Be wary of pet poisons

Poisoning occurs relatively frequently in pets, especially dogs, who will eat anything in front of them.

Some poisonings are from actual products designed to be poisons, such as 1080, rat bait and slug baits.

However, we see just as many poisoning cases from everyday things such as foods, plants, algae, mushrooms and drugs.

Actual poisons like 1080 rarely cause problems in urban areas, but if the regional council or Department of Conservation spread the bait, they notify us and the public and advise muzzling of dogs to prevent them eating the baits.

More common is poisoning from rat bait, which is readily available to the public and used without being placed in dog-proof bait stations.

The dogs unfortunately will often not show any symptoms for the first week, until they start to become weak, bruise readily, cough and bleed from their orifices.

If we see them at that stage, the likelihood of death is high unless we can stabilise the bleeding and give them a blood transfusion.

Traditional metaldehyde slug bait is extremely poisonous, because it works very quickly and affects the digestive and nervous systems.

Dogs need to be kept well away from it.

There are safer products on the market that instead contain an iron chelate.

Of the food poisons, chocolate is the most common one.

We had three cases just before Christmas, two of which left the dogs gravely ill.

The darker the chocolate and the smaller the pet, the more serious the problem.

It initially causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.

That can progress to cardiac problems, seizures, internal bleeding and even death.

Making the pet vomit early after it has been eating is the best way to manage the problem. That may need to be followed with activated charcoal if little is vomited up.

That helps bind the chocolate, but is not a specific antidote.

Other foods that can be poisonous to pets if they are given too much includes grapes (and raisins), onions and garlic.

Composted food can also be a problem because if eaten in large quantities, it can cause the blood to become too acidic, creating a toxic event.

Plants such as lilies can be poisonous, especially to cats.

The christmas lily, tiger lily and day lily are all very poisonous.

Other plants that can be poisonous include rhubarb, nightshade, foxglove, kaka (the berries), ngaio and buttercup.

A common cause of severe and often fatal poisoning over summer is from toxic algae.

The black or brown matted algae found in the dried-up, slow- moving parts of rivers such as the Hutt or Otaki can kill dogs within 30 minutes.

Some types of mushrooms and fungi can cause severe hallucinations and seizures in dogs if eaten at certain times.

Another common cause of poisoning in pets is when they eat medicines of their human owners or of other pets in the household.

I have had dogs eat heart pills, oestrogen pills, and antiinflammatory pills. All sorts.

If you suspect your pet has eaten a poison, always get them to a vet as soon as possible. If it has been within the last 30 minutes we can induce them to vomit it all up.

After that period, the poison is often starting to get into the bloodstream and causing problems. It becomes more challenging then.