If your dog has been poisoned, you need to act quickly. Find out how to quickly recognize symptoms of poisoning in dogs. In this interview, Dr. Simone Radicke, veterinary specialist for animal nutrition and dietetics, explains the dangers for dogs in everyday life and what you should do in an emergency if your dog has ingested poisonous substances.
In the animonda interview you can find out
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which substances are poisonous for your dog
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what symptoms a dog shows in the event of poisoning
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what you can do if your dog has been poisoned
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how to treat poisoning in your four-legged friend
These substances can cause poisoning in dogs
animonda: What are the dangers of poisoning in dogs?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: Dangers lurk everywhere. Certain foodsin the household can be dangerous. Other major sources of danger are chemical and plant toxins. Chemical poisons such as rat poison or slug pellets can be particularly dangerous when walking your dog.
animonda: What can poison a dog?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: When it comes to chemical poisons, rat poison (coumarin), antifreeze, medicines and slug pellets play a major role. As far as plants are concerned, the rubber tree, Benjamini and the Christmas seed are a source of danger. In the area of food, onions, raisins and grapes, nuts and chocolate should be mentioned.
animonda: Which foods are poisonous for dogs?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: Onions (raw and cooked) and garlic should be mentioned as vegetables. Grapes and raisins should not be fed as fruit, although it is not yet known what triggers the poisoning. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are also critical. Caffeine, which is contained in coffee and cola, is also not for dogs. And neither is chocolate. Here it is theobromine, which is harmful above 20 mg/kg body weight. You should also be careful with sugar substitutes. Birch sugar or xylitol are definitely not intended or suitable for dogs. So do not give sugar-free chewing gum to dogs, because 50 mg xylitol per kg body weight is sufficient.
animonda: How quickly does poisoning become apparent in dogs?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: The development of poisoning definitely depends on the dose and the type of poison. Regardless of the amount of poison ingested, the dog should always be presented to a vet. The quicker the better.
Possible symptoms of poisoning in dogs
animonda: Poisoning in dogs - what are the symptoms?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: Poisoning leads to a variety of symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system:
- Nausea, possibly with retching
- salivation
- Diarrhea and vomiting, possibly with blood
- Bloody urine
- Bloody spots on mucous membranes
- Cramps and tremors
- Paralysis
- Unconsciousness
animonda: What should you do in the event of poisoning?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: If you have seen that your dog has ingested a poisonous substance, you should act. Time is a decisive factor. If the dog is already showing signs, you should act quickly. Please give the vet time to prepare. A phone call is therefore very important. Information about the possible poison is worth its weight in gold for the vet. If the dog has eaten a possibly poisonous plant, please take it with you to the vet. The same applies to boxes of medication.
In the case of poisoning by rat poison, the symptoms unfortunately only become visible some time after ingestion. This is because rat poison affects blood clotting and is not directly fatal. Signs of poisoning with rat poison are small bleedings in the skin or mucous membranes of the mouth. In this case, the vet will carry out a coagulation test.
Diagnosis & treatment if your dog is poisoned
animonda: How can poisoning be treated?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: As a rule, the vet injects the dog with an emetic. This treatment is given if the dog is presented to the vet within 2 hours of ingesting the poison and is fully conscious. It may also be necessary to perform a gastric lavage. The dog will be given an anesthetic for this. If the poison is known, an antidote is administered.
The most important thing in the treatment of poisoning is to remove the poison from the body. The dog is therefore given a continuous drip infusion over a longer period of time. Depending on the damage to other organs, such as the kidneys, the vet will administer additional treatments .
To ensure that the dog is well monitored and the success of the treatment can be checked, the dog is usually admitted to hospital.
animonda: What consequences can poisoning have in dogs?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: That depends on the poison and the amount ingested. Furthermore, the condition of the dog must always be taken into account.
animonda: How do I protect my dog?
Dr. vet med. Simone Radicke: Unfortunately, dangers lurk everywhere. It starts in the home. The garden and the great outdoors offer many opportunities for poisoning. Therefore, the dog should always be under control, even when out for a walk.
If it has eaten something unknown, the dog should be closely monitored for the next few hours. Plants and tempting but poisonous foods should not be within reach of dogs. Unfortunately, there is no 100% protection.