Poison Prevention Week

Poison Prevention Week starts March 14th and runs through March 20th.    This annual observance was started in 1961 and is designed to highlight the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them.  More information is available at www.poisonprevention.org.  Although originally created to focus on preventing poisonings of children and adults, this week is a great time to discuss potential dangers to our pets as well.

The Pet Poison Helpline service has released this list of most common toxins for our pets.

1. Xylitol, a sweetener found in many sugarless gums, desserts, and other baked goods, can be toxic to our canine friends.   The compound can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, or, in some cases, liver failure.
2. Human pharmaceuticals are also on this "most common" list. Through accidental or purposeful ingestion, many pets are sickened by over the counter pain relievers (such as aspirin,Tylenol or NSAIDs like Aleve). Another common poisoning occurs when our pets get into an owner's antidepressant medications.
3. With Easter approaching, many families will chose flowers to decorate their homes.  Flowers of the Lily family can be deadly to cats and ingestion of a few petals or even the pollen can cause severe kidney failure.
4. Chocolate is another potential poison that is prevalent during Easter.  Dark chocolates and baking chocolates are more dangerous than milk chocolate, but enough of any chocolate can cause abnormal heart rhythms, vomiting, and hyperactivity in dogs.
5. Springtime also puts people in the mood for yard work and cleaning.  Be wary of using certain fertilizers for your lawn and garden if they contain organophosphates and/or carbamates.  These poisons can cause severe seizures, respiratory failure and death in pets.
6. Many pets will find pest control products, like snail bait or rodenticides.   Rat poison toxicity is seen in many emergency veterinary hospitals and will eventually kill the pet without intervention and treatment.

If you see your pet ingest any of these poisons, you need to contact a veterinarian immediately.  Sometimes, severe damage can be avoided with prompt medical attention.  Keep your veterinarian's office number along with Central Veterinary Emergency Services (303-874-PETS (7387) available on your cell phone or near your home phone.  You can also reach the specialists at Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.

For all of your pet health related questions, be sure to visit www.PetDocsOnCall.com, the Internet's largest gathering of licensed veterinarians available to answer your concerns.

Zoo What?

Did you know?
There are a handful of diseases that are termed "zoonotic".  By definition zoonotic means that a disease can be transmitted from an animal to a human. The list of zoonotic diseases includes the typical ones you may have heard about like rabies or lyme disease.  But there are a few you might not be familiar with that are worth a quick read to familiarize yourself with the means of transmission and the associated symptoms.

Zoonotic Diseases
The following in an inconclusive list of zoonotic diseases typically found in Colorado.

Cat Scratch Disease - Also known as "cat scratch fever," this flea-borne infection is typically transmitted from a cat's scratch or bite. Signs include pimples at the scratch site and swollen lymph nodes that may persist for six weeks or longer.

Ehrlichiosis - Transmitted by ticks, this bacterial disease can cause fever, muscle aches, vomiting and other, more serious symptoms. As many as half of all patients require hospitalization.

Giardia - People become infected when they drink water containing the parasite Giardia lamblia. You can also become infected by putting something in your mouth that has come into contact with a pet's stool. Signs include diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea.

Leptospirosis - "Lepto" is a bacterial disease spread by contact with urine from an infected animal, including dogs, raccoons, squirrels and skunks. Lepto can cause high fever, severe headache, vomiting and, if left untreated, kidney damage or liver failure.

Lyme Disease - Spread by ticks, Lyme disease can cause arthritis and kidney damage. The number of Lyme disease cases has nearly tripled since 1990, and the disease is now found in virtually every state.

Rabies - This well-known disease is caused by a virus found in the saliva of infected animals and transmitted to people by bites. It is invariably fatal if not promptly treated.

Ringworm - Ringworm is a fungal infection - not a worm - transmitted by contact with the skin or fur of an infected animal. Signs include a bald patch of scaly skin on the scalp or a ring-shaped, itchy rash on the skin.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever - A very serious, tick-borne disease that causes fever, headache and muscle pain, followed by a rash. May be fatal if left untreated.

Toxoplasmosis - This is a parasitic disease spread by contact with cat feces in soil or litter, although the major route of transmission is contaminated meat. It can cause serious health problems in pregnant women or people with compromised immune systems.

Simple ways to protect your family
*Wash your hands often when touching, playing with or caring for pets.
*Never handle the stool of any animal without wearing disposable gloves or using a plastic barrier.
*Avoid kissing your pet or letting your pet lick your face.
*Do daily "tick checks" on yourself, your kids and your pet. Especially if you've been in a wooded or brushy area and more so when temperatures are consistently about 45 degrees.
*If you are pregnant, ask someone else in the family to clean the cat's litter box. If you must do it yourself, wear gloves and immediately wash your hands after changing the litter.
*If you are scratched or bitten, wash the area with soap and water right away and administer first aid. If you are concerned, contact your healthcare professional.

Simple ways to protect your pet
*Twice a year wellness exams at your family veterinarian can help detect and treat zoonotic infections before they become serious, or are transmitted to other pets or people in your household.
*Many zoonotic diseases can be prevented by vaccination.
*Ask your family veterinarian about tick and flea control.
*Inspect your pet for ticks after outings through wooded or brushy areas.
*Don't let your pet drink from standing water outdoors.
*Don't let your pet come into contact with feces or urine of other animals.
*Keep your pet away from wild animal carcasses.
*Remove food, garbage or nesting materials that may attract disease carrying wildlife.

Fortunately, the incidence rate for most of these diseases is low.  It is always best to see your health care provider if you suspect that you have contracted a zoonotic disease.  The earlier you start treatment the better.


The moral of the story...a few common-sense measures can go a long way to keeping zoonotic diseases at bay.

Rising to the Occasion

A Little Dough
I attempted to make bread this weekend. I say attempted because the loaf looked beautiful, but it was nearly impossible to get out of the pan and then it was really dense and doughy. Perhaps a lesson from a real bread maker is in order. When considering what to blog about this week I remembered that bread dough can actually be dangerous if ingested by an animal. Do you know why?

Rise and Shine
Of course the bread dough I'm referring to must contain yeast. When ingested, the animal's body heat activates the yeast which causes the dough to rise in the stomach. Even a small amount of dough can cause a problem since the dough can rise to many times its size. When the dough rises it causes the animal's stomach to distend and can cause abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression.

A by-product of the fermentation process is ethanol - that's right your dog can get drunk. That may seem like a funny statement, but it is a serious condition. The ethanol poisoning can be fatal if not treated.

Treatment for bread dough ingestion usually starts with trying to get the animal to vomit up the bread dough, depending on how long it has been since ingestion. The best results for vomiting are within 30 minutes or less of ingestion since the dough hasn't had much time to rise. There have been cases where the dough has had to be surgically removed. Treatment for alcohol poisoning is IV fluids to flush the ethanol out of the blood and hospitalization to monitor recovery.

The moral of the story....bread dough is a no, no.

Where There's Smoke...

Did you know?

According to the US Fire Administration's website (www.usfa.dhs.gov), more than 1.7 million uncontrolled fires occur annually in the US. The Fire Administration does not keep tally, but other groups have estimated that more than 500,000 pets are killed by house fires each year. Why are we so good at saving human lives, but our pets seem to perish?

Let me tell you why.

Human lives are saved from a tragic end in house fires every year because of mandatory use of smoke detectors. Unfortunately, the sharp, unfamiliar noise designed to alert people also scares our pets causing them to go find a "safe" place to hide making it more difficult, and even dangerous, to find them in a scary situation.

But even smoke alarms in good working order won't save pets whose owners are not home to let them out. Sadly, many pets die simply because they were trapped inside.

To help prevent the loss of your pet, the first steps start with you, the pet owner. Prevent potential problems by "pet-proofing" your home and looking for fire hazards. Consider confining younger puppies and kittens when you aren't home as a means of preventing them from accidentally starting a fire.

Experts recommend that pets left at home should be kept in rooms on the lower level, near entrances, so that fire fighters can find them more quickly and easily. Window clings that alert fire fighters to the presence of pets are also a good idea. Newer clings can be taken down and edited as your pet family grows!

Practice "fire drills" with your family and include the pets. Keep collars and leashes handy and know your escape routes. Pets left home alone can't escape on their own. The use of smoke detectors connected to monitoring centers can greatly increase their chances of survival in the event of a fire. Monitored smoke detectors can also protect cherished possessions in addition to saving your four legged friends.

Responsible pet ownership includes planning for unexpected emergencies. A house fire is a prime example of how devastating and deadly these emergencies can be.

All Sewn Up

Animals eat the strangest things. I was perusing the patient board in the Critical Care Unit Sunday night and was surprised to read "FB needle". Fortunately I knew the code and realized that "Ozzy" had eaten a needle. What?!? I went to find "Ozzy" in his cage and found an adorable orange colored domestic short hair kitty resting quietly. Hanging on the side of his cage was a plastic bag with the needle and thread that had been recovered from his stomach during surgery.

I included the digital x-ray taken of "Ozzy" before surgery. If you look right in the center of the image the needle is clearly visible. Most likely "Ozzy" got to chewing on the string and pretty soon had the whole string and needle sliding right down his throat. Fortunately "Ozzy's" owners saw him ingest the needle and brought him to the hospital right away. A needle like this one could perforate the stomach or intestine and cause internal bleeding and infection. Or the needle could migrate to another part of the body and cause multiple other issues. "Ozzy" got lucky, this needle stayed right in the stomach and didn't cause any further damage. Most likely "Ozzy" will go home tomorrow and will recover just fine from this incident and hopefully he won't chew on anymore string, especially string attached to a needle.

Good luck, "Ozzy"!!

Wiley Coyote

We have the cutest Dachshund ever in our hospital. He has one brown eye and one blue and his tail has not stopped wagging since he arrived. He is wrapped up in bandages with a cute little penguin attached to the green wrap. Despite his wonderful personality it is plain to see that the poor little guy has had better days. Unfortunately, he is here because he was attacked by a coyote.

Coyote attacks on dogs and cats have become quite common in urban areas around the Denver area. If we were to average the number of cases we have seen in our Veterinary ER over a year we estimate that we see one coyote attacked dog or cat per week. Most of the cases we see are dogs with the unfortunate reality that cats are often taken by the coyote with no chance of recovery.

Injuries can range from minor abrasions and a couple puncture wounds to very serious lacerations and open chest cavity wounds depending on the severity of the attack. Fortunately, we have been fortunate and better than 90% of the cases have recovered from their injuries.

As winter wears on and breeding season starts the coyotes will be looking for food and may become more aggressive. There are precautions you can take to keep your animals safe if you know of coyote citings in your neighborhood.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife has the following recommendations on their website:

• Keep pets on a leash when walking.
• Never allow your pets to "play" with a coyote.
• Pick up small pets if confronted by a coyote.
• Do what you can to discourage a coyote's approach - yell, stomp your feet, throw small rocks or sticks at it.
• Always supervise your pet when outside, especially at dawn and dusk.
• Never leave cats or dogs outside after dark.
• Don't leave food or water outside for pets.
• If you must leave your pet outside, secure it in a fully enclosed kennel.
• Keep your pets up to date on vaccinations.

For more information contact the Colorado Division of Wildlife by calling the main Customer Service # 303-297-1192 or go to the CDOW website for a listing of an office closer to your location.

The moral of the story...living with wildlife requires a bit of precaution.

Top 10 Human Medications that Poison Pets

Below is a list of the top 10 human medications most frequently ingested by pets, along with some tips from the veterinarians at Pet Poison Helpline on how to prevent pet poisoning from human medications. This list comes from calls received at Pet Poison Helpline.

1) NSAIDs (e.g. Advil, Aleve and Motrin)
Topping our Top 10 list are common household medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), which include common names such as ibuprofen (e.g., Advil and some types of Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). While these medications are safe for people, even one or two pills can cause serious harm to a pet. Dogs, cats, birds and other small mammals (ferrets, gerbils and hamsters) may develop serious stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as kidney failure.

2) Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol)
One regular strength tablet of acetaminophen may cause damage to a cat's red blood cells, limiting their ability to carry oxygen. In dogs, acetaminophen leads to liver failure and, in large doses, red blood cell damage.

3) Antidepressants (e.g. Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro)
While these antidepressant drugs are occasionally used in pets, overdoses can lead to serious neurological problems such as sedation, incoordination, tremors and seizures. Some antidepressants also have a stimulant effect leading to a dangerously elevated heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Pets, especially cats, seem to enjoy the taste of Effexor and often eat the entire pill. Unfortunately, just one pill can cause serious poisoning.

4) ADD/ADHD medications (e.g. Concerta, Adderall, Ritalin)
Medications used to treat Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder contain potent stimulants such as amphetamines and methylphenidate. Even minimal ingestions of these medications by pets can cause life-threatening tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures and heart problems.

5) Benzodiazepines and sleep aids (e.g. Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, Lunesta)
These medications are designed to reduce anxiety and help people sleep better. However, in pets, they may have the opposite effect. About half of the dogs who ingest sleep aids become agitated instead of sedate. In addition, these drugs may cause severe lethargy, incoordination (including walking "drunk"), and slowed breathing in pets. In cats, some forms of benzodiazepines can cause liver failure when ingested.

6) Birth control (e.g. estrogen, estradiol, progesterone)
Birth control pills often come in packages that dogs find irresistible. Thankfully, small ingestions of these medications typically do not cause trouble. However, large ingestions of estrogen and estradiol can cause bone marrow suppression, particularly in birds. Additionally, female pets that are intact (not spayed), are at an increased risk of side effects from estrogen poisoning.

7) ACE Inhibitors (e.g. Zestril, Altace)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (or "ACE") inhibitors are commonly used to treat high blood pressure in people and, occasionally, pets. Though overdoses can cause low blood pressure, dizziness and weakness, this category of medication is typically quite safe. Pets ingesting small amounts of this medication can potentially be monitored at home, unless they have kidney failure or heart disease. All heart medications should be kept out of reach of pets.

8) Beta-blockers (e.g. Tenormin, Toprol, Coreg)
Beta-blockers are also used to treat high blood pressure but, unlike the ACE inhibitor, small ingestions of these drugs may cause serious poisoning in pets. Overdoses can cause life-threatening decreases in blood pressure and a very slow heart rate.

9) Thyroid hormones (e.g. Armour desiccated thyroid, Synthroid)
Pets - especially dogs - get underactive thyroids too. Interestingly, the dose of thyroid hormone needed to treat dogs is much higher than a person's dose. Therefore, if dogs accidentally get into thyroid hormones at home, it rarely results in problems. However, large acute overdoses in cats and dogs can cause muscle tremors, nervousness, panting, a rapid heart rate and aggression.

10) Cholesterol lowering agents (e.g. Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor)
These popular medications, often called "statins", are commonly used in the United States. While pets do not typically get high cholesterol, they may still get into the pill bottle. Thankfully, most "statin" ingestions only cause mild vomiting or diarrhea. Serious side effects from these drugs come with long-term use, not one-time ingestions.

Tips for Keeping "Lucky" Safe:

• Always keep medications safely out of reach and never administer a medication to a pet without first consulting your veterinarian.
• Never leave loose pills in a plastic zip bag - the bags are too easy to chew into. Make sure visiting house guests do the same, keeping their medications high up or out of reach.
• If you place your medication in a weekly pill container, make sure to store the container in a cabinet out of reach of your pets. Unfortunately, if they get a hold of it, some pets might consider the pill container a plastic chew toy.
• Never store your medications near your pet's medications - veterinarians frequently receive calls from concerned pet owners who inadvertently give their own medication to their pet.
• Hang your purse up. Inquisitive pets will explore the contents of your bag and simply placing your purse up and out of reach can help to avoid exposure to any potentially dangerous medication(s).
• It is also important to note that while a medication may be safe for children, it may not be safe for animals. Pets metabolize medications very differently from people. Even seemingly benign over-the-counter or herbal medications may cause serious poisoning in pets.

If your pet has ingested a human over-the-counter or prescription medication, please call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline's 24-hour animal poison control center at (800) 213-6680 immediately.