Pet First Aid: What to Do if Your Dog Eats Something Poisonous
When your dog eats something poisonous, it is crucial to provide a quick and appropriate response to save his or her life. Do you know what to do?
Common Poisons
The most common canine poisons include the following:
- Human Food (chocolate, candy, xylitol, garlic, etc.)
- Antifreeze
- Medication (dog or human)
- Mouse/Rat Poison
- Household Products (i.e. bleach, fire logs, cleaners)
- Plants (tulips, daffodils, rhododendrons, sago palm)
- Fertilizer
Symptoms of Poisoning
The symptoms of pet poisoning can vary, depending on what was consumed by your dog and the quantity. However, the most common symptoms that your dog has eaten something poisonous include:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy - easily spotted by the Actijoy smart dog Activity Tracker.
- Refusal to Eat - easily spotted by the Actijoy Food Bowl
- Excessive Thirst - easily spotted by the Actijoy Water Bowl
- Seizure
- Irregular Heart Beat
- Loss of Coordination
- Labored Breathing
- Loss of Consciousness
How to Help Your Dog
By using the Actijoy smart system, you can be sure you are doing everything possible to help prevent such occurrences or to spot the symptoms in time.
If you know for certain that your dog has consumed a poisonous substance, the first step is to call your veterinarian and let him or her know approximately how much of the item was consumed, as well as your dog’s weight. This step is important regardless of whether your dog is showing symptoms, as some symptoms will not arise for 24 – 48 hours.
If the poisoning occurred after your veterinarian’s business hours, such as on a night or weekend, you should call the Pet Poison Hotline, where the operators can provide you with immediate steps to take.
In both instances, the veterinarian or operator might suggest that you induce vomiting in your pet, depending on symptoms as well as the ingested poison. However, you should never induce vomiting unless specifically directed to do, as this can make the situation worse in some instances. Always keep a vomit-inducing agent on hand, such as hydrogen peroxide, should you find yourself in this situation.
If you discover that your dog is displaying any of the above symptoms but you do not know what your dog has consumed, always err on the side of caution and take your pet to the veterinarian or emergency veterinarian. Many times poisoning can be reversed when caught in time. If you find your pet unresponsive, begin emergency medical treatment as soon as possible, such as artificial respiration or CPR.
Buddy Pack
2x Smart Bowl size M (1L / 33.5oz),
1x Activity tracker & accessories
