Beware Hidden Pet Poisons
The surprising new dangers on every emergency room
veterinarian's list
By Justine Lee, DVM
By age 7, I knew I wanted to become a veterinarian. So I was
thrilled to be appointed caretaker of our family's Pekingese, who
needed a daily pill for chronic allergies. Every morning, I
carefully hid a tablet in a grape so he would gulp it down without
suspecting anything. What I didn't realize at the time was that my
loving approach could have killed him.
Most pet lovers know they should keep household poisons such as
antifreeze out of reach. But in the past few years, veterinary
researchers have discovered that a number of seemingly harmless
substances-such as grapes and raisins-can be lethal to animals.
That's in addition to common dangers that vets have known about for
years, but which are still completely under the radar for many
owners. Add up these factors, and you get sick animals at vet
hospitals, including the one where I work as an emergency
specialist. Fortunately, it's easy to keep your pet out of trouble.
Here are the toxins causing the biggest problems in my ER these
days.
Sugarless gum
The artificial sweetener xylitol, found in many sugarless gums,
is harmless to humans, but researchers recently realized that if a
dog eats it, the result could be a life-threatening drop in blood
sugar, followed by liver failure. If your dog likes to root around
in your purse for something tasty, be alert to this danger: As
little as one pack of gum with xylitol (or two muffins made with
the sweetener) can be fatal without immediate treatment.
Grapes and raisins
A study in 2001 showed they can be dangerous to dogs, but plenty
of owners haven't gotten the word. Researchers aren't sure exactly
what compound in the fruit causes problems, but they do know it's
idiosyncratic-it triggers kidney failure in some dogs but not
others, and there's no telling which animal will be affected.
What's more, the poison isn't dosedependent, which means that one
dog will be felled by a tiny amount, while another can pig out on a
pound of grapes and walk away perfectly fine. (Luckily for my
childhood pet's health-and my youthful psyche - our Pekingese had
no problems.) Labradors and golden retrievers seem most likely to
be sickened by the fruits, but that's not because of a breed
sensitivity-it's just that they are chowhounds and eat anything
they can find!
Your bouquet of lilies
Cats love to nibble on fresh greenery-my own cat heads straight
to any bouquet I put out. But if your floral centerpiece includes
lilies, a single bite of a leaf, stem, or petal can be deadly. This
is a particularly nasty poison: Easter, Asiatic, Oriental, and some
day lily species can cause deadly kidney failure within a day, and
sometimes there's nothing a vet can do to help. If you're a cat
lover, these plants don't belong in your garden, no matter how much
you like their showy looks. As for inside the home, it doesn't help
that these fragrant, inexpensive flowers are a favorite of
florists. If you're in doubt, just toss the bouquet.
Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC, is a veterinary emergency critical
care specialist and the associate director of veterinary services
at Pet Poison Helpline. She has a rescued pit bull and two cats,
and is the author of It's a Dog's Life? but It's Your
Carpet.
How to get help fast
If you think your pet might have scarfed down something
dangerous, a quick call to an expert is critical. These reliable
services charge a fee, but prompt care is the best way to protect
your pet's health, as well as your wallet.
Reprinted by permission from Prevention
Magazine-November, 2008