling
•          Seizures
•          Coma

Death will occur unless you rush your dog/cat to the veterinarian immediately.  Do not hesitate at all when dealing with equine worming poisoning.  Equine Worming Medication also will poison your barn cats,

How to stay safe:

When deworming your horse, make sure your dogs are out of the pasture, or you make sure that your horse completely swallows the dose.  I have seen some horses actually hold it in their mouth until you look away and then spit it out.  To ensure that the dose is swallowed, you need to insert the syringe as far back in the mouth as you can, push the plunger, and then stroke the horse’s neck/throat area to ensure that it is completely swallowed.  You can also hold the head up to ensure that the dose is swallowed.  After dosing, hang out with your horse to make sure he/she isn’t pulling a fast one on you, so he/she will spit it out the moment you walk away.

Be diligent and be safe.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Ladies...what poison is lurking in your purse for your pets

Ladies...what poison is lurking in your purse???

March is Pet Poison

Prevention Month

It is very important that we keep all prescription & OTC drugs away from our pets, as we do our children.  Most of us are very cautious keeping harmful items away from our children, such as child-proofing our home, but what about your counter area where dogs can jump and reach a bottle of aspirin or a prescription bottle?  Pets are curious when it comes to stuff in our home.  A dog, for example, may grab a bottle of prescription pills from the counter and before you know it, has chewed the cap off and swallow the pills inside.

Ladies, what about your purse?  You may keep it away from your child but what about your curious dog who starts to investigate the items inside.  These are the most common items that are poisonous to your pets found in a purse:

• OTC Drugs
• Prescription Drugs
• Hand Sanitizer (Alcohol content is very high)
• Cigarettes (Nicotine) 
• Birth Control Packet
• Asthma Inhaler

It's better to be safe by hanging up your purse or putting it out of reach of your pets and children.  If you think your pet has ingested a poisonous item from your purse, it's very important to know what item it is before contacting your vet or the pet poison hotline.  For example, you noticed that your purse is on the ground with the contents scattered about.  You find a bottle of OTC medicine (Ibuprofen) and the top chewed off.  You're not sure how many pills were inside, but you notice your dog not acting right (depressed, ataxia, vomiting, etc).  The more information you have the better that they can treat your pet.

Always have on hand:

• Your veterinarian phone #
• Pet Poison Hotline 1-800-213-6680 (there is a cost for this service, but includes consultation and all follow-up calls regarding the current situation.

#1 RULE:  Safety Always

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Ibuprofen Toxicity in your Dogs

Ibuprofen Toxicity in Your Dogs

March is Pet Poison Prevention Month:

Ibuprofen Toxicity in Your Dogs

You might think that it’s okay to give Ibuprofen to your dog for his/her pain or arthritis, after all it’s okay for us humans so it must be okay for our dogs, correct?  No, actually it’s not. 

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, otherwise known as NSAIDS.  These drugs are great for humans in dealing with headaches and pain and cause less upset stomachs such as when taking aspirin.  We use NSAIDS to reduce inflammation and pain, which in this case reduces the presence of prostaglandins.  When a dog swallows Ibuprofen, blood no longer flows in the kidneys as it should and the stomach is no longer protected.  This is why you will see a lot of blood because the toxicity has caused bleeding stomach ulcers.  So, not only does your dog have to deal with stomach ulcers but kidney failure as well.

This is what happens to dogs that eat Ibuprofen

The dog in this picture was taken only after 30 minutes of ingesting IBP

As we keep our house safe of poisons and harmful chemicals from our children, we need to remember to do the same for our pets.  That bottle of Ibuprofen that you had left on the counter, after taking a couple of IBP for a headache, before running to work is now left unattended for your curious dog.  Yes, it may have a childproof cap, but as we all know those caps are not foolproof and a dog can chew the cap off.  Ask my dog, Willa.  She has eaten a cap right off the bottle.  Luckily, I was around when she did.

Signs & Symptoms of IBP Toxicity:

• Vomiting up blood (look at picture above very carefully & you will see the pool of blood that was vomited within 30 minutes of ingesting the Ibuprofen)
• Diarrhea
• Ataxia (stumbling like being drunk)
• Depression
• Anorexia (not wanting to eat)
• Black tarry stools (darkish-reddish-blackish in color)

When observing any of these signs, it’s imperative that you take your dog to the veterinarian right away.  This is another reason to know where your after-hours emergency veterinarian clinics are located near you.  The vet will determine the extent of damage by performing blood work and a physical exam.  It’s a good idea to take the bottle of IBP with you, so you can show the vet the extent of how many pills your dog may have swallowed. 

Treatment (can include):

• Hospitalization
• IV Fluids
• Activated Charcoal (not in all cases) and can only be given if within 2 hours of digestion
• Blood Transfusion, if severely anemic
• Medications
• Additional blood work, after 1-2 days, to test the kidney functions
• Surgery is rare, but may be necessary to repair and remove the perforation and treat for abdominal infection

Complete kidney failure is very possible and will result in no urine production and the prognosis, unfortunately, is very grave.

If your dog does survive IBP Toxicity and is sent home, most likely you will be asked to feed him/her a bland diet of chicken and rice, for example.  You will need to continue in monitoring your pet for failure to eat, vomiting and black tarry tools.

As always, let’s keep our homes safe for our children and pets.  Have the numbers of  your vet, after-hours emergency veterinarian hospital and pet poison control center on your refrigerator for easy access.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet Care Professional and an Equine and Pet First Aid Instructor.  She has been teaching pet parents, as well as pet professionals, for years on what to do in case of a pet emergency.  Be prepared for a pet emergency by taking one of her classes that she teaches in AZ.  She also travels to Southern California to teach her classes, as well as speaking engagements.

For more information on Equine First Aid classes, go to:

AZ Equine First Aid

For more information on Pet CPR and First Aid Classes, go to:

Pet CPR, First Aid and Pet Care Classes

Grapes and Raisins are Toxic to your Pets

March Pet Poison Prevention Month

Grapes & Raisins are Toxic to Your Pets

Causes:  As few as 7 Raisins or Grapes will cause a toxicity in your pet that can lead to Acute Renal Failure. 

Signs & Symptoms: 

• Vomiting and Diarrhea (look for pieces of grapes in the V/D
• Shaking
• Weekness 
• Unable to urinate (a sign of Kidney Failure)

What to do if you suspect Raisin Toxicity:

• Call the Pet Poison Hotline @ 800-213-6680 (there is a $$ for this call)
• Call your vet
• Evac or Transport to your Veterinarian or 24-hour Emergency Animal Hospital

Treatment by the veterinarian:

• A BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) level test is performed (-27 is normal)
• Creatinene Test (1.9 is the high end of normal)

• Both of the above tests are monitors of kidney functions in the bloodstream
• Hypercalcemia Test (elevated blood calcium levels)
• Emesis = Induction of vomiting
• IV Fluids (1.5 to 2 times the maintenance level)
• Oliguria (decrease in urine production): This can be treated with dopamine or furosemide to stimulate urine production

Your pet will continue to be monitored until he or she is out of the woods.  Raisin toxicity is very dangerous and there are times when pets will not survive this type of poisoning.

Again, it is very important that you safeguard your home and kitchen for your pet(s) as you would your child(ren).  

Personal Note:  I love grapes and never realized how dangerous they were to my dogs until I started learning animal medicine.  I now make sure when I am eating them that my dogs, that normally beg me for people food, can not get to them.

Teri Ann Tate is a Pet and Equine First Aid Instructor and teaches Pet CPR, First Aid, Pet Care and Equine First Aid Classes in Arizona and Southern California.  She is also a certified Emergency Animal Medical Tech I (EAMT I); certified Large Animal Rescue Tech II (LART II); a certified Wilderness EMT (WEMT), as well as an EMT.  She runs a pet care business, Comfy Pets of AZ and has a passion for animals as well as the great outdoors.  

To learn more about her business and classes, go to http://www.comfypetsofaz.com 

To learn more about Equine First Aid, go to: Equine First Aid

Is Chocolate Toxic to Your Pets?

March 2015 - Pet Poison Prevention Month

Is Chocolate Toxic to Your Pets

I can't tell you how many people have asked me if chocolate is toxic to thir pets.  My answer is always, well it depends.  It certainly can be and has caused deaths in dogs previously.  March is Pet Poison Prevention Month and I thought I would start off with discussing chocolate toxicity in dogs.

Of all candy, chocolate is one of the most toxic.  In 2011, the hotline received more than 1,100 calls involving mostly dogs and chocolate.  Dogs love the smell of chocolate….hey, don’t we all?   Another interesting fact is that the darker the chocolate, and more bitter, the more poisonous it is.  The most toxic chemical in chocolate is methylxanthines, which is similar to caffeine, and dark chocolate has a more heavy concentration of it.  A 50lb dog can only ingest 1 oz of dark chocolate and be very sickened by it.  However, the same dog may have to eat up to 8 ozs of milk chocolate to become ill by it.  

White chocolate, on the other hand, has very low concentrations of methylxanthines and will rarely cause toxic poisoning.  As we baby proof our homes, it’s important to pet proof them as well, during any holidays.  Keep all candies and décor out of the reach of your pets to avoid any issues.  Nothing sucks worse during the holidays than having to rush your pet to an emergency animal hospital.

Signs and Symptoms of Chocolate Toxic Poisoning:

· V & D

· Lethargy 

· Increased Thirst

· Agitation

· Elevated HR

· Seizures (in severe cases)

If your pet has consumed any type of toxins and is showing symptoms, call your vet or:

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Hotline

(888) 4ANIHELP (426-4435)

There is a charge for this call, but it includes all follow-up calls as necessary 

in critical cases, and will contact their vet if requested.

Teri Ann Tate is an Instructor for Pet CPR and Equine First Aid.  She teaches throughout AZ and Southern California.  She is also a certified EMT; an Emergency Animal Medical Tech I (EAMT I); certified Large Animal Rescue Tech II (LART II); and a certified Wilderness EMT (WEMT).  She runs a pet care business, Comfy Pets of AZ and has a passion for animals as well as the great outdoors.  To learn more about her business and classes, go to http://www.comfypetsofaz.com