Fireworks are poisonous to your pets!

Planning on celebrating the 4th of July with your pet? While most pet owners are savvy enough to know that dogs are often fearful of the sound of fireworks, most people don’t know that they are poisonous too!

Fireworks can contain dangerous chemicals like oxidizing agents (which typically are from the chemical potassium nitrate), reducing agents (like charcoal or sulfur), coloring agents (which are potentially dangerous heavy metals), and less dangerous substances like binders (a starch or sugar source) and regulators (a wick or fuse). The range of toxicity varies with what type of firework is ingested, how much is ingested, and what type of coloring agents are used. Fireworks can also be dangerous to pets physically – when exposed to the spark or smoke, they can result in thermal burn injury.

If ingested, fireworks can cause gastrointestinal signs like vomiting, a painful abdomen, and even bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, tremors or seizures can be seen, along with acute kidney failure, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), bone marrow changes, and shallow breathing! If dermal exposure has occurred, then burns to the nose, face, lips, or inside of the mouth may be seen, due to the curious nature of our pets. Eye irritation or conjunctivitis can also occur from the chemicals and the secondary smoke.

If you notice your pet ingested your fireworks, don’t induce vomiting at home – rather, call Pet Poison Helpline at (800) 213-6680 to find out what first aid should be performed. You’ll likely need to follow up with an examination at a veterinarian immediately. They’ll check to make sure no burns are seen in the skin, mouth, or on the surface of the eye (the cornea). Blood work to measure heavy metal levels should be done, along with routine blood work to make sure your pet’s white and red blood cell count, kidney and liver function are all normal. Aggressive supportive care, including IV fluids, stomach protectants, and supportive care are imperative! Make sure your holiday isn’t ruined, and help keep your pets safe and your firework display beautiful!

Please spread the word on pet safety and pass this along!

Fence off that compost bin!

While I commend you for composting (it’s a great way to reduce, reuse and recycle!), make sure that you are fencing off your compost – for your pet's sake and for the sake of the wildlife in your neighborhood! The same goes for your garbage can too… otherwise, you’ll be faced with cleaning up a tremendous mess, sometimes strewn across the entire house. More importantly, moldy garbage or decaying compost is very toxic to your pets.

Mycotoxins, the toxic component contaminating certain moldy foods or compost, can result in serious poisoning. Even very small quantities may cause illness. Mycotoxins can be found in moldy dairy foods, moldy walnuts or peanuts, grains- such as corn or wheat, hay, clover, cotton seed, moldy bread, moldy blue cheese, moldy spaghetti, compost, and other food substances. If your pet gets into this, you’ll typically see clinical signs within 2-3 hours of ingestion. Clinical signs include vomiting, tremoring, full grand-mal seizuring, an increased body temperature, increased salivation or drooling, a depressed respiratory rate, and an increased heart rate. If you notice any of these signs, bring your pet immediately to a veterinarian for treatment. More importantly, as soon as you realize your dog has raided the compost or garbage can and before signs develop, contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline as soon as possible. There are preventative steps to be taken in order to limit toxicity, and it may be less expensive to treat while yielding a better prognosis (and speedier recovery)!

Vermont to pass bittering bill!

Kudos to Vermont! Their lawmakers have approved a bill (House Bill 6) to help prevent accidental ingestion of antifreeze. This was signed by the governor just last month. Typically, antifreeze - otherwise known as ethylene glycol (EG) - has a sweet taste, making it toxic to animals and children. With this new bill which goes into effect immediately, antifreeze manufacturers are requested to add a bittering agent to help deter ingestion. For the antifreeze manufacturers, this is a smart move - especially since it removes them from any liability should antifreeze be ingested.

Did you know? Summer toxins to avoid in your pet!

DID YOU KNOW………?
By Dr. Catherine Adams

Our long-anticipated and beautiful summer is finally here. Along with travel and fun filled outdoor activities come potential hazards for our pets. Some of the most common are toxic exposures and ingestions.

Toxic Exposures
Concentrated exposures to skunk spray, either from a direct hit to the face or while in the confines of a hole, have been associated with methemoglobinemia, Heinz body anemia, or “skunk toxic shock syndrome”. Common signs of skunk toxic shock syndrome include an acute onset of vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and shock.

Stings from venomous insects such as wasps, spiders, and scorpions produce a variety of problems ranging from mild, localized swelling to anaphylaxis. Snakes and their subsequent strikes occur with some frequency to curious dogs and cats. Bite injuries may result in tissue necrosis or severe systemic illness, with seizures and death as sequelae. In the continental United States, strikes by rattlesnakes and coral snakes are the most likely to cause clinical signs.

Ingestions
Mushrooms are often difficult to identify, and ingestion of even the most innocent looking ones can cause problems. Signs vary from mild gastrointestinal irritation to cardiac and CNS effects, including seizures and hallucinations.

Fireworks
The contents of fireworks are just as difficult to identify. Ingestions may lead to gastrointestinal effects along with the potential for heavy metal toxicity (copper, strontium, barium, magnesium, phosphorus, aluminum, titanium).

Toads and frogs are intriguing to cats and dogs. Tasting, eating, or even carrying around most varieties results in profuse salivation and mild to moderate gastrointestinal distress. The most serious toxic ingestion is associated with the cane toad, common to several southern states. Buccal absorption of the bufo toxin produces immediate cardiac complications, with sudden death a distinct possibility.

Above all, be observant and react quickly, but still enjoy your summer.

Top 10 human medications ingested in our pets!

Want to avoid a phone call to Pet Poison Helpline? Child and pet-proof your house! Due to the curious nature of cats and the sharp teeth of dogs (who are able to chew through any "child-proof" cap), pets get into YOUR medications, which can be deadly.

Top 10 human medications that poison pets include:

* NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that result in severe GI signs or even kidney failure)
* Antidepressants
* Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
* Methylphenidate (for ADHD)
* Fluorouracil (a chemotherapy drug - often topically applied - that is EXTREMELY toxic to pets!)
* Isoniazid (an anti-tuberculosis medication that is EXTREMELY toxic to pets!)
* Pseudoephedrine (commonly found in cold medication)
* Anti-diabetics (oral antihyperglycemic agents that help lower the blood sugar)
* Vitamin D derivatives (found in Viactiv chocolate chews, certain types of rat poison!)
* Baclofen (a muscle relaxant)

When in doubt, call PPH at 1-800-213-6680!

Did you know? Rodenticides to avoid!

DID YOU KNOW……….?
By Dr. Catherine Adams

All rodenticides are NOT created equal! Currently there are four separate categories of rodenticides available for general use. Each has a different and unique mechanism of action. This results in four different sets of clinical signs in both the target rodent population and our curious pets who might consume them. All of these rodenticides pose some potential for relay toxicity when animals eat rodents killed by the toxin.

Long-acting anticoagulants (LAACs): By far the most well-known and perhaps most widely used rodenticides are the LAACS. This family of products acts by interrupting the body’s ability to form coagulating or clotting factors. Once the body has used up its current supply of coagulating factors clinical signs of bleeding are seen. Common signs include nosebleed, bloody urine, large and soft lumps, anorexia, and pain. Lethargy and dullness are common. It generally takes 2-5 days for these signs to occur, but chronic ingestion shortens the time period. If there is any suspicion of ingestion, a prothrombin test, usually referred to as a PT test, supports the diagnosis. Fortunately, Vitamin K1, the antidote, is routinely found in most veterinary offices.

Bromethalin: Ingestion of this active ingredient causes early cerebral edema with subsequent central nervous system signs. Cats seem to be particularly sensitive to bromethalin and exhibit signs at much lower doses. Sadly there is no specific diagnostic test and no antidote. Treatment is symptomatic and
may require an extended amount of time.

Phosphides: Zinc, calcium, and aluminum phosphides are very rapidly hydrolyzed in the stomach to form phosphine gas. Early signs include gastrointestinal inflammation and abdominal distension followed by a rapid onset of severe pain, pulmonary congestion and edema, and cardiovascular and central nervous system effects. Phosphides have a very narrow margin of safety and survival depends on prompt and effective decontamination and supportive care. Special attention needs to be paid to ventilation as human beings are susceptible to the phosphine gas fumes.

Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3): Vitamin D3 based rodenticides act to increase systemic phosphorous and calcium levels which ultimately results in acute renal failure. Early elevations in serum phosphorous along with significant elevations in serum calcium are used to diagnose and guide treatment in overdose situations. Again, the margin of safety is very narrow and a complicated, long term treatment regimen is usually required. Interestingly, one of the newer treatment options is pamidronate, a bisphosphonate medication used to prevent brittle bones in women!

Update from the American Association of Feline Practioners on new senior-care guidelines!

By: Daniel R. Verdon, printed in DVM NEWSMAGAZINE June 2009

National Report - New Senior Care Guidelines will be unveiled today by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). The guidelines will address complex disease management, pre-emptive testing, nutrition and a host of other areas to help practitioners when treating senior cats.

In an exclusive interview with DVM Newsmagazine, committee chairs Ilona Rodan, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, and Jeanne Pittari, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, report the guidelines take on a host of conditions common to geriatric cats including complex disease management, testing, arthritis, kidney disease, GI disease, nutrition, wellness, behavior and hypertension.

The 22-page document was about one year in the making, Rodan explains, and offers an update to the initial set of guidelines that were co-authored and inspired by the late feline expert James R. Richards, released more than a decade ago.

"Our goal was to make as much information as we can easily available about managing older cats to help veterinarians do everything they can to help these cats," Pittari explains. "One of the things I felt very passionate about was looking beyond the minimum database. If you have an older cat with poor body condition, and your routine diagnostic tests are normal, I find that many veterinarians seem to stop there. We think you should look further for other problems that are affecting the cat that might not be so obvious on that initial database," Pittari says. "...You can make a huge impact in the cat's life." "Many of these cats," Rodan adds, "are dealing with three to four conditions. It requires managing them differently."

When senior cats present with multiple conditions, they often are euthanized - sometimes too early, Rodan explains. These guidelines were crafted to prompt veterinarians to look a little deeper with the goal of extending and improving the quality of life of senior cats.

AAFP panelists also included co-chair Joseph Taboada, Daniell Gunn-Moore, Debra Zoran, Gerard Beekman, Helen Tuzio and David Polzin. The guidelines were sponsored by Nestle Purina Pet Care, Merial, IDEXX, Nutramax Laboratories and Abbott Labs.

At press time, the guidelines will be posted at www.catvets.com. Formal publication was slated for September in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery.