Poisoning in dogs – prevention, recognition, and treatment

It's not always easy to keep track of everything in our human world that could be harmful to our four-legged friends. Often, we don't even see how quickly Fido has stuck his head in the trash can and hurt himself by eating onion scraps. But it's not just food that poses a danger; the wrong toys can cause problems, as can drinking from a puddle at the edge of a field.

INHALT
An initial overview Foods that can be dangerous for your dog What should you do in case of poisoning?
An initial overview

Just as you childproof your home, you should also make your environment safe for your dog. Of course, only you can determine what this means in your home and make the necessary changes. However, you should definitely be aware of the following hazards and take appropriate action:

  • Plastic dog toys. Dog owners often love funny and attractive toys for their pets, but please remember that your dog will almost certainly chew them up and take them apart. Therefore, look for toys that your dog cannot choke on, cause an intestinal blockage, or poison themselves with.
  • Safety in the home. Make sure your dog cannot get into the trash cans, as some of the contents may be inedble or even life-threatening for your dog, such as leftover food. Cleaning products also pose a great danger and should therefore always be kept out of reach. You should also keep poisonous houseplants out of your dog's reach. Check your garden for poisonous plants.
  • Beware of cannabis. Protect your dog from cannabis. Eating marijuana, hashish, or edibles, which may also contain chocolate that is toxic to dogs, as well as passive smoking, can cause severe poisoning in dogs. Keep your dog away from home-grown cannabis plants.
  • Be careful under fruit trees. Unfortunately, fallen fruit in the garden or on the side of the road is also a source of poisoning for your pet. Cherry and plum pits, for example, can lead to cyanide poisoning. Your dog may then develop neurological symptoms. The pits can also cause intestinal obstruction—an emergency situation for your four-legged friend.
  • Do not share sweets. No matter how sweetly your pet looks at you, spare yourself the agony of the possible consequences and the worst-case scenario. Chocolate, cakes soaked in birch sugar, and pralines are at the top of the list of forbidden foods.
  • Be careful when out and about: teach your dog not to eat anything without your permission. Be especially vigilant when walking your dog. After a rain shower, pesticide residues can collect in puddles. Or a cigarette butt that has dissolved in the water can cause great distress. Not to mention poisons such as rat poison or slug pellets, which taste particularly good to dogs due to their sweet flavor, but can lead to death within a very short time.
  • No medication from the first aid kit for humans. Please never use your own medicine cabinet to treat your dog. Medicines such as aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, and diclofenac are dangerous for your furry friend. Do not leave such medicines lying around where your dog can accidentally help itself.
  • Prevention is better than cure. Inform dog sitters, friends of the family, and relatives that they should not feed your dog anything that you have not agreed on. Inform everyone who comes into contact with your dog about your precautions. Make everyone aware of dog safety.

Foods that can be dangerous for your dog

Here is a list of foods that you should definitely add to your red list:

  • Avocado. The pit can be swallowed, leading to choking or intestinal obstruction.
  • Onions and leeks, including garlic – regardless of how they are prepared (cooked, fried, raw) – are completely unsuitable for dogs.
  • Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure if consumed in excess.
  • Windfall fruit, especially stone fruit. Eating a lot of seeds can lead to cyanide poisoning.
  • Beans and other legumes promote gas formation, can cause severe flatulence, and are difficult to digest, which can also contribute to stomach torsion.
  • Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and other nightshade plants contain solanine, which is toxic to dogs.
  • Chestnuts and horse chestnuts contain substances that can be dangerous to dogs if consumed in large quantities; even small amounts can cause digestive problems.
  • Nuts are difficult to digest and unsuitable for dogs.
  • Raw pork is dangerous because it can transmit Aujeszky's virus when consumed. Cooking destroys this virus.
  • Chocolate and cocoa are absolutely taboo for dogs because they contain theobromine, a substance that is toxic to dogs. The darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine content. If your dog has accidentally eaten chocolate, use the handy petsXL chocolate poisoning calculator to assess the risk to your dog and find out what you should do next.
  • Sugars such as birch sugar, E 967, xylitol, and xylitol can cause hypoglycemia in dogs, which can lead to death if not treated quickly.

It is best to ask your vet about other potential hazards and, if in doubt, opt for ready-made dry or wet food before taking any unnecessary risks.

petsXL Oskar with chocolate
What should you do in case of poisoning?

The most important thing is to remain calm and consult a veterinarian immediately. If you know what your dog has eaten, you can inform the veterinarian by phone so that they can prepare for your emergency visit. The amount of toxic substance your dog has ingested can also be crucial.

Observe your dog closely so that you can provide detailed information about the symptoms.

However, sometimes it is not immediately clear what has happened and you may not even have noticed that your dog has eaten rat poison, for example. It is therefore important to always keep a close eye on your dog and always consider the possibility of poisoning if the following symptoms occur:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in the stool or vomit
  • Loss of balance, even to the point of apathy
  • Fever
  • Severe restlessness, dilated pupils
  • Foam in or around the mouth
  • Very heavy salivation
  • Drastic drop in body temperature
  • Severe tremors that occur suddenly
  • Convulsions, looking at the abdomen, severe discomfort
  • Cardiovascular problems, including collapse
  • Breathing problems, including shortness of breath

In any case, if even one of these symptoms occurs, you should contact your veterinarian and check whether immediate action is necessary.