What to Do If Your Pet Is Poisoned

Help My Pet Is Poisoned

If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned by a medication, call your veterinarian immediately. If your veterinarian is not available, call an animal poison control. There is often a charge with these services, but paying a minimal fee could save your pet’s life.

As a precaution, dog owners should keep fresh, non-expired 3% hydrogen peroxide on hand. This is used to induce vomiting in case of accidental poisoning of dogs. For cats, you’re out of luck and have to bring your cat in to a veterinarian — they don’t respond to hydrogen peroxide, and your veterinarian will need to use special medication to induce vomiting.

Always check with a veterinarian or  Pet Poison Helpline first to find out the correct amount of peroxide to give, if it’s contraindicated to induce vomiting (i.e., it can make your dog worse!), or if it’s too late to induce vomiting (there’s only a narrow window of time when we can do so!).

Pets Are Different

Though we like to think of our pets as part of the family, the simple fact is, their bodies are not like ours. Medicines that we use all the time to treat pain or illness can have devastating effects on our pets. Talk to your veterinarian if you have questions about any medications. Never assume a drug is safe for your pet.

Always…keep the number for your veterinarian and the ASPCA handy. You don’t want to be looking for it in an emergency situation!

About one-quarter of all phone calls to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) are about human medications. Your pet can easily ingest dropped pills or may be given harmful human medications by an unknowing owner, resulting in illness, or even death of your pet.

Important References:

• www.aapcc.org or 1 (800) 222-1222
• *Pet Poison Helpline: 1-800-213-6680
• www.tulsaspca.org