Pet Holiday Toxins
Hello, IÕm Dr. Mike. The holiday season is a time of year where people decorate their
homes with Christmas trees and holiday plants. Also,
this is a time of cooking and backing desserts, many of which include chocolate. To learn
more about their potential toxicity, we are going to
meet with Dr. Tim Evans, a veterinary toxicologist at the University of Missouri. Well, thereÕs
a lot of concerns around the holidays, particularly
in the next several months, about certain intoxications that are likely to occur. Three
common plants that we find around the holidays are
poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe. None of these are particularly dangerous to the pet,
however, it can cause gastrointestinal upset, which can
include vomiting and diarrhea. If you see that your
pet has consumed one of these plants, you should call your veterinarian right away and
talk to them about it. A lot of people know that chocolate
is potentially toxic to dogs, but what we need
to recognize is that there are different kinds of chocolate. Milk chocolate can potentially
be toxic, particularly to very smaller dogs, but bakerÕs
chocolate actually has ten times the amount of the
toxic principal theobromine in it, so the risk of intoxication is much higher with bakerÕs
chocolate than with milk chocolate. Theobromine has a couple of different effects on the body.
The main problem that it will cause that could potentially be lethal is causing cardiac arrhythmia,
which causes the heart to beat not the way that it normally should be. How much is too
much? I get a lot of questions, people calling about
a dog getting into one HersheyÕs Kiss, and it really
depends on the size of the dog. A big dog is going to be much less likely to be intoxicated
than a very small dog. If your dog gets into a chocolate
product, itÕs really important to find out how
much theobromine that product has in it. One thing that may be helpful is to either look
on the packaging, label, the wrapper, or many companies,
such as the Hershey company, have websites that can provide you with useful information
about how much theobromine is in that particular product. Another option would be contacting
the National Animal Poison Control Center or if
you just go to their website, there are some very useful articles on different types of
products and potential hazards within the home that you
might want to be aware of. One thing you can certainly always do is call your regular veterinarian
for advice on what to do. A lot of people are
not aware of the fact that macadamia nuts are potentially toxic. We donÕt know what
the poison is, but animals macadamia nuts can actually
have depression, hallucinations, and hind limb
weakness. With many potential intoxications, time is of the essence. So itÕs really important
if you think your dog or cat has gotten into
something that is potentially toxic is to call your
veterinarian as soon as possible, follow their directions, and get your dog or cat to them
so they can evaluate and start treatment if necessary.
The first things your veterinarian hospital is going
to ask you if you think that your dog or cat has gotten into something poisonous is what
is the particular compound, product, or food that
your dog or cat got into. Second, theyÕre going to ask
how much you think that your pet consumed. Third, theyÕre going to ask when your dog
or cat consumed that particular product, substance,
or food. What are some of the potential recommendations that your local veterinarian
is likely to make if your pet has gotten into something thatÕs poisonous? First, they may
recommend that you induce vomiting in your pet.
But please, never do this unless youÕve consulted with your veterinary hospital first. They
may ask that you bring your pet immediately in
to the veterinary hospital for an examination, laboratory test, and supportive care, such
as fluids or products that go ahead and hasten the
absorption of a product or illumination of the toxic from the body. Many plants, from
Christmas trees and poinsettias, to holly berries, lilies,
and mistletoe can potentially be toxic. However, the
most common problem that I see during the holiday is ingestion of chocolate. If you
think that your pet may have ingested a toxic plant or
food, you should call your veterinarian immediately and follow their advice. Time is of the essence.
The earlier your pet is treated, the better the
prognosis. I hope this information is helpful, and thanks for watching.