Dogs are poisoned by many different causes, with forms of poisoning such as ingesting chemicals, dogs eating bait, etc., all of which can be dangerous to the health and life of the dog. Therefore, you need to be very careful and recognize the signs and symptoms when your dog is poisoned to take timely measures to overcome the critical condition when your dog is poisoned.

Common causes of dog poisoning

Dog food poisoning

There are often unusual symptoms. Including seizures, and foaming at the mouth. Unsteady or sluggish gait, fatigue. It may have been poisoned if you have seen your dog eat something unidentified.

Dog poisoning is caused by exposure to toxic substances and chemicals.

For example, industrial chemicals, flea sprays, mosquito repellents, and pesticides. Chemical bottles and containers with black skulls, crossbones, and stripes on them are all potentially toxic.

Dogs can be poisoned by eating bait.

Poison is often soaked into foods that dogs like, such as ham, pate, grilled meat, etc. Usually, the bait is mixed with pate and thrown into the area where the dog is active. Dead rats and cats in areas where rat bait is used also pose a high risk of poisoning dogs. Dogs who drink wastewater, toilet water, washing machine water, or water mixed with detergent can also be poisoned.

How to treat a dog that ate rat poison urgently

In Vietnam, the situation of dogs eating rat poison is prevalent, especially in rural areas. Poisoning by rat poison (rat poison) is one of the leading causes of death in dogs. It causes a lot of damage both physically and mentally to the owner. So what to do if your dog accidentally eats rat poison?

First aid for dogs that eat rat poison

As soon as you discover that your dog has been poisoned, the most important thing is to stay calm and give first aid to your dog. Quickly call the nearest veterinary facility for instructions. If your dog has just eaten rat poison, inducing vomiting can help buy time while waiting for a doctor.

You will need fresh hydrogen peroxide solution to induce vomiting in your dog. Do not use the old solution as it is less effective. Get instructions from your veterinarian on how to safely administer the solution to your dog. Excessive hydrogen peroxide can be fatal. Typically, you will need to measure out one spoonful of hydrogen peroxide solution for every 2-3kg of body weight.

This method should only be used within 2 hours of the dog eating the rat poison. Do not give the solution more than three times. Each time about 10 minutes apart and no more than three spoonfuls of the solution. If the dog does not vomit after the third dose, you should not continue using this method. Or do anything else to induce vomiting without the advice of a veterinarian.

Notes when using vomiting medicine for dogs

Do not use an emetic if your pet is unconscious, has difficulty breathing, or is showing signs of pain or shock. Regardless of whether your dog vomits or not, you should quickly take your dog to the nearest veterinary facility after first aid. Do not do anything without the guidance of a specialist.

Making your dog vomit is not a good idea at this point, so be careful. Improper first aid can make things worse. Before taking your pet to the vet, you need to collect the following:

• Bait packaging (if any).
• Leftover bait (if any).

Then estimate the amount of poison and the time the dog was poisoned. After inducing vomiting, the veterinarian will proceed with appropriate treatment for the dog. In some cases, an active ingredient is given orally, activated charcoal, which prevents the poison from penetrating the intestinal wall. Depending on the time of poisoning and the amount of toxin, additional diagnosis and treatment will be needed.

Dog poisoned after eating chocolate

Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which contain a natural stimulant called theobromine. Humans can easily absorb and digest this substance. However, for dogs, the process of digesting theobromine is very slow. And in the meantime, the body’s toxin level will continue to increase. Causing serious consequences.

The amount of chocolate that causes poisoning varies from dog to dog. Large dogs need a larger amount than small dogs to be poisoned. A little chocolate will only cause your dog to have an upset stomach, accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea. Too much chocolate and a poisoned dog will start to have convulsions, and paralysis. Heart rhythm disturbances, internal bleeding, or heart failure. These are followed by signs of hyperactivity. In the worst case, chocolate poisoning can even be fatal.

Diagnosing signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs

The severity of chocolate poisoning in dogs is determined by the symptoms experienced and the amount of chocolate consumed. The rate is different for large and small dogs. Symptoms will appear within 4 – 24 hours after your dog eats chocolate.

When you see your dog showing one or more of the symptoms of chocolate poisoning, you need to take them to the vet as soon as possible. They will be given digestive medicine to help protect the digestive system immediately after being diagnosed with poisoning.

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased body temperature
• Increased whole body reflexes
• Muscle stiffness
• Rapidly breath
• Increased, arrhythmia
• Low blood pressure
• Convulsion
• Heart failure, exhaustion or coma

How to treat chocolate poisoning in dogs

First, the vet will make them vomit all the food in their stomach to prevent the Theobromine toxin from penetrating further into their body. Then, the vet will use activated charcoal to absorb the remaining toxin out. During this time, the pet will be given an IV to limit seizures and maintain a heart rate.

To prevent any unfortunate consequences for your dog, there is no other way but to be careful not to let your dog get close to chocolate cakes and candies. Choose the right dog food to avoid unfortunate events.

Nitric Oxide Gas Poisoning in Dogs and Cats

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is a colorless gas. If CO is inhaled, it will combine with Hemoglobin in the blood to form Carboxyhemoglobin (HbCO). It disrupts the blood’s oxygen transport function. It seriously affects the transport and transfer of oxygen. It causes acute tissue hypoxia and respiratory, circulatory, and nervous system damage.

Mild poisoning in dogs will cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, vomiting, and blurred vision. Moderate poisoning will cause skin rashes and crusting and increased breathing and heart rate. The limbs will be tense, there will be difficulty in consciousness, and the pupillary and corneal reflexes will be slower.

Severe poisoning leads to deep coma, red lips, pale, cold limbs, sweating, dilated pupils, convulsions occur rapidly. Poisoned dogs should be immediately removed from the scene, placed in a place with fresh air, kept under cover, and then quickly taken to the veterinarian.

Emergency Procedure for Dogs with Nitric Oxide Poisoning

First, it is necessary to measure the amount of Carboxyhemoglobin in the blood to give treatment advice. Mildly poisoned dogs usually have a saturated Carboxyhemoglobin concentration of about 10% ~ 20%. Severe poisoning is usually over 50%. However, the saturated Carboxyhemoglobin content and the severity of clinical symptoms are not completely parallel.

• After hospitalization, care is given according to internal medicine regulations.
• Maintain clear airways, and clear mouth, nose, and throat secretions.
• With Oxygen therapy, immediately increase to high concentration, to breathe 8 – 10 liters/minute. If possible, treat with Hyperbaric Oxygen. Dogs and cats with respiratory failure should be immediately intubated and stimulated to breathe.
• Intravenous line, provide drugs as directed by the veterinarian. For example Mannitol, and Dexamethasone. Combined prevention and treatment of cerebral edema, improve brain metabolism.
• If after rescue the dog or cat continues to be comatose, has a high fever and frequent convulsions, the body should be cooled. If the disease is severe, artificial hibernation therapy can be used.
• Pay attention to nutrition. Maintain water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance.
• During the rescue process, dogs and cats should be closely monitored for changes in their condition and vital signs.

How to treat Nitric Oxide poisoning

Quickly let the poisoned dog inhale oxygen. It is best to inhale oxygen containing 5%~7% CO2. If possible, give the pet hyperbaric oxygen treatment. It will be more effective than normal. Especially for acute poisoning, early treatment is more than 95% effective. It can be given 50% glucose with a dose of 50ml, adding 2~4g of vitamin C intravenously. Vitamin C is a cell oxidant that can improve metabolism.

Pets with high intracranial pressure can be infused with 0.5~1g/kg of 25% Mannitol drip for half an hour. Dexamethasone can also be given. As for cases of respiratory obstruction or excessive respiratory secretions, tracheal puncture or tracheostomy can be performed. Coma and high fever can use artificial hibernation therapy, and respirators for pets with respiratory failure.

Organophosphate poisoning in dogs and cats

Organophosphate compounds can enter the body through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, or skin and cause poisoning in dogs. If food contaminated with phosphorus-containing pesticides is swallowed. If contaminated water is accidentally drunk or when preparing or distributing organophosphates, powders or solutions contaminate nearby areas, blown by the wind to the dog’s living area, food, licked by dogs, or inhaled, poisoning can result.

Due to toxicity, the amount of organic phosphorus entering the body through different routes and states is different. Clinical manifestations and development of poisoning are also varied. But most of the time, within a few hours after puppies or kittens inhale, eat, or have their skin contaminated with organic phosphorus, they will suddenly become ill. At the beginning of the poisoning period, dogs will feel anxious and have muscle spasms. The muscles from the eyelids to the facial muscles will quickly expand to the neck and body. The muscles of the whole body will tremble, and convulse, and the limbs will convulse.

Forms of organophosphate poisoning

Organophosphate poisoning in dogs manifests itself in two forms. Depending on the severity, specific and appropriate first aid methods for dogs and cats are given.

Low

• Increased secretion of digestive juices, saliva, and sweat.
• Stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhea.
• Slow pulse, low blood pressure, cardiac conduction disorders.
• Constricted pupils, red conjunctiva, lacrimation, decreased vision, sometimes double vision.
• Sudden laryngospasm, a very strong increase in phlegm secretion.

When severely poisoned

• Muscle weakness, muscle tremors, and eventually muscle paralysis lead to respiratory paralysis.
• Arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, cardiac arrest.
• Central nervous system effects
• Coma, respiratory depression.
• Inhibition of the vasomotor center causes circulatory failure leading to death.

First aid for organophosphate poisoning

Use Atropine intravenously, 1-5mg within 5-10 minutes. Inject continuously until there are signs of Atropine absorption. The skin is dry, hot, and red, and the pulse is fast, 120 times/minute. The nerves are a bit restless and struggling. If injecting 5-10mg within 10 minutes several times without seeing signs of absorption, the dose of Atropine must be increased or the time of drug administration shortened to 5 minutes.

Atropine infiltration must be maintained throughout the ventilation process. Artificial ventilation must be stopped when progress is good, sometimes up to the 10th day. To maintain this condition, the amount of Atropine required must be checked. When PAM is used, the amount of Atropine is greatly reduced, sometimes only a few dozen mg or a few hundred mg.

When there are signs of Atropine absorption, reduce the dose of PAM. Stop PAM after 2-4 days of treatment. PAM is essentially an Oxime (2- Pyridine Aldoxim Methylcloride) and there are many other types on the market such as Pralidoxim, Contrathion, and Obidoxim…

Intravenous injection of 200 – 500 mg within 10 minutes. Do not inject within 5 minutes because the body cannot withstand it, easily causing circulatory collapse. Severe cases must be injected many times. After the first dose, inject the second dose 1 hour later and then inject every 30 minutes. In mild and moderate cases, inject every 2 hours. For dogs with severe poisoning, ventilation must be performed first. Inject Atropine first and then inject PAM.

Emergency detoxification of dogs and cats using the “Homeopathic” method

Rescuing dogs and cats from toxins in their bodies is considered an effective method. This can help pets recover quickly. Toxins accumulated in the dog’s body can be due to the use of Corticosteroids. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs. Overdose of antibiotics and antifungal drugs or due to chronic diseases.

Using herbs, homeopathic remedies, and nutritional supplements, your veterinarian can help your dog recover from poisoning by cleansing the body of toxins. This can help increase the chances of healing.

fasting

One way to deal with dog poisoning is to fast the pet for 12 to 24 hours. During this time, only give the pet water to drink. Note, do not apply this method without the supervision of a veterinarian.

Providing quality food

To ensure your dog’s long-term health, you need to provide better quality food. You can also feed your dog homemade food or raw food. Although simple, this is one of the basic steps to minimize the accumulation of toxins in your dog’s body. Talk to your veterinarian to apply a reasonable diet for your dog. After applying the detoxification method for poisoned dogs by fasting.

Heal the stomach

Damage to the stomach is the underlying cause of the absorption of additional toxins. Therefore, healing dogs with gastritis is considered an important step. It should be applied first when treating dogs with poisoning. You should use food containing prebiotics. The main ingredient is probiotics. Beneficial bacteria and yeast help the digestive system stay healthy. Glutamine is an amino acid that helps nourish healthy intestinal cells. Increasing the body’s immunity helps heal the dog’s damaged stomach.

Liver detoxification

The liver is the main organ that performs detoxification. Once the liver is damaged, it can lead to the accumulation of toxins in the dog’s body. Therefore, detoxifying the liver is also very important. Milk Thistle or Silybum Marianum is considered a useful herb that you can use to detoxify and heal your dog’s damaged liver. You should also consult your veterinarian to use the appropriate dosage for treating your pet.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a method of treating poisoning in dogs with natural herbs. It is often used to detoxify dogs and cats gradually throughout the entire body of the pet. Lymphomyosot is a body detoxifier. Berberis from the barberry family and strychnos nux-vomica nutmeg are commonly used medicinal substances for detoxifying the genitourinary system, digestive system, blood, and lymph.

If your dog is ill and has overdosed on medication, detoxification may be the right approach. Consult with a veterinarian to discuss and add appropriate detoxification methods to your dog’s treatment plan to help the treatment progress more smoothly.

How to treat common dog poisoning

When a dog is poisoned, you need to quickly help the dog vomit the poison. If left for too long, the poison will be absorbed through the stomach into the small intestine. At that point, it is really difficult to treat. It is necessary to know clearly what kind of poison the dog has eaten. Because the way to detoxify is different for each type of poisoning.

First aid to induce vomiting in dogs in the following ways:

1. Induce vomiting by giving the dog 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Mix 1 teaspoon/5 kg body weight. Give the dog one dose every 15 minutes until the dog vomits out the ingested toxins.
2. Gastric lavage with a large volume of water to dilute the poison. Specific antidote treatment if the poison is known. Intravenous infusion of 5% glucose. These therapies are prescribed and performed by a veterinarian.
3. Induce vomiting with vinegar. Pump it into a syringe and then spread the dog’s mouth open to make it easier to pump it into the dog’s mouth. This can make the dog vomit faster.
4. Give your dog milk or green tea, lemonade, etc. to detoxify. If your dog refuses to drink, pry open its mouth and pour it in. If your dog drinks, there is an 80% chance it will survive.
5. Stimulate the stomach to induce vomiting when dogs and cats are poisoned. Take a little egg white mixed with a little cooking oil and force feed. In case the jaw muscles are stiff, you can use a syringe to pry open the mouth and inject directly into the dog. Next, to assist in stimulating the stomach to contract and vomit the bait.

When not to induce vomiting in a poisoned dog

Not always when a dog is poisoned can you induce vomiting immediately, sometimes you need to base on the actual situation of the dog when poisoned to decide whether to induce vomiting for the dog or not, or use other measures. Here are some cases where you should not induce vomiting for a dog when poisoned.

• The dog has vomited and is vomiting continuously.
• The dog is in a coma, having difficulty breathing and cardiovascular collapse.
• Dogs ingest substances: acids, alkaloids, household cleaners, petrochemical products.
• Medicines that have the label “Do not induce vomiting”.
• If there are symptoms of convulsions due to nerve damage: Use of sedatives Diazepam (Valium) or Barbiturates intravenously must be examined and prescribed by a veterinarian.
• Acute diarrhea and gastrointestinal bleeding: Rehydrate and replenish electrolytes with Lactated Ringer’s solution, and antibiotics… be careful when using antidiarrheal drugs that reduce intestinal motility such as Atropine… must be examined and prescribed by a veterinarian.

Detoxify the stomach of dogs and cats after stimulating vomiting

The next step after the vomiting stimulation measures. Give the cat green bean water and cooled ginger water alternately. Drinking green bean water and ginger water is very good for detoxifying the remaining toxins in the stomach. You can take the green bean and ginger residue that was cooked earlier, crush it, and feed it to the cat. If given to the cat to drink, there is an 80% chance of survival.

After first aid, if effective, the poisoned cat will return to normal. The cat will no longer have convulsions and foam at the mouth. At this time, tie it in one place. Then monitor its health. Observe whether the symptoms have completely disappeared. Use a blanket to warm it to avoid hypothermia.

Note that when detoxifying dogs and cats, you should isolate the remaining animals away from the one that is poisoned because when dogs and cats see their own kind injured, they often lick them. Or they may eat the vomited poison. This is extremely dangerous because it will cause the other animals to be poisoned as well.

After first aid, you need to urgently take your dog or cat to the vet for intestinal lavage and further treatment. At this point, your dog or cat is completely safe and has no further side effects.

Hopefully, with the knowledge of how to handle when a dog is poisoned or poisoned, you can handle the situation as quickly as possible to help the dog escape from a critical condition. Good luck to you!