by Rina Van Eeden | May 12, 2020 | Cats, Dogs
Pet poisonings from household/human food is quite prevalent. People often make the mistake of thinking that people food is okay for pets. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn’t.
Harmful Food:
Milk is not easily digested by most adult animals and can cause them to develop diarrhoea, not to mention the negative impact the excessive calcium can have on growing animals.
Though not a poison, bones are VERY DANGEROUS. They can lodge in a dog’s passageways or cut it’s intestines causing extreme pain and discomfort, possibly leading to death.
Chocolate is responsible for countless pet poisonings. Theobromine and caffeine are concentrated in dark and baking chocolate.
Onions and garlic can destroy a dog’s red blood cells, leading to anaemia.
Rich, fatty foods such as chicken skin or gravy can cause pancreatitis and inflammation of the digestive system and can be very painful and serious.
Grapes and raisins can lead to loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and acute renal failure in dogs, possibly resulting in death.
Coffee is also dangerous to animals.
Nicotine is a stimulant that can increase the heart rate, leading to collapse and, in the worst case, death.
Avocado is dangerous to the heart.
Alcoholic beverages should be kept away from animals at all times.
Be as vigilant at poison-proofing your house for a pet as you would be for a child!
Common Symptoms:
Some of the most common signs of poisoning include gastrointestinal signs (vomiting and diarrhoea), neurological signs (tremors, incoordination, seizures, excitability, depression), respiratory signs (coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing), skin signs (inflammation, swelling), liver failure (jaundice, vomiting) and kidney failure (increased drinking, loss of appetite and weight loss).
Some poisons act on more than one body system, and so can produce any combination of the above signs.
The most common malicious poisoning one tends to see in veterinary practice is with use of Temik, also known as “Two Step”. This was previously used as an insecticide on farms. It looks very similar to “poppy seeds” and can quite easily be bought illegally. Burglars place it in meat which is then thrown into your yard. Signs of poisoning are usually seen within 5-20 minutes.
Common Symptoms:
The most common signs are: Excessive salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, not wanting to eat, runny eyes/nose, difficulty breathing/blue gums, muscle twitching, restlessness and in many cases paralysis which inevitably leads to death.
Harmful Plants:
There are many household items and plants that can be harmful to your pet.
Although plants are great, many are also poisonous to pets. Many plants that are not toxic to people may cause serious medical problems in pets, such as renal failure, irregular heartbeats, cardiac shock and even death.
Some poisonous plants include the following:
Lilies
Members of the Lilium family are considered to be highly toxic to cats. While the responsible component has not yet been identified, it is clear that with even ingestion of very small amounts of the plant, severe kidney damage could result.
Marijuana
Ingestion of Cannabis by companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, increased heart rate and even seizures and can even result in a coma.
Chincherinchee
This plant is very dangerous. It contains toxins that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation, drooling, loss of appetite, depression of the central nervous system, convulsions and cardiac abnormalities. These signs are often so severe that it can lead to death.
Azalea/Rhododendron
Members of this plant species contain substances which can produce symptoms such as vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea, weakness and depression of the central nervous system in animals. Severe azalea poisoning could ultimately lead to a coma and death from cardiovascular collapse.
Oleander
All parts of the oleander plant are considered to be toxic, as they have the potential to cause serious effects—including gastrointestinal tract irritation, abnormal heart function, hypothermia and even death.
Amaryllis
A common garden plant, Amaryllis species contain toxins that can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, hyper-salivation, anorexia and tremors.
Chrysanthemum
These popular blooms may cause gastrointestinal upsets, including drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea, if eaten. In certain cases depression and loss of coordination may also develop if enough of any part of the plant is consumed.
Ivy
Ivy contains toxins that, should pets ingest it, can result in vomiting, abdominal pain, hyper-salivation and diarrhoea.
Cycads
Cycads cause liver failure, especially in puppies.
Basic First Aid:
If your pet does chew on a plant, immediately remove the plant from its mouth and rinse the mouth gently with water. Identify the plant your pet ate and call your veterinarian.
Watch for excessive or foamy salivation and changes in the skin around the mouth, eyes or paws.
This is by no means an inclusive list.
There are many other things that could be potentially poisonous to your pet.
The most important thing for you as a pet owner to remember is that you need to stay vigilant and act quickly and calmly when it comes to poisonings.
For more information on poisonings in pets, please check out our blog post – https://kimvet.co.za/pet-poisonings/
Resources:
by Rina Van Eeden | May 12, 2020 | Cats, Dogs
Human Medication and Our Pets
Some pet owners may mistakenly think that the medications used to treat human symptoms will work for animals as well. In most instances, this is not the case.
Never give your pet human medication, even something as simple as aspirin can be lethal to your pet. Products such as acetaminophen and any aspirin product can cause stomach bleeding. Medications such as birth control and vitamins can also cause internal bleeding.
Cats tend to be attracted to unusual flavours. So keep them away from calamine lotion, diaper-rash ointments, sun-block and analgesic ointments. These products contain an acid related to those in aspirin and will prove toxic if ingested.
Poisoning in Cats
Cats and human medication very rarely actually work well together; even in tiny doses it can be extremely harmful.
Whether a cat accidentally chews into a pill bottle or a well-intentioned pet owner accidentally switches medications (giving their pet a human medication), pet poisonings due to human medications are common and can be very serious.
Pets metabolise medication very differently from people.
Even seemingly benign over-the-counter or herbal medications may cause serious poisoning in pets.
Human medicines that are potentially poisonous to cats are Paracetamol, antidepressants, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, ADD/ADHD medications, some laxatives, Betadine and Dettol, sleep aids, birth control pills, blood pressure tablets, thyroid hormones and cholesterol lowering agents.
Paracetamol is often given to cats in a caring, but misguided attempt to relieve pain. It is highly dangerous to cats and just one tablet is enough to cause severe illness or death.
Signs of paracetamol poisoning include depression, vomiting, swelling of the face and paws and a slightly blue discolouration of the skin.
An effective antidote is available but must be used very soon after the cat has taken the tablet.
Never use dog products on cats!
While flea and tick treatments work well for dogs, the Pyrethrin in dog powder can be highly toxic and potentially fatal for cats. Poisoning can arise when cats are accidentally treated with dog flea products or if they groom themselves or other animals treated with the product.
Cats may salivate a great deal, be thirsty and have a high temperature and tremors or convulsions – urgent veterinary advice is essential.
Always read treatment labels carefully. Products that contain Pyrethrins or Pyrethroids should be avoided at all costs.
Some of the most common signs of poisoning include:
Gastrointestinal signs (vomiting and diarrhoea), neurological signs (tremors, incoordination, seizures, excitability, depression), respiratory signs (coughing, sneezing, difficulty breathing), skin signs (inflammation, swelling), liver failure (jaundice, vomiting) and kidney failure (increased drinking, loss of appetite and weight loss).
Some poisons act on more than one body system and can produce any combination of the above signs.
Pet medication is designed to taste delicious so that animals will eat it. Even the fussiest pet might be tempted. The physical damage of accidental ingestion of medication can be very serious – particularly if the dose is for an animal three or four times bigger in size.
To Avoid Accidental Poisonings:
Always keep medications safely out of reach of your pet. NEVER administer a medication to a pet without first consulting your veterinarian.
Never leave loose pills in plastic bags – the bags are too easy to chew into.
If you place your medication in a weekly pill container, make sure to store the container in a cabinet out of reach of your pet.
Hang your bag up.
Inquisitive pets will explore the contents of your bag and simply placing your bag up and out of reach can help to avoid exposure to any potentially dangerous medication.
If you suspect that you have accidentally given your pet the wrong medication, contact your vet for advice immediately! Make sure you know when, where and how the poisoning occurred, you can even take the packaging or substance with you to the vet.
For more information on other poisons that are harmful to pets, check out our blog post – https://kimvet.co.za/pet-poisonings/
Resources:
by Rina Van Eeden | May 11, 2020 | Cats, Dogs
Accidental pet poisonings are more common than you may think. They usually involve items you may not be aware of such as common kitchen foods, household or backyard plants or items found in the medicine cabinet.
There are many things that can poison an animal. Pesticides and insecticides are common in cases of intentional and accidental poisonings. Rodent poisons are also common.
The most common malicious poisoning one tends to see in veterinary practice is with use of Temik, also known as “Two Step”, signs of poisoning are usually seen within 5-20 minutes.
Animals are naturally curious – that’s one of the reasons we love them! But sometimes, curiosity and exploration can have disastrous results.
Take, for example, the foods that fill our own cupboards and fridges. While most of it isn’t bad for your pet, some things are toxic. When you know, without a doubt, the various things your pet should never, ever eat, you drastically reduce potential pet poisonings.
Many pet owners are unaware that something in the house could endanger their pet – until frightening symptoms appear. Sure, we all do our best to ensure the house is free of choking hazards, entanglement issues and, of course, toxins, but many things slip through the cracks.
Common culprits for pet poisonings include from personal medications to household cleaners, a typical home is full of potential pet toxins.
Other common culprits of pet poisonings involve foods intended for human consumption only, such as chocolate. Chocolate is responsible for countless pet poisonings. Theobromine and caffeine are concentrated in dark and baking chocolate.
Symptoms
Xylitol is a substitute for table sugar that is found in many baked goods, candies and even toothpaste, Xylitol is highly toxic to pets.
Pet poisonings can cause symptoms that appear rapidly and severely. Sometimes, however, they cause mild or subtle behavioural changes and physical ailments.
If you suspect your dog has been poisoned your pet will require emergency veterinary treatment.
Symptoms include:
- vomiting
- diarrhoea
- dehydration
- hyperactivity
- high temperature and blood pressure
- abnormal heart rhythm and tremors
- seizures
- complete collapse
Basic First Aid Responses
Poisonings are often fatal to our pets. When you suspect your pet has been poisoned, the best thing to do is stay calm.
Make sure that you are prepared for the possibility of a poisoning.
Keep your veterinarian’s telephone number in a convenient location.
You should also keep the address and number of a nearby emergency clinic close, just in case.
Take immediate action.
In a case where you are sure your pet has recently been poisoned, you can make them vomit. You simply take a handful of washing powder, make a clump with some water and force it down the throat. Preferably contact your veterinarian beforehand.
If your pet ingests poison, make sure to observe the animal closely.
Providing a detailed history of symptoms to your veterinarian is critical.
To treat a poisoning successfully, it’s helpful to have a history of your pet’s symptoms, including when the symptoms were first noticed, where the animal has been in the past few hours and whether anything has been seen in the yard (pieces of uneaten meat, any vomit with discoloration) or passed through the faeces. If you know what your pet has been poisoned with, bring the container with you to the veterinarian to help identify the active ingredient.
As a concerned pet owner, it’s up to you to provide your vet with information that could potentially save your pet’s life.
Activated charcoal is always a handy medication to have at home. You can buy it freely at any pharmacy or from your veterinarian.
Remember – always consult your vet BEFORE giving ANY medication.
Always be aware of your surroundings. If you notice anything strange in your yard that you have not seen before, do away with it immediately!
Resources:
by Rina Van Eeden | May 11, 2020 | Cats, Dogs
Snake Bites in Dogs and Cats
Armed with curiosity and natural hunting instincts, it is not uncommon for our favourite four legged friends to cross paths with a snake.
Snake venom carries a large range of toxins that damage tissues and impair many of the body’s vital functions; they attack the nervous system and interfere with the body’s clotting mechanisms.
Venomous snakes in southern Africa can broadly be divided into 3 groups: cytotoxic, neurotoxic and those that can induce haemostatic toxic effects.
Several factors will determine what sort of reaction your pet has to a snake bite.
The type of snake, the amount of venom injected and the site of the snake bite all contribute.
Some, albeit broad, clinical signs include, sudden weakness followed by collapse, shaking or twitching of the muscles, localised swelling, vomiting and dilated pupils that aren’t responsive to light.
In the later stages, paralysis may occur.
On arrival at the veterinary practice, your veterinarian will examine your pet, assess the clinical signs they are showing and determine the best course of action.
Veterinary treatment varies with each individual case. Treatment usually consists of intravenous fluids and the administration of anti-venom to neutralise the snake venom in the pet’s body. Some patients require multiple vials of anti-venom.
Other supportive care may also be required – including oxygen supplementation and even breathing for the pet if they are not breathing well on their own.
Remember, anti-venom is not a “vaccination” or a preventative medication.
Symptoms:
Five main clinical signs that most often occur are as follows:
Marked local pain and progressive swelling of the area.
Progressive paralysis (neurotoxicity), with minor local swelling.
Incoagulable blood, with negligible to mild local swelling.
Moderate to marked local swelling, associated with neurotoxicity.
Mild to moderate swelling, with negligible or absent systemic symptoms.
The occurrence of one or more of the aforementioned symptoms depends a great deal on the type of snake in question.
Types Of Interactions:
The toxins of cytotoxic snake venom lead to local swelling, blistering and oedema. Irreversible death of tissues may occur (necrosis).
Swelling usually begins early, often within 10 – 30 minutes. It may become extensive, involving the entire limb and even adjacent areas to the initial site.
Neurotoxicity is characterised by progressive paralysis. Early symptoms and signs include a transient “numb” sensation of the tongue and lips, pupillary abnormalities (e.g. dilated pupils), paralysis of facial muscles and other muscles innervated by the cranial nerves, leading to difficulty when swallowing.
In addition to the above neurotoxic effects, patients bitten by mambas may present with trembling and vomiting and excessive salivation.
Incoagulable blood accompanied with mild local swelling are caused by the boomslang.
Patients may present with nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Persistent oozing of blood from punctures or other wound sites is often observed. Bleeding usually manifests as gingival bleeding, bleeding from the nose, vomiting of blood, bloody diarrhoea, bloody urine and, in severe cases, haemorrhage into the brain and spinal cord. Severe, uncontrollable bleeding may lead to multiple organ failure. There is local pain with insignificant or mild local swelling.
Basic First Aid
If you suspect your pet has been bitten by a snake, you should immobilise your pet and try to keep him/her as quiet as possible. It is vital that you take your pet to a veterinarian as quickly as possible. The sooner your pet is treated, the better their chances of survival.
Some basic “first aid” tips are as follows:
Remember, the most important thing is to stay calm and to get your pet to a medical facility as soon as possible. Alert the medical facility or doctor ahead of arrival.
Avoid the many harmful and time-wasting traditional first-aid treatments.
A tight arterial tourniquet should NEVER be used!
DO NOT give your pet ANY human medicine unless you have direct instructions from your veterinarian, doing so may be extremely detrimental.
If your pet is bitten, DO NOT try to catch or kill the snake. A basic description of the snake is enough for the veterinarian to start treatment in the majority of cases. If the snake has already been killed, bringing it along will help a great deal.
Approximately 80% of pets survive snake bites if treated quickly. The survival rate is much lower, however, for pets that are left untreated and death is a distinct possibility.
Recovery from a snake bite usually takes 24 to 48 hours if the pet receives prompt veterinary attention and the snake bite is not severe. However, some pets will take substantially longer to make a full recovery due to tissue damage to internal organs or the skin and will require intensive and prolonged nursing care.
All About the Anti-Venom
Two snakebite anti-venoms are available.
Polyvalent anti-venom (SAIMR Polyvalent Snakebite Antiserum SAVP) is supplied in 10 ml ampoules. Venoms of the following snakes are used as antigens in the preparation of the polyvalent anti-venom: puff adder, rinkhals, green mamba, black mamba, Cape cobra, forest cobra, snouted cobra and Mozambique spitting cobra.
Polyvalent anti-venom is ineffective AND SHOULD NOT BE USED in treatment of bites caused by the berg adder, other dwarf adders, night adders and back-fanged snakes (boomslang and vine snake).
Boomslang anti-venom (SAIMR Boomslang Snakebite Antiserum SAVP) is supplied in 10 ml ampoules. It is effective against the venom of boomslang, but not against the venom of the vine snake.
Anti-venom neutralises a fixed amount of venom. It is infused slowly, rather than administration by bolus. This is recommended as a method of reducing serious anti-venom reactions.
For more information on snake bites in pets, check out our blog post – https://kimvet.co.za/snake-bites-in-south-africa/
Resources:
by Rina Van Eeden | May 11, 2020 | Dogs, Spirocerca Lupi
Spirocerca Lupi – Spirocercosis
The silent killer not everyone is aware of.
Spirocerca Lupi is a red worm that normally goes and sits and grows in your dog’s oesophagus.
This worm burrows into the oesophagus after migrating from the stomach after ingestion, creating a nodule that, in turn, is extremely irritant to your pet. As a result, it causes vomiting and in some cases haemorrhage into the stomach, leading to black coloured faeces.
Infections in domestic cats have been rare to nonexistent. Experimentally, it has been possible to cause lesions in cats although they have not been described under normal circumstances.
Animals infected with Spirocerca lose weight rapidly, due to all the vomiting. In some cases, infected animals can die acutely from burst aneurisms.
In severe cases, the nodule can turn cancerous if left untreated. These worms also migrate to different parts of the body via arteries and veins, which could cause blockages.
All of these things could, if not prevented and left untreated for too long, possibly lead to the death of your pet.
Animals generally get infected by ingesting the larvae that develops inside certain dung beetles. They can even get infected by eating other critters that have enjoyed the dung beetle as a meal.
An intermediate host (the dung beetle) and a final host (your pet) are required to complete this worm’s life cycle. The larvae are present had hatch in the beetle, when ingested by a dog, they start to wreak havoc.
Spirocerca Lupi can be prevented and treated if detected before the nodule has become cancerous.
The Signs and Symptoms of Dogs Suffering From Spirocercosis
Most dogs with S. lupi infection show no clinical signs, but when signs are present, they most commonly include weight loss, coughing and difficult/laboured breathing. When the oesophageal lesion is very large (usually when it has become neoplastic), the dog has difficulty swallowing and may vomit repeatedly after trying to eat. These dogs salivate profusely and eventually become emaciated. In addition, dogs may develop thickening of the long bones characteristic of hypertrophic osteopathy.
Now, sometimes dogs will vomit, retch or regurgitate. Other times, it may be more subtle. Dogs may just be off their food, lick their lips, cry when swallowing, ‘cough’ or ‘retch’. Some dogs just lose weight but continue eating.
Apart from the manifestations and consequences mentioned, the worm can also kill patients by damaging the aorta, obstructing the oesophagus, migrate to places other than those expected or the nodules can become cancerous, usually malignant osteosarcomas, which can spread to other organs, especially the lungs.
Occasionally, dogs may die suddenly as the result of massive bleeding into the thorax after rupture of the aorta that had been damaged by the developing worms.
Diagnosis
Spirocerca lupi is most frequently diagnosed with the help of radiographs of the chest, as well as endoscopy of the oesophagus, where the clinician will see red nodules or scarring. As the worms grow bigger, the granuloma/nodule grows bigger. One obvious problem is in swallowing.
In rare instances, S. Lupi eggs can be seen on a faecal float, however, eggs are sporadically voided in faeces and can be difficult to find.
The characteristic lesions are aneurysms of the thoracic aorta, reactive granulomas of variable size around worms in the oesophagus and exostoses, benign outgrows from cartilage. Oesophageal cancer, which often spread (metastasis) to other areas of the body, is sometimes associated with S. lupi infection. Dogs with Spirocerca-related cancers often develop hypertrophic osteopathy (Marie’s Disease).
Treatment and Prevention
Treatment of clinical cases is often not practical. However, efficacy has been demonstrated with specific anthelmintics combined with COX-2 inhibitors, although none of these treatments have been approved. There are also certain anthelmintics that have adverse effects on certain breeds. Surgical removal usually is unsuccessful because of the large areas of the oesophagus involved.
Milbemax tablets and Advocate spot on are now registered to control Spirocerca with monthly treatment.
Preventing Spirocerca is actually fairly easy.
Keeping the garden clear of dog faeces will help in reducing the number of dung beetles. Monthly treatment with Milbemax tablets or Advocate spot on works effectively if given consistently.
We recommend all dogs to be put on a monthly preventative programme from a young age.
Unfortunately this will work to kill the worms, but the tumours and other complications will often not respond to treatment as the disease is often only noticed once there are tumours that have formed. Therefore prevention is extremely important.
Great news! You can purchase Milpro or Milbemax from our online store! Check it out here – https://kimvet.co.za/product-category/dogs/dog-deworming-tick-flea/
Resources:
Andrew S. Peregrine , BVMS, PhD, DVM, DEVPC, DACVM, Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
