Can a dog get poisoned? Symptoms of poisoning in a dog: home treatment, causes and signs of poisoning. Carbon monoxide or exhaust gas

Poisoning in dogs is common. They can be caused by both poor-quality food and toxic substances. Intoxication with some toxic substances can lead the animal to death in a matter of minutes. This article tells you what to do if your dog is poisoned, what symptoms to look out for, and when to take your dog to the vet immediately.

Causes of dog poisoning

Dogs are not very picky about food. They love to try everything, take it in their mouths and gnaw. Poisoning can occur for a variety of reasons:

when eating stale and poor-quality food. A dog can eat rotten or spoiled meat, some animals are even attracted to the smell of such food. A dog can also get poisoned by expired dog food;
ingestion by a pet of drugs or narcotic substances left by the owners in an accessible place;
the use of dog poison or toxic substances. Now cases of intentional poisoning of dogs are very common. People who do this are called dog hunters. They lay out the poison in the walking areas of pets, they can mix it into pieces of meat and bread;
dog eating household chemicals, detergents. For example, an animal might drink from a bucket filled with floor washing liquid or eat a bar of soap;
chemical gases. It can be fumes, cigarette smoke, chemical weapons. If the dog lives on the territory of an industrial enterprise, it can inhale the fumes of chemicals;
due to contact with toxic substances on the mucous membranes, hair or skin. This may be an incorrectly applied tick or flea remedy to the animal's skin;
home plants, rhododendrons, daffodils, tulips, azaleas are poisonous for animals;
sweetener xylitol - it is fatal to the body of the animal. Just one tablet can lead to hypoglycemic coma and death of the dog.

Please note that puppy poisoning can be caused by the wrong food for age.

Suspicious food - instant action

If you notice that your dog has eaten something on the street, it seems suspicious to you, be vigilant. This is not the case when you should rely on luck. In no case do not feed the dog immediately after poisoning. This can significantly aggravate the situation by accelerating the absorption of the poison into the body.

If we talk about first aid, then you have to take several actions. Follow the step by step instructions.

In each case of poisoning, the first step is to rid the body of further exposure to toxic substances. Induce vomiting in the animal. This can be done in several ways. Large amounts of water (but not with a salt solution, as this can lead to another type of poisoning in a dog). You can use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. Check the dosage with a specialist, since a lot depends on the breed of dog, its weight and age.

Some hosts are able to induce vomiting mechanically. You just need to press on the root of the tongue. But be careful! You yourself know firsthand about the power of your pet's jaws. Do not use popular methods (salt, mustard, soda, etc.).

Unfortunately, even vomiting is not able to fully rid the dog's body of the action of a toxic substance, so you need to use sorbents. Activated charcoal is perfect for this purpose. It is necessary to give the dog medicine at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. Other sorbents applicable to humans are also suitable (enterosgel, smecta, polyphepam, etc.). All of these remedies are applicable even if you fail to induce vomiting.
Give the animal a saline laxative. The dosage is also specified by the specialist. Thus, toxic substances will be removed from the body as quickly as possible.

After that, you just have to watch the dog. It is better to repeat the intake of sorbents after a while. If deterioration is observed, repeat the operations. In parallel with the provision of first aid, try to contact the veterinarian.

Main clinical manifestations

Symptoms of poisoning in dogs develop during the first days after the poisonous substance enters the animal's body. Clinical manifestations depend on what exactly the dog was poisoned with, how the poison got into the body and its amount.

Below are the main signs of dog poisoning with various substances.

Food poisoning

If the dog has been poisoned by food, the first symptoms may begin to appear within a few hours after eating. In a puppy, they can develop faster.

Clinical manifestations of food poisoning:

general weakness of the animal, it becomes inactive, lethargic, refuses to play with its favorite toys;
poor appetite, the pet refuses to eat food offered to him;
vomiting, at first, food residues may be present in the vomiting, and then mucus, gastric juice and bile;
profuse diarrhea, stools are liquid, watery, may have a fetid odor;
increased discharge of gases may be accompanied by intestinal colic, abdominal pain, while the animal whines and groans.

Poisoning with rat poison

impaired coordination of movements. The owners first of all notice their pet staggering when walking, it can fall to one side, crash into walls, hit corners;
the appearance of convulsions in all muscle groups. At the same time, the head of the animal tilts back, its paws are extended, convulsions may be accompanied by the release of white foamy saliva from the mouth;
severe vomiting and diarrhea, which may be bloody.

First aid for a poisoned dog

All owners should know what to do if the dog is poisoned. When poisoned with medicines or poisons, there is no time to think, as the pet can die in a matter of minutes. First aid for a dog in case of poisoning is provided by the owners, after which the animal should be immediately taken to a veterinary clinic.

Remember that if a dog has been poisoned by acid or alkali, it is forbidden to induce vomiting in it and wash the stomach yourself! This will lead to even more damage to the walls of the esophagus and stomach and to severe internal bleeding.

Tools that should always be in the first aid kit

There are several medicines that a dog needs in one case or another. In order not to run headlong after them to the pharmacy after the disease has occurred, always keep them in the first aid kit:

Vitamin B6 injections. It is also called "Pyridoxine". Available at any pharmacy.
Vitamin K1. It can also be purchased at a pharmacy. Only K3 can replace it (and even then partially). A special veterinary drug is not sold in Russia (but better check, times are changing).
Unithiol. This is an excellent antidote. It is quite expensive, it can be used only with the permission of a doctor.
Atropine. It is needed only in exceptional cases. You most likely will not be able to buy it, and rightly so, since the drug is extremely toxic. It may only be used by a qualified technician.
Medicines that can cause vomiting. They are also quite dangerous to your dog's health if you use them incorrectly. Therefore, the doctor should supervise the reception.
Laxatives.
Furosemide or other diuretics.
Syringes.

There are several types of poisoning, and each of them requires a different approach to treatment. Below is a detailed description of how to save a dog from poisoning and what to do before going to the vet.

Diet

As soon as you notice changes in your pet's health that resemble poisoning, remove his food bowl. On the first day of illness, the dog should fast. You can start eating only after the permission of the veterinarian.

Hunger is necessary for rest and unloading of the digestive system. In case of poisoning with poisons and chemicals, there is a high risk of developing internal bleeding, it can be triggered by food.

Gastric lavage

Treatment at home should begin with gastric lavage. To do this, you will need a 20 ml syringe and clean table water at room temperature. Enter 20-40 ml of water into the dog's mouth and press the root of the tongue with your finger. Don't be discouraged if you can't induce vomiting. Water will dilute the toxic substance in the stomach, reduce its concentration and negative impact on the mucous membrane.

Gastric lavage is contraindicated in:

black cough and vomiting (symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding);
etching with acids or alkalis;
disturbance of the animal's consciousness.

Do not add drugs, potassium permanganate or herbal decoctions to gastric lavage solutions. Potassium permanganate is prohibited for use in animals, even in low concentrations it can cause burns to the mucous membrane.

When your dog consumes acids and alkalis, do not try to neutralize these substances. For example, if a dog that has been poisoned by vinegar (acid) tries to neutralize the contents of the stomach with a solution of peroxide (alkali), a powerful chemical reaction will occur in the stomach, as a result of which a large amount of gas is formed. The mucous membrane of the stomach can not withstand and burst.

Purgation

You can make your own dog enema. Take a small pear (volume 50-100 ml), fill it with plain water at room temperature and insert it into the dog's rectum.

Then you should wait until the animal goes to the toilet, and repeat this procedure again. Do an enema should be until the appearance of clean water. Do not add drugs or other substances to the bowel cleansing solution.

Sorbents are a group of drugs whose action is aimed at binding and removing toxins from the digestive system. There are a lot of sorbents. All of them differ in dosage. We will consider the rules for taking the simplest and most common sorbent - activated carbon. This drug can be found in almost every home first aid kit.

The dosage should be calculated according to the weight of the animal: for 10 kg - 1 tablet. For example, the weight of an animal is 5 kg - half a tablet, if 30 kg - 3 tablets. You can give a little more, there will be no harm from it. For example, with a dog weighing 17 kg, take 2 tablets rather than 1.5. Grind the required amount of activated charcoal and stir it with 5-10 ml of plain water. Pour the resulting solution into the pet's mouth through a syringe (without a needle).

Drinking regime

The process of soldering a poisoned animal is long and painstaking. After vomiting and diarrhea, the dog is dehydrated. It should be watered little by little and often. Pour 5 ml of water into her mouth every 5-10 minutes.

Please note that in case of isoniazid poisoning, the dog must be given an antidote - vitamin B6 - within the first 30 minutes. If there are cases of deliberate poisoning of dogs in the area where you live, buy this vitamin and carry it with you at all times. If necessary, administer it to your animal immediately. Consult with your veterinarian in advance about the rules for dosing and administering this antidote.

Treatment in a veterinary clinic

Only a veterinarian will be able to determine the exact cause of the animal’s poor health, make a diagnosis and tell the owners how to help the dog in this situation.

If the condition of the animal is critical, it will be left in the hospital. In case of mild poisoning, the doctor will write out the rules of diet, drink and schedule a visit to the clinic for injections and droppers.

Treatment for poisoning may consist of the following groups of drugs:

antispasmodics;
sorbents;
corticosteroids;
enzymes;
laxatives;
anticonvulsants;
solutions for intravenous rehydration;
painkillers;
anti-inflammatory.

Do not self-medicate your pet. Even if after the first aid you gave him a little better, take him to the veterinarian for an examination and consultation. Treatment at home can be carried out only after the appointment of a doctor.

Prevention of dog poisoning

According to statistics, the most important cause of acute poisoning in dogs is the carelessness and inattention of the owners. The following are guidelines to help you protect your pet from poisoning:

check the date of manufacture of the products you feed your dog, do not give her expired food;
walk your pet in a muzzle, so you will be sure that he does not swallow something on the street;
wean the puppy to pick up and eat something during walks;
keep medicines, detergents, cosmetics, alcohol out of the reach of the dog.

Poisoning in dogs can lead to serious consequences and death. First aid is provided by the owners, after which the animal must be taken to an appointment with a veterinarian. Self-medication can be not only ineffective, but also life-threatening for the pet.

Causes of dog poisoning

Dogs are not very picky about food. They love to try everything, take it in their mouths and gnaw. Poisoning can occur for a variety of reasons:

when eating stale and poor-quality food. A dog can eat rotten or spoiled meat, some animals are even attracted to the smell of such food. A dog can also get poisoned by expired dog food;
ingestion by a pet of drugs or narcotic substances left by the owners in an accessible place;
the use of dog poison or toxic substances. Now cases of intentional poisoning of dogs are very common. People who do this are called dog hunters. They lay out the poison in the walking areas of pets, they can mix it into pieces of meat and bread;
dog eating household chemicals, detergents. For example, an animal might drink from a bucket filled with floor washing liquid or eat a bar of soap;
chemical gases. It can be fumes, cigarette smoke, chemical weapons. If the dog lives on the territory of an industrial enterprise, it can inhale the fumes of chemicals;
due to contact with toxic substances on the mucous membranes, hair or skin. This may be an incorrectly applied tick or flea remedy to the animal's skin;
home plants, rhododendrons, daffodils, tulips, azaleas are poisonous for animals;
sweetener xylitol - it is fatal to the body of the animal. Just one tablet can lead to hypoglycemic coma and death of the dog.

Please note that puppy poisoning can be caused by the wrong food for age.

Suspicious food - instant action

If we talk about first aid, then you have to take several actions. Follow the step by step instructions.

In each case of poisoning, the first step is to rid the body of further exposure to toxic substances. Induce vomiting in the animal. This can be done in several ways. Large amounts of water (but not with a salt solution, as this can lead to another type of poisoning in a dog). You can use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. Check the dosage with a specialist, since a lot depends on the breed of dog, its weight and age.

Unfortunately, even vomiting is not able to fully rid the dog's body of the action of a toxic substance, so you need to use sorbents. Activated charcoal is perfect for this purpose. It is necessary to give the dog medicine at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. Other sorbents applicable to humans are also suitable (enterosgel, smecta, polyphepam, etc.). All of these remedies are applicable even if you fail to induce vomiting.
Give the animal a saline laxative. The dosage is also specified by the specialist. Thus, toxic substances will be removed from the body as quickly as possible.

Main clinical manifestations

Below are the main signs of dog poisoning with various substances.

Food poisoning

If the dog has been poisoned by food, the first symptoms may begin to appear within a few hours after eating. In a puppy, they can develop faster.

Clinical manifestations of food poisoning:

general weakness of the animal, it becomes inactive, lethargic, refuses to play with its favorite toys;
poor appetite, the pet refuses to eat food offered to him;
vomiting, at first, food residues may be present in the vomiting, and then mucus, gastric juice and bile;
profuse diarrhea, stools are liquid, watery, may have a fetid odor;
increased discharge of gases may be accompanied by intestinal colic, abdominal pain, while the animal whines and groans.

Poisoning with rat poison

impaired coordination of movements. The owners first of all notice their pet staggering when walking, it can fall to one side, crash into walls, hit corners;
the appearance of convulsions in all muscle groups. At the same time, the head of the animal tilts back, its paws are extended, convulsions may be accompanied by the release of white foamy saliva from the mouth;
severe vomiting and diarrhea, which may be bloody.

First aid for a poisoned dog

Remember that if a dog has been poisoned by acid or alkali, it is forbidden to induce vomiting in it and wash the stomach yourself! This will lead to even more damage to the walls of the esophagus and stomach and to severe internal bleeding.

Tools that should always be in the first aid kit

There are several medicines that a dog needs in one case or another. In order not to run headlong after them to the pharmacy after the disease has occurred, always keep them in the first aid kit:

Vitamin B6 injections. It is also called "Pyridoxine". Available at any pharmacy.
Vitamin K1. It can also be purchased at a pharmacy. Only K3 can replace it (and even then partially). A special veterinary drug is not sold in Russia (but better check, times are changing).
Unithiol. This is an excellent antidote. It is quite expensive, it can be used only with the permission of a doctor.
Atropine. It is needed only in exceptional cases. You most likely will not be able to buy it, and rightly so, since the drug is extremely toxic. It may only be used by a qualified technician.
Medicines that can cause vomiting. They are also quite dangerous to your dog's health if you use them incorrectly. Therefore, the doctor should supervise the reception.
Laxatives.
Furosemide or other diuretics.
Syringes.

Diet

Hunger is necessary for rest and unloading of the digestive system. In case of poisoning with poisons and chemicals, there is a high risk of developing internal bleeding, it can be triggered by food.

Gastric lavage

Gastric lavage is contraindicated in:

black cough and vomiting (symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding);
etching with acids or alkalis;
disturbance of the animal's consciousness.

Purgation

You can make your own dog enema. Take a small pear (volume 50-100 ml), fill it with plain water at room temperature and insert it into the dog's rectum.

Drinking regime

Please note that in case of isoniazid poisoning, the dog must be given an antidote - vitamin B6 - within the first 30 minutes. If there are cases of deliberate poisoning of dogs in the area where you live, buy this vitamin and carry it with you at all times. If necessary, administer it to your animal immediately. Consult with your veterinarian in advance about the rules for dosing and administering this antidote.

Treatment in a veterinary clinic

Only a veterinarian will be able to determine the exact cause of the animal’s poor health, make a diagnosis and tell the owners how to help the dog in this situation.

Treatment for poisoning may consist of the following groups of drugs:

antispasmodics;
sorbents;
corticosteroids;
enzymes;
laxatives;
anticonvulsants;
solutions for intravenous rehydration;
painkillers;
anti-inflammatory.

Prevention of dog poisoning

check the date of manufacture of the products you feed your dog, do not give her expired food;
walk your pet in a muzzle, so you will be sure that he does not swallow something on the street;
wean the puppy to pick up and eat something during walks;
keep medicines, detergents, cosmetics, alcohol out of the reach of the dog.

Food poisoning in dogs is quite common. In practice, it is rarely possible to protect your beloved pet from poor-quality food or toxic substances. The dog may eat something at home that is not intended for him, or quietly swallow while walking. And then, like in humans, poisoning causes great suffering for the animal, which the owner, of course, should not look at calmly. It is best to immediately contact the veterinarian, but certain emergency measures will have to be taken on your own.

Why there is a problem

The essence of food poisoning is that dangerous chemicals or pathogenic microorganisms that can release dangerous toxins enter the body of an animal along with food. From the digestive system, they are absorbed into the blood, causing general intoxication and dysfunction of some internal organs and the nervous system.

Food poisoning in dogs can occur for a variety of reasons. The animal, as a rule, is not picky about food, and therefore can swallow various low-quality products and even lick off poisonous compounds.

There are such main causes of poisoning in a pet:

The ingress of toxic substances into the gastrointestinal tract with spoiled food; with deliberate poisoning; in case of accidental ingestion of poisons in food. Poisoning is also possible with improper use of drugs.
When a dog licks medicines from a first aid kit, household chemicals, alcoholic beverages, refined petroleum products, poisonous plants or plants with traces of pesticides, reagents used in ice.
Inhalation of poisonous gases: car exhaust gases, gasoline or kerosene fumes.
By contact with toxic substances when they penetrate the skin.

Symptomatic manifestations

Poisoning in dogs is manifested by quite pronounced symptoms:

General intoxication causes weakness. The animal lies most of the time, and when it begins to move, it is noticeable how the paws are shaking. Sometimes there is trembling all over the body.
Some dogs may experience the opposite effect - excessive excitement.
The most characteristic signs: diarrhea, vomiting, excessive salivation. The dog begins to seek out a certain grass in order to instinctively induce artificial vomiting. Thus, the body is freed from toxins, but it should be remembered that complete self-purification does not occur, and therapeutic measures are necessary.
Excessive thirst. The animal constantly comes to a bowl of water and greedily laps. So it fights dehydration, and therefore water should always be in a bowl.
The dog has trouble breathing. It becomes fast and superficial.
An increase in body temperature and an increase in heart rate. High temperature can be detected by touching the nose - it becomes dry and hot.
In case of poisoning with toxic substances (for example, rat poison), blood is found in the vomit and feces. The animal usually groans in response to severe abdominal pain. In such cases, urgent measures must be taken.
When arsenic or isoniazid (an anti-tuberculosis drug) is ingested, a spasm appears. Only urgent help can save the animal from paralysis and death.
With prolonged malnutrition (for example, with an excessive predominance of protein foods), it is possible to provoke renal failure. In this case, the color of urine changes, it has an unpleasant, pungent odor, dandruff and areas of baldness are observed.

How to provide emergency assistance

In severe poisoning, emergency care can save the animal from death. In any case, you need to call a veterinarian, but you will have to take certain measures on your own. First aid includes the following activities:

Elimination of contact with a poisonous product.
Provoking artificial vomiting in an animal. It is necessary to pour one of these compositions inside: a saline or soda aqueous solution at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 200 ml of water; an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%) in equal proportions. Liquids are given warm. The dose is calculated as follows: 1 tbsp. l. for every 3 kg of weight.
If there is a toxic compound on the coat or skin, wash the area thoroughly with warm water and baby soap.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is necessary to wash the eyes and mouth with a soda solution (3%).
The introduction of the adsorbent: activated carbon (2 g per kilogram of body weight), Enterosorb, Enterosgel.
The use of laxatives and enveloping preparations after the use of adsorbents (after 30-40 minutes).
Introduction to the animal through the mouth of such folk remedies: a decoction of flax seeds; highly diluted starch paste; a mixture of egg white with water in equal proportions; a solution of Glauber's or Karlovy Vary salt as a laxative; laxative composition of the oil type.
You should not try to give your dog milk to drink, it will only speed up the absorption of toxins by the body.

Professional medical measures

In case of severe poisoning, treatment should be carried out by a veterinarian. Depending on the type of poisoning, he prescribes targeted therapy. In the veterinary clinic, the dog is provided with the following procedures:

thorough gastric lavage;
setting a cleansing enema deep injection;
the introduction of a directed antidote - an antidote;
the introduction of diuretic drugs to accelerate the elimination of toxins;
symptomatic therapy with an emphasis on the normalization of the liver, heart, as well as the restoration of proper breathing;
in the presence of convulsive phenomena, anticonvulsant drugs are injected, and if necessary, antibiotics.

Possibilities of home treatment

If the mechanism of pet poisoning is known, then targeted treatment can be provided on your own at home. You can use the following treatment methods:

With isoniazid poisoning. Such a substance clearly manifests itself after 40-50 minutes and is accompanied by convulsions and impaired coordination. Vomiting is rare, but the process of intoxication develops very quickly. Treatment is provided by the introduction of a solution of vitamin B6 (1%) in the amount of 40-55 ml. In finished form, the composition is called Pyridoxine.
When poisoned with rat poison, blood is released intensively with vomiting, diarrhea, through the nose. For neutralization, vitamin K (1.5-2.5 ml) or Vikasol should be administered.
In acid or alkali poisoning. In these cases, it is forbidden to induce artificial vomiting. Neutralization is provided with soda or citric acid, respectively. The volume of infused liquid is about 0.7-1.5 liters.
Arsenic poisoning is characterized by the appearance of the smell of garlic from the animal's mouth. A mixture of magnesium oxide with iron oxide sulfate helps well. The liquid is prepared in proportions: 40 g of magnesium oxide and 200 g of a ferrous compound per 1 liter of warm water. The liquid is given to the animal 3-5 times, 75-120 ml in 14-17 minutes.

After elimination of signs of poisoning, the animal is not given food for a day with plenty of fluids. Feeding begins with minimal doses. Recommended: eggs, oatmeal, curdled milk, cottage cheese, boiled low-fat meat.

Dog poisoning can occur for various reasons, and this process should not be left to chance. In order not to lose a pet, it is necessary to take measures adequate to the type and degree of poisoning.

Pets become full-fledged and full members of the family, whose illnesses and misfortunes are acutely experienced by all relatives. The death of a dog in old age always becomes a tragedy for the family, and the beloved watchdog is mourned almost more than the deceased relative. What to say about the premature death of the animal. Or even his serious illness.

More and more animals in our countries become victims of accidental or deliberate poisoning: somewhere an oversight will play a cruel joke, somewhere a dog will grab a poisoned rat, or maybe stumble upon a poisoned piece of meat thrown by cruel ones. The task of the owner of the animal is to try to create the safest possible conditions for his pet and at the same time be ready to provide first aid and long-term nursing of his pet. What exactly can poison a dog and how to provide him with all possible assistance?

Every year, thousands of dogs around the world die from poisoning: some become victims of evil intentions, others eat poisons by chance or absurd coincidence. A good owner is obliged to take care and protect his pet as much as possible. In any case, prevention will cost less than treatment, both morally and financially. Who wants to watch their beloved dog suffer?

On a walk, a pet should not even think about grabbing something, much less eating. Even an appetizing piece of meat or minced meat should not make the animal want to eat it: the dog must understand that there is no food on the street, you can only eat at home from your feeder. In addition, the animal should not take food from other people's hands: only the owner and family members should be perceived as breadwinners. One cannot but agree that if an animal grabs something on a walk and poisons itself, then the owner’s fault, as he did not educate or did not inspect, is undeniable.

If a puppy has recently appeared in the house and the process of its upbringing is only gaining momentum, then the task of all household members is, if possible, to protect their pet from contact with hazardous substances. A curious puppy will find difficulties and problems almost from scratch. For example, it may well be poisoned by a plant growing near the house from time immemorial and seemingly completely safe. A walk by a pond and unauthorized drinking of dirty water with algae can result in complex toxic poisoning.

IMPORTANT! Digging through the garbage and picking up pieces of food on the street, either an ill-mannered dog or a hungry animal that is deficient in vitamins and minerals.

There are two ways to get poison:

food, when the poison enters the esophagus with the use of poisoned food, detergents or medicines; often such poisoning occurs when the animal licks the poison that has fallen on its coat;
non-food - inhalation of poisons, penetration through the skin or snake bites (as an option - insects).

Dog poisoning, as a rule, is a random process: an eaten piece, a licked puddle, contact with a poisoned rat, or a bite from a poisonous snake. Since this process cannot be predicted, it is important for the owner to know the main symptoms and perform certain first aid actions.

Speaking of poisoning in animals, the severity of the dog's condition should be mentioned: this condition depends on the amount of poison that enters the body, and its ability to quickly dissolve.

Soluble in enzymes, the poison acts much faster, spreading almost immediately throughout the body, being absorbed into the blood. In the event that an animal has been poisoned by something like this, even a veterinarian will not always be able to help and save the dog.

At the same time, poisons that dissolve more slowly cannot be called less dangerous. Of course, the percentage of survivors after poisoning by such substances is higher, but often the consequences are so serious that not everyone can cope with them.

Often, pet owners can miss the moment of poisoning, and attribute the dog's malaise to some other reason. Often the precious moment when the dog could be treated as quickly and efficiently as possible is missed, and long and not always pleasant recovery procedures, diet, and care await the owner with his “watch dog”.

The most common animal poisons

Not always poison in the usual sense will be some kind of tool specially designed and used only for these purposes. For an animal, something that is indispensable or even useful in everyday life for people can become poison. Here is a list of the most common and dangerous dog poisons:

Medicines for people - even in small quantities, life-saving drugs can take, if not life, then the health of your pet. The most dangerous include banal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, naproxen), antidepressants and isoniazid. The latter stands apart, since it is this affordable anti-tuberculosis drug, even in a small amount that enters the body of an animal, that threatens with serious consequences (coma and death).
Alcohol - in principle, it is not too safe for a person and is not at all useful, but for an animal it is a real poison: alcohol poisoning in dogs leads to breathing problems and, if no help is provided, to death.
Remedies for ticks and fleas - an overdose of these drugs can cause poisoning, this condition is especially dangerous in small dogs.
Rat poison - the harm caused by this substance is beyond doubt: it all depends on the dose used and the nature of the poison.
Medicines for animals can also be dangerous, especially if the dosage is not respected and the allowable rate is exceeded. Painkillers are especially dangerous.
Household chemicals (cleaners and detergents), chemicals (antifreeze, solvents, etc.), fertilizers - all these familiar and necessary household products can cause the death of your animal.
Plants - More than 400 types of plants can be hazardous to a pet's health (this includes the relatively safe ivy, carnation, or gladiolus, as well as the dangerous rhododendron, crocus, lily, or cyclamen). Given that many, this danger is quite real.

Symptoms of poisoning in a four-legged friend

It is almost impossible not to notice poisoning in your pet, but it is important to correctly determine the cause of the manifestation of certain signs of this disastrous condition. Most of these symptoms are very similar to a common intestinal disorder. with some deviation, which allows you to accurately determine a serious poisoning. Among the main and most typical signs of poisoning in dogs are:

weakness and trembling of the limbs;
convulsions against the background of rapid breathing;
vomiting and profuse salivation;
diarrhea;
involuntary urination or defecation;
depression of the nervous system or, conversely, overexcitation; often there is walking in a circle - a "manege" movement.

A clear sign that these symptoms relate specifically to the state of poisoning is the rapidity of their appearance and the rapid deterioration of the general condition of the animal. This symptom is characteristic only for rapid poisoning, a chronic condition can be so asymptomatic that it is difficult to identify it not only for owners, but also for veterinary specialists. It is necessary to pay attention to the color and condition of the mucous membranes: a pale surface indicates internal bleeding, and a burgundy or yellow one indicates a toxic effect.

It is very important for owners to pay attention to the condition of the dog and, if possible, to help the specialist in his further work: to save samples of the animal's vomit and feces for research in the laboratory.

In addition, some signs may indicate poisoning with specific poisons:

rat poison provokes the appearance of bloody diarrhea against the background of an increase in body temperature;
isoniazid acts on consciousness - the dog begins to rush about restlessly, not realizing reality.

Beware - Poison!

Faced with the symptoms of poisoning in your dog, do not panic and do rash acts: it depends on the owner and his self-control whether the animal will survive with reasonable help or die, mourned by the owner tormented by pangs of conscience. But even earlier, you need to ask yourself: what to do in order to avoid poisoning, to protect your animal from probable and to some extent dependent situations that can provoke a disease:

close the animal any access to more or less dangerous substances (imagine that a dog is a baby, from which all dangerous drugs and preparations must also be hidden);
do not abuse the "treats" from your table - a dog accustomed to this kind of "alms" will be able to eat the wrong thing at the wrong time;
store poisonous substances used in the household as far as possible from animals (higher and behind strong bolts);
if deratization is planned in the house, pay attention to the drug and the timing of the event - at this time the dog must be completely secured (or a short leash).

First aid for an injured dog

The most important thing in the process of helping a dog with poisoning is the speed of action. The sooner the initial inspection is carried out, the more likely it is to save the animal.: eliminate the source of the poison, stop the process of its absorption into the bloodstream.

The first step should be to remove the poison from the body: if the vomiting in the animal is not strong enough, it must be artificially induced. As a stimulation of vomiting, the dog is injected into the mouth with about half a glass of vegetable oil or salt water (a spoonful per glass), less often hydrogen peroxide is used in a ratio of 1:1. It is not necessary to pour liters of water into the dog: a large amount of liquid will not be beneficial, on the contrary, it will aggravate the severity of the animal's condition. It will be much more effective to use not just water, but a saline solution or water with the addition of mustard.

Another means of cleansing the body is a cleansing enema: when performing this procedure, it is important to be extremely careful: focusing on the size of the animal, you need to use a syringe or Esmarch's mug. Whenever possible, a small amount of salt or polysorb is added to the water.

A dry emetic (usually salt or soda) should be put on the root of the dog's tongue and, closing his mouth, stroke his throat for a while: after a few minutes, the animal will be forced to swallow the remedy and all that remains is to wait for vomiting.

In stationary conditions, gastric lavage in dogs is often carried out using a probe: the mouth is fixed with a spacer and a sterile probe, previously lubricated with petroleum jelly, is inserted into the esophagus. Only specialists are authorized to perform such procedures - there is a danger of confusing and inserting the probe into the windpipe. If the introduction of the probe caused vomiting, then the animal's head is lowered so that the masses flow out and continue the procedure.

ADVICE! After profuse vomiting, the dog should be given weak tea or a light solution of potassium permanganate inside. Do not give milk - this will only aggravate the poisoning process.

Immediately after vomiting, the dog should be given activated charcoal or polysorb, which will bind and remove toxic substances from the stomach. For dogs of different sizes, 3 to 20 tablets are sufficient. Experts advise mixing coal with kaolin and polysorb, as well as vaseline oil to speed up the reaction in the stomach.

If the animal is weak and there is a clear decrease in temperature, chills, then veterinarians advise covering the animal with a blanket to normalize heat exchange.

Remember that all of the above actions are primary, immediately after they are completed, the animal must be transported to a veterinary clinic and shown to competent specialists to identify the cause and receive qualified assistance.

How to deal with rat poison poisoning

Rat poison is the most common poison that can threaten your pet. The hunting nature of both rural and urban dogs will not allow an animal to pass by a rat and not catch it. Often a dog pulls out a dead rat from a hole, but the harm from a poisoned corpse is no less than from a living animal. Another option for getting poison into the body of an animal can be eating rat bait directly.

A distinctive feature of rat poison, and the main difficulty is its delayed action.: this is due to the specifics of the destination, since instant poisons act much worse on rats. The poisons of the latest generation are so strong that one rat body will be enough to kill a fairly large dog.

Rat poison works on the principle of disturbing the structure of the blood, namely, it blocks the work of vitamin K, which leads to impaired blood clotting. This leads to an agonizing death from internal bleeding: a subtle trauma to the internal organs will cause such damage and bleeding that will be impossible to stop.

From the ingestion of animal poison to the manifestation of the first symptoms of poisoning, it takes an average of three days, but with the appearance of the first symptoms of bleeding before death, in case of failure to provide assistance, no more than 12 hours will pass.

The most striking symptoms include: weakness and shortness of breath, hemoptysis and nosebleeds, bloody stools, lameness, trembling and general weakness. However, it is difficult to determine poisoning only by these symptoms, blood tests and liver enzymes are necessary, since adding the symptoms is also observed in the presence of liver disease, ehrlichiosis, DIC and other similar diseases.

The system of treatment directly depends on the stage of neglect of the disease. For mild variants with relatively recently eaten poison, standard actions in case of poisoning will be sufficient: induce vomiting, followed by the intake of sorbents and laxatives. In some cases, vitamin K is prescribed preventively (this method is perceived ambiguously by many veterinarians).

For more advanced cases, treatment is appropriate: a blood or plasma transfusion, a loading dose of vitamin K1 subcutaneously, followed by a switch to the oral form. In parallel with this, it is necessary to carry out maintenance therapy with iron preparations, antibiotics and hepatoprotectors. Unfortunately, K1 is not certified in many countries, so not all veterinary clinics have it available. It is desirable for every dog owner to have several ampoules of the drug, since you can even inject it yourself at the first signs of poisoning.

ADVICE! The effect of using the K1 preparation increases several times if it is given to the animal mixed with food.

In the case of a timely visit to a specialized veterinary clinic, the survival rate of animals is 83%, which gives hope and an undoubted reason not to give up, but to save your pet.

Isoniazid poisoning - detect and treat

Isoniazid is a commercially available anti-tuberculosis drug that is fatal in animals in high doses. A piece of minced meat or sausage swallowed by a dog gives a 100% guarantee of poisoning. The rapid absorption of the drug in the small intestine occurs within the first hours after ingestion of the animal.

IMPORTANT! If the pet shows interest in street food, and cases of dog poisoning are observed in the area of residence, then for a while it is advisable to walk the dog in a collar or on the shortest possible leash.

It is impossible not to notice the symptoms of poisoning: after half an hour the dog demonstrates drowsiness and confusion, almost immediately the animal loses concentration - this is a consequence of the shutdown of some parts of the brain. At the same time, salivation with foam from the mouth is observed, as a result - vomiting, in the case of a severe stage, convulsions are observed (may lead to lactic acidosis), depressed breathing, coma.

In case of failure to provide qualified assistance, death from hypoxia, metabolite poisoning and lack of glucose may occur. The state of the poisoned animal is characterized as "panic": the animal either rushes about, as if in a fever, then freezes, like a statue. Often there is blood in the mouth: but this is caused by injuries of the tongue due to convulsions. Therefore, it is extremely important not to confuse the state of isoniazid poisoning with the action of rat poison.

Since the poison acts quickly, delay in the event of the discovery of the first symptoms is extremely dangerous: the actions of the owner of the animal must be thoughtful and as quick as possible.

The first step should be to administer the required dose of vitamin B6 to the dog (do not be afraid to exceed the dose - this drug will not cause harm), then in case of active seizures, magnesia is injected intramuscularly (observe the dose of the drug: 1-5 ml for dogs of different sizes). After that, the dog must be taken to the clinic to receive a hypodermic dropper with a 5% glucose solution, it is advised to add vitamin C.

ADVICE! At least one ampoule of carboxylase will help to normalize the condition of the animal and support it.

Even if the family has a specialist who can carry out all the procedures with a poisoned dog, and there is an improvement in the condition, then the consultation of a practicing veterinarian will not be superfluous, as well as a number of clinical studies. In addition, the doctor will prescribe further treatment and a recovery period for the pet: as a rule, vitamins, subcutaneous glucose injections and other supportive drugs are prescribed.

Caring for a pet after poisoning

Despite repeated warnings and statements by animal advocates about the danger of poisoning among pets that are walked on a long leash, visits to veterinary clinics with a similar diagnosis are only becoming more frequent. Whether your pet will survive depends on the promptness of the assistance provided and the degree of damage to the internal organs of the dog. With first aid provided as quickly as possible and contacting a qualified specialist, the pet will have the maximum chance of surviving and not earning significant health difficulties.

But the dog is alive and even relatively healthy: it is now that the most important stage in the recovery period begins. Survivor, but incredibly hungry - well, still, constant vomiting and glucose solution instead of food - she looks pleadingly at the owner with wet eyes. How to resist and not feed a hungry miracle? But we must hold on, because a competent diet after poisoning is the key to a calm flow of the recovery period and the future health of the pet.

Food for an animal should be nutritious, but at the same time - easy to digest. Usually, specialists give specific recommendations on what to feed a dog after poisoning, in each case, based on the characteristics of the breed and physique, the severity of the poisoning and the condition of the animal, as well as its taste preferences. But some general, most frequently repeated tips for feeding a poisoned dog are:

the first dish of the animal should be rice water - small portions and more liquid in the dish;
at the next stage, you can connect rice porridge in a light chicken broth;
if the dog responds well to these dishes, you can gradually introduce boiled meat into the diet (preferably dietary - turkey, rabbit, chicken, lean veal); fish dishes are allowed.

IMPORTANT! If before the poisoning the dog ate only dry food, then after a happy recovery, you need to return to its specialized options.

With a successful outcome in one and a half to two weeks, the dog can return to its usual diet. Often, to support the digestive system, veterinarians recommend the use of drugs that stimulate the work of the liver or kidneys, as well as supporting the gastrointestinal tract.

After poisoning with poisons, you can not load it with sour-milk products, milk, yogurt or sweets. Even if the dog persistently begs for the usual treats, it should be postponed until the moment of complete recovery. If the dog has a positive attitude towards dairy products, then low-fat yogurt or Narine can be given little by little as a restorative microflora.

However, not only medications and a dietary diet will help the dog recover: the sincere care of the owner, his attention and complicity will be no less important, perhaps even more significant help for the dog in the fight for his health. Take care of your animals, because the joy that moments of communication with them bring cannot be replaced by anything.

Pet poisoning Dai Lapu

Dogs have lived alongside humans for centuries. They give us their love and loyalty, protect us, serve on the borders and work as guides. Unfortunately, city life is becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous for our pets. Walking areas are closed everywhere, it is forbidden to go out with pets in squares and parks, and if the dog gives a voice while staying in the apartment, the neighbors complain. But this is not the worst. A wave of pet poisoning on walks now and then rolls through large and small cities. Accident? Ridiculous coincidence? Or intentional destruction? What to do if the dog was poisoned, and how to prevent a tragic ending.

Prerequisites

Most dogs have a habit of picking up things from the ground that they find attractive. Therefore, it is very important from early childhood to engage with the animal, to train it. One of the key skills is the ability to refuse food that a stranger gives, as well as the learned prohibition to lift something from the ground. This will make your life much easier, although it does not guarantee complete security. Today, dog hunters even practice the treatment of trees and grass with special compounds. By sniffing and licking them, your pet will also receive a dose of poison. Therefore, it is so important to know what to do if the dog has been poisoned.

First signs

Worst of all, if the owner at the right time is not there. For example, you hastily brought your pet to the site and did not notice how he grabbed the “present” on purpose or accidentally left, and then calmly went to work. Until the evening, the pet is unlikely to live. A case is described when public utilities worked to put rat poison in basements. Finishing work in the last entrance in the evening, they forgot the bag of poison on the bench and left. At night, the wind carried it to the grass, where it was found the next day by a dog. A tragedy that could have been avoided.

The first signs appear quite quickly, it will take from 1 to 3 hours - and the clinical picture will already be obvious. Depending on which active substance was the cause, the symptoms may differ. Should alert:

Serious lack of coordination.
Profuse salivation, foaming at the mouth.
Convulsions and convulsions.
Blue tongue.
General restlessness, the dog whines, howls and rushes about.

If you observe one or more symptoms, you need to act immediately. Delay will lead to the quick and painful death of the animal. Below we will look at what to do if a dog has been poisoned.

Poison for rodents

It is he who causes the death of pets in the vast majority of cases. On the one hand, this is the negligence of the owners themselves. Using means to fight mice and rats, they leave them in places within the reach of the dog. If the poisoned grain is of no interest, then sausage or minced meat is the opposite. In addition, such bait is used by ill-wishers. What should I do if my dog has been poisoned with rat poison? Immediately run to the veterinarian. For the most part, these toxic substances lead to impaired blood clotting and damage to small and large capillaries. That is, the dog will die painfully from internal bleeding, slowly and inevitably.

The danger of rat poison

Sometimes trouble comes from where they were not expected. A poisoned rodent does not die immediately and sometimes travels considerable distances, that is, it can come from neighbors. On instinct, your pet may catch it. The dog ate a poisoned rat - what to do? It's good if you noticed it. It's time to take measures to cleanse the stomach of food that has got into it, as well as detoxify. It is much worse if the poison has managed to be absorbed into the bloodstream and act. In this case, success will depend on how quickly treatment is started. After giving first aid, be sure to take your pet to the vet. It is best to leave him in the clinic for a day, so that he stays under the supervision of a specialist and undergoes a course of preventive measures.

It should be noted that there are many poisons for rodents. This is the main difficulty, since it is too late to conduct an examination if the dog has eaten a poisoned mouse. What should the owner do? Try to induce vomiting as soon as possible and take the pet to the doctor. Depending on the clinical symptoms, the specialist can assume what kind of poison the mouse was poisoned with and take action.

Variety of poisons

There are a lot of them out today. Manufacturers add meat-flavored flavors to fight off the smell of poison. But it works for both rodents and dogs. Today, rat poison baits are also laid out to destroy homeless animals. This is an extremely cruel way to destroy their population, because they die in terrible agony.

But your pet can also pick up baits. What to do if a dog is poisoned? First of all, you need to assess the condition of the animal. There are two groups of poisons:

Fast acting. It is not commercially available, only special services use such funds. In this case, you are practically powerless. Even if you immediately go to the clinic, damage to internal organs will be incompatible with life.
Substance of the prolonged action. Preparations of this group are sold in special departments, purchased for the fight against rodents. They can also be bought by those who intentionally want to harm dogs or get rid of stray animals.

Among the substances of the second group, brodifacoum, triphenacin, krysid and a number of others can be distinguished. They are classified according to the type of toxin and have different effects. Knowing these signs will help you navigate the situation if your dog has been poisoned. What to do at home, we will now analyze, but for now a few words about the symptoms.

First and second generation anticoagulants affect the blood. It ceases to curl up and loses its functions, ceases to supply internal organs with oxygen. You can observe bleeding from the ears, nose and mouth, from the anus and vagina.
Rat is very toxic. Under its influence, pulmonary edema and convulsions occur.
- is also very poisonous, it destroys the walls of the stomach and affects the nervous reactions.

Moreover, if the poison of the first group got into the stomach of the pet, then the symptoms can appear only after a couple of days.

The action of the poison

This is also something to keep in mind if your dog has been poisoned. What to do at home? It is required to stop exposure to the toxin as soon as possible. All these poisons are designed to kill. Once inside a living organism, they cause pathological changes in the blood. It ceases to fulfill its life-giving functions. All organs gradually atrophy, which causes a slow and painful death of the animal. Only a few milligrams of poison are needed for poisoning. Puppies and young dogs react faster to toxins, they develop pathologies faster.

How to save an animal

We go directly to the question of what to do. The neighbors poisoned the dog, she found bait on the street or caught a dying mouse - there will be one outcome if measures are not taken in time.

The first step is to induce vomiting. To do this, the stomach is washed with weak potassium permanganate. Take a 20 gram syringe. For an adult animal, you will need to repeat this procedure 4-5 times, for small ones, once is enough. After that, press on the root of the tongue to induce vomiting.
Wash your intestines. To do this, 100 ml of a warm solution must be injected into the anus using a children's enema. After the act of defecation, repeat the procedure.
Give the animal diluted magnesium sulfate powder.

Of course, we are considering a simplified version. It is suitable if you observe obvious symptoms and know exactly what is to blame (for example, the neighbors poisoned the dog). What to do if the malaise is developing rapidly, but you cannot understand what is the reason? Immediately go to the clinic, where an experienced specialist can provide first aid and take tests in parallel.

We provide assistance

If at the moment the veterinarian is not available, you are not able to deliver the animal to the clinic or call a specialist at home (you have a large and heavy dog, no personal transport, the phone does not work), then you need to continue to take rescue measures. Now we will tell you what to do. If the dog was poisoned by dog hunters, the chances of salvation, alas, are very small. They use powerful drugs that kill for sure.

Try again to induce vomiting. To do this, use saline solution. Make it by diluting a tablespoon of salt in a glass of water. You can dilute 0.5 tablespoon of salt in a glass of milk or buy sodium chloride in a bottle.
Pyridoxine hydrochloride, or B 6 . Draw the contents of 10 ampoules of 1 ml into one syringe and inject intramuscularly into the hind paw. You can repeat the procedure after an hour and a half.
Sometimes the symptoms develop so rapidly that you understand: a dog poisoned on the street is dying in his arms. What should the owner do in this case? Give an injection of "Dimedrol" with "Analgin" and "No-Shpu" intramuscularly. This will not save the animal, but will ease his last moments.
If the situation is more or less stable, then after vomiting it is necessary to give the animal absorbents. You can use activated carbon powder at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. There are special cleansing preparations - "Polysorb", "Polifepan" and others.
You need to drink as much liquid as possible, literally pour in with a syringe every 5 minutes. In parallel, use diuretics, most often it is Furosemide.

If the nausea has stopped, you can give the animal a jelly-like decoction of flaxseed. It envelops the intestinal wall and prevents the absorption of toxic substances. But even at this stage, the help cannot be called complete. You need to find a way to take your pet to the vet.

If time is lost

This is a sore point, but even in this case, the owner must know what to do. The dog was poisoned with poison, which means you only have a couple of hours to clear the stomach of the deadly contents. After that, it passes into the intestines, and it makes no sense to torment the animal with useless vomiting. You can not do this with convulsions and a clear nervous lesion. Do not try to feed the animal.

No matter how much you want to help, do not start self-treatment. What to do if the dog was poisoned, only a specialist should think based on the clinical picture. Doctors rarely wait for test results from the lab. They measure temperature, blood pressure and pulse, after which they ask the owner about what happened. Based on this, an assumption is made about the nature of the poison and treatment begins. Laboratory studies can correct the initial diagnosis and therapy. For this, the blood of the animal is examined for the presence of poison.

A course of treatment

After the acute symptoms of poisoning have been stopped, the doctor has many more important tasks. Namely: restore the body, remove toxins and poisons from it. For this, a long course of vitamin K1 is prescribed. In case of severe poisoning, a blood transfusion is performed on the first day until it is completely cleansed. This procedure restores normal blood clotting.

If strong and fast-acting poisons have entered the body, the doctor prescribes drugs to restore the work of the heart and blood vessels, to cleanse the liver and eliminate pulmonary edema.

The activity of dog hunters

In their cruel work, they often use drugs that are easy to get. Very often it is "Isoniazid" - a drug that is used to treat tuberculosis. For humans, it is not toxic, which cannot be said about our smaller brothers. In dogs, the drug disables certain areas of the brain. Death occurs in 40 minutes, at most 5 hours. The cause of death is oxygen starvation. Moreover, the animal experiences severe pain due to paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

The antidote is vitamin B6. That is why it is recommended to keep it in your first aid kit at all times. A simple and affordable remedy will help if the dog was poisoned with tuberculosis pills. What to do? It is necessary to inject intramuscularly 10 ml of vitamin, and after 2 hours repeat the procedure.

"Zoocoumarin"

Signs of intoxication - bloody vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy and pallor of the mucous membranes. The animal groans in pain, the temperature is usually high. Rat poison interferes with blood clotting. In this case, the symptoms usually develop slowly, and the owner may notice them only after a few days. But you can save the animal only within 12 hours. Then the damage to the capillaries is gaining momentum and internal bleeding intensifies. Most often, help to a poisoned dog is too late.

Other means

Doghenters use a fairly large arsenal of tools.

Sometimes a drug for developing photographic film acts as a murder weapon. The lethal dose is about 5 g. It is also toxic to humans. The substance blocks hemoglobin, or rather turns it into another substance that is not able to carry oxygen. Death comes very quickly, there is no antidote.
Strychnine is used to control rats. In dogs, it causes muscle spasm and twitching. Convulsions lead to death.
Arsenic is used in insecticides. This leads to thirst and sudden loss of appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
Phosphorus. Signs of phosphorus poisoning are anxiety, abdominal pain, greenish vomit. In addition, swelling of the tongue, yellowing of the sclera and weakness develop.

Next to you

Unfortunately, situations when people who love and hate animals live nearby are not uncommon. What to do if your neighbors threaten to poison your dog? Complaining to law enforcement is almost useless. They won't make any effort. The exception is if you can prove that this is a thoroughbred animal, which is very expensive. Then it can be regarded as a threat of harm to valuable property. But do not forget that you also need to prove that these threats were. Therefore, record on the recorder, invite witnesses.

Of course, it is best to settle the matter amicably. Try to minimize the contact of your pet with a neighbor, and make contact with him yourself. Go visit with sweets, find out how he lives, what he likes. Gradually, he will become more disposed towards you and indulgent towards the pet. Do not forget about training, the animal should not take anything from the ground and from other people.