When I got home from work that fateful day, she was fine but I noticed a powder substance on the floor and, as I investigated, I found the D-Con box on the guest room bed…not empty but no way to know how much she had ingested – any amount was potentially lethal. I was not able to reach my vet so called a pathologist friend of mine and between him and his RN wife, knew what to do immediately but still needed a vet. My friend said Vitamin K was the antidote. We found a 24-hr clinic and took Shauna in. She had to be infused with copious amounts of Vitamin K so was there over night and into the next day. Can’t recall exactly when I was able to pick her up. But treatment was successful and she lived a long healthy and happy life!
I think that we sometimes forget the dangers in our home to our pets. Puppies, kittens, grown up – doesn’t matter. They do not understand toxic dangers and it is our responsibility to keep them safe, just as we would a human child. When my Sophie burned her tongue so badly on the hot grease, I learned from the vet that Poinsettias were toxic to cats and dogs, causing caustic burns to the mouth, esophagus and stomach! I had no idea.
Grapes – even off the vine – can cause gastrointestinal distress leading to vomiting, diarrhea with possible kidney failure…as early as 24 hours after ingestion. I think everyone has heard about the ill effects of chocolate to cats’ and dogs’ gastric system. Chocolate contains theobromine naturally which is a stimulant for the central nervous system, the cardiovascular system and it mildly increases blood pressure. Humans can deal with it (thank goodness!) because the human body metabolizes it quickly. Dogs and cats, on the other hand, do not and, if the pet eats a relatively steady diet of chocolate, the theobromine will build up in their systems to levels they can’t tolerate. Symptoms of this might be nausea and vomiting. So, an occasional inadvertent piece of chocolate is not going to kill your pet but it is certainly prudent to keep it away from your four-legged children.
Don’t forget to keep all prescription medications well out of reach and be just as diligent with the OTC products. And be aware of avocados! Yes! Our guacamole is not good for our pets. Avocados contain a fungicidal toxin called “persin” which does not play nicely with our pets’ innards. Of course, cleaning products are more obvious as dangers and, though you likely already keep those “locked away”, it wouldn’t hurt to take a tour of your home to verify.
I recommend that you do some research on common toxins. There are a number of excellent websites that list common items that will hurt your babies and possibly kill them. Just Google “toxins to pets” or some such. Get familiar with these toxin delivery systems and protect those darlings who love you more than anything and rely on you to care for them.