Pet Poisons…
TOP 10 PET POISONS LIST: National Poison Prevention Week for Cats, Dogs & Others — Including Surprising 2024 Update!
Original posting March 21, 2021.
Pet poisons. It’s no surprise, is it? A lot of us have been staying home longer. And that stay-at-home situation led to a frightening increase in pet poisonings. A Big Increase! So what can we do to protect our cats, dogs and other fur members of our families?
First, find out what the most dangerous toxins around our homes really are.
Second, create an essential Pet Owner’s Watch List.
And Third, keep emergency Veterinary Hospital and Pet Poisons Helpline website & phone information at hand. (See Below!)
So — First comes this…
Recently the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) published its Top 10 Annual List of top toxins for pets. This is ahead of National Poison Prevention Week (every March) to help pet owners, veterinarians, and shelters nationwide continue to keep animals safe and healthy.
In 2020, APCC, which operates 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, helped over 370,500 animals, resulting in a 13% increase in case volume.
With pet poisons cases from all 50 states and nations around the world, including Canada.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” announced the ASPCA in a PR Newswire release, “many pet owners spent a significant amount of time at home throughout 2020. And pets also felt the implications of stay-at-home orders. As new hobbies such as baking and gardening saw a rise in popularity, many pets had more access to potentially toxic items. Pet poisons such as chocolate, yeast dough, and indoor and outdoor plants, which saw an 11, 51, and 40 percent increase in case volume, respectively.”
And of course adoption and foster rates were greatly increased by the pandemic. With more people adding pets to their household, contributing to an overall increase in cases.
“Throughout the past year, both people and pets have experienced many challenges because of the ongoing pandemic. Including spending extended periods of time at home where potential toxins lurk and pose a serious threat to our pets,” said Dr. Tina Wismer, Senior Director, ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
“Our biggest responsibility as pet owners is ensuring their health and safety. Which we can do by taking small actions to pet-proof our home. And protect against common dangers such as medications, food items, and plants.”
THE LATEST TOP TEN PET POISONS LIST:
1. For the third year in a row, human Over-the-Counter Medications lead the top toxins list, making up nearly 17% of APCC’s total case volume.
The most common items in this category include cold medications, vitamins, and pain relievers. Such pain relievers as ibuprofen, naproxen, and acetaminophen, which can all cause life-threatening medical issues. Because these items are easily accessible to pets in homes, purses, and backpacks, the ASPCA urges pet owners to take extra precautions. And keep all toxic items, especially medications, securely locked in a cabinet.
The remaining Nine items on the list, making up nearly 80% of all APCC cases, include the following:
2. Human Prescription Medications remained at #2 with antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and cardiac medication ingestions being the most common cases. Like over-the-counter meds, many of these prescriptions can cause gastrointestinal issues and may even lead to kidney failure.
3. Food Products continue to occupy the third spot, making up 13% of total cases. This year, protein and snack bar exposures along with grapes, raisins, xylitol, onions, and garlic made up most food toxicity cases.
4. Chocolate ingestion cases continue to increase year after year. APCC handles almost 76 cases of chocolate exposure each day. It’s important for pet owners to remember that the higher the cocoa content, the more dangerous the chocolate will be for your pet.
5. Plants, both indoor and outdoor, moved up three spots to Number Five. The APCC saw 9,000 more plant-related calls compared to the previous year. At the start of the pandemic, more people found themselves decorating with plants, especially succulents, or sending bouquets to friends and family. While many plants pose a serious threat to pets, there are also many pet friendly houseplants to consider.
While the “Top 5” account for the most pet poisons cases, the next 5 are still critical and should be added to every Pet Owner’s Watch List:
6. Veterinary products such as pet medications and flea & tick prevention topical treatments. Carprofen, a pain-relief product only for dogs, has been added to the list. Carprofen, an FDA-approved product, should only be given to your dog if prescribed by a vet.
7. Household items such as common cleaning products, which have seen an increase in home use.
8. Insecticides and gardening products, including fertilizer.
9. Rodenticides, toxic products that cause severe sickness, uncontrolled bleeding and even death in nontarget wildlife, pets and humans. There’s no such thing as a “pet safe rat poison.”
10. Paint and home renovation products. The Pandemic saw an increase in home improvement, which can add to a number of dangerous chemical products temporarily left out in the open — “It happened so fast!” [1]
When you review this Top Ten pet poisons, it gets a little scary, eh? Remember, our loving furever friends are counting on us to protect them.
==>> 2024 Pet Poisons UPDATE:
Marijuana has now been added to the Top Toxins list of Pet Poisons!
Since the Trudeau government legalized Pot in Canada, medical emergencies and deaths of both Humans and Pets from Marijuana have increased.
“As more states legalize medical and recreational cannabis, the more marijuana-related calls we are receiving. Interestingly, dogs seem to be much more attracted to marijuana, as cannabis didn’t make the feline Top 10 list,” announced Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist for the Pet Poison Helpline.
Renee explained: “Clinical signs in pets poisoned by marijuana can often be seen within minutes to hours, depending on whether the animal was exposed through inhalation or ingestion. Signs of poisoning include a dazed expression, glassy eyes, incoordination, slow response times, dribbling urine, vomiting, drooling, changes in heart rate, vocalization, neurological stimulation, hyperactivity, or coma.” [2]
If your dog or other pet ate marijuana, call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately for life-saving treatment advice.
Watch Over Your Pets, Mes Amis. They’re Family! – Brian Alan Burhoe
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[1] For more information about the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, please visit aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call the pet poison control hotline (888) 426-4435 or contact your local veterinarian as soon as possible.
[2] For more about the Pet Poison Helpline and Marijuana, go to petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/marijuana/. Call them at (855) 764-7661 for fast 24/7 life-saving care! Available for folks in U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.
About the ASPCA®:
“Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first animal welfare organization in North America and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animals. More than two million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. For more information, please visit www.ASPCA.org, and be sure to follow the ASPCA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.”
About Pet Poison Helpline®:
“Pet Poison Helpline® is a 24-hour animal poison control service available throughout the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance with treating a potentially poisoned pet.”
Source: ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline & Civilized Bears.
Updated January 30, 2024.
TOP 10 PET POISONS LIST: Poison Prevention Week for Dogs, Cats, Others
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