Common Toxicities in Cats and Dogs

There are many common items around the house that can be dangerous if your pet comes in contact with or ingests them. Here are some of the more common ones to look out for.

FOODS

While some people love to give their pets a little human food from time to time as a treat, there are foods you should avoid. Chocolate can cause anything from GI upset to seizures depending on the type and amount eaten, grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure, onions and garlic can cause anemia and xylitol is an artificial sweetener that can lead to severely low blood sugar and seizures.

RAT BAIT AND FLEA/TICK TREATMENTS

There are several types of rodent baits that, if ingested, can cause things from internal bleeding to neurologic disease. Certain flea/tick parasite prevention labeled for dogs can be very harmful if accidentally applied to cats.

PLANTS

House plants such as lilies can cause kidney failure in cats and azaleas can lead to GI upset or heart disease in both dogs and cats. Check with us or a horticulturalist when selecting plants for inside/outside your home.

MEDICATIONS

Our pets also don’t metabolize medication the same way we do so ingestion of any human medication warrants investigation as well. NEVER allow a cat or ferret to have Tylenol (acetaminophen) as this can be fatal.

Conclusion

If you believe your pet has been exposed to something toxic, call us for an appointment or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680.