​COMMON PET TOXINS IN ROCHESTER AND SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS

Pet are notorious for getting into things they shouldn’t.  Unfortunately for them, they don’t understand the difference between chewing on a slipper and chewing on a rattling medicine bottle that rolled off the counter.  The scarier thing is that the humans are often not around when the ingestion takes place, so you may not know how long ago it happened or that it happened at all.  While many accidental poisonings can be prevented, it is difficult to completely pet proof your entire house.  The top ten most common toxins called into the Animal Poison Control Hotline in recent years have been:

1.  Human prescription medicines
2. OTC medicines
3. Insecticides
4. Household items (cleaning products and laundry detergent)
5. Veterinary prescription meds
6. Chocolate
7. Human foods
8. Rodenticides
9. Plants
10. Lawn and Garden Products

What do we see or hear about at West Lake in Springfield, Illinois? 

• Rodenticides – mouse and rat bait ingestion is very common.  People often have it in the garage and forget about it when the dog is sniffing around under cabinets or the cat travels to the neighbor’s barn and gets into some bait.  Regardless, if you think your pet may have ingested any type of rodenticide, get them to your veterinarian right away.
• Permethrins – this is a chemical that is in many insect repellants made for pets.  There are a lot of over the counter products that contain high levels of permethrin and can be dangerous to your pet.  Cats will sometimes accidentally receive a dose meant for a much larger dog, and will show signs of toxicity after application. 
• Chocolate – the darker the chocolate, the worse it is for pets.  The substances in chocolate that cause problems are caffeine and theobromine.  Chocolate is not just in candy either.  There are now cocoa bean mulches used for landscaping that are also very attractive for dogs to nibble on.  We get the most phone calls about chocolate ingestion around Valentine’s, Easter, and Christmas.
• Human medications – it is fairly common for pets to ingest a few tablets or capsules of their human’s prescriptions.  If you drop a pill on the floor, they knock your pill box down, or get hold of the whole bottle, it is always a good idea to call your veterinarian with the drug name and milligrams to find out if there are signs to watch for or treatment that needs to be given.

West Lake Animal Hospital’s mission is to provide high quality, compassionate veterinary care with a personal touch.  We strive to maintain a friendly and comfortable environment for pets and owners and are committed to building strong, respectful, and honest relationships with our clients.  Through teamwork, we are dedicated to ensuring the best care possible and treating pets as if they were our own.    Call us today at 217-529-4499 if you have any questions about pet poisons.