Dealing With Poisons
Poisoning in dogs is not very common but when it does occur prompt action is required. The subject of poisoning is complex because a number of agents may produce the symptoms of poisoning. These symptoms can be summed up as follows:
Abdominal pain, usually colicky in nature; there may be vomiting, and later diarrhoea. In some types of poisoning nervous symptoms may be seen, particularly where strychnine or the phenols are involved. Collapse, with cold extremities, inability to stand, and stertorous, harsh breathing are the final symptoms.
Immediate action
In all cases of poisoning, or suspected poisoning, give an emetic. The best is a small lump of washing soda, administered by opening the animal's mouth, dropping the soda on the back of the tongue, and firmly pushing it down the throat with a finger. This procedure should be adopted in all cases of poisoning with one exception. This is in cases of strychnine poisoning, in which the animal has in the later stages convulsive or fit-like movements. In such cases the risk to the owner in opening the mouth and putting a finger inside is too great, as this might bring on a convulsion and clamping of the jaws.
A veterinary surgeon should be consulted promptly in all
cases of poisoning and suspected poisoning.
A few comments on the commonest poisons are alphabetically listed below.
Arsenic
This is found in some rat poisons. The symptoms are usually vomiting, restlessness, severe abdominal pain, strong desire for water (if allowed, this intensifies the vomiting and increases absorption of the poison).
Barium chloride
This also is found in certain rat poisons. It produces symptoms of an acute nature—vomiting, diarrhoea and loss of use of the limbs.
Coal tar, carbolic (phenols)
Phenol poisoning may result from several sources. Dogs walking in tar may lick sufficient off their feet to produce acute poisoning. Lysol baths and carbolic soaps are other causes of trouble, dogs being extraordinarily susceptible to the phenols and very little is required to produce symptoms of poisoning. Symptoms are abdominal pain, twitching and paralysis. Blindness is a fairly constant symptom in an advanced case. If any phenol or tar is still present on the skin, wash this off immediately, as well as giving general treatment, as absorption of the tar from the skin may be quite considerable. Never use carbolic soaps or disinfectant when bathing a dog.
Coal gas
Often the animal is unconscious. Remove to open air, open the mouth, pull out tongue and apply artificial respiration until help arrives. If the animal is breathing regularly when found, allow plenty of fresh air and give a stimulant, e.g., drops of brandy on tongue, may be given . The patient should be kept warm and quiet until he has been examined by a veterinary surgeon.
Food Poisoning
There are three main types of food poisoning. Food may contain:
1. Toxins (poisons produced by bacteria).
2. Bacteria (which may produce toxins within the animal's intestines).
3. Chemical poisons or irritants (usually contaminants, or from faulty "canning").
1. Toxins
This is the commonest, and also the least serious, of the types of food poisoning. Symptoms are diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and in severe cases the motions may be blood-tinged. Enteritis from toxins in food can be caused by cooked foods as well as by raw. The heating or cooking of food will kill the bacteria or germs present but will not necessarily destroy the toxins they have already produced. Meat is the main offender, and it should therefore always be fresh, cooked immediately, and kept in a cool place in a saucepan with a tightly fitting lid. If any has to be used more than two days later, re-boil. This will help to prevent any trouble.
In cases of enteritis from "bad" meat give a mild purgative, e.g., ˝-2 teaspoonfuls castor oil or Epsom salts. A teaspoonful of brandy added to this will alleviate the colicky type. (The purge should be omitted if the dog is very diarrhoeaic, or if dysentery i.e., blood in motions—is seen.) Thin arrowroot gruel ad lib is the best and most readily available treatment. Medicinal charcoal is also useful, and may be given with the arrowroot. The gruel should be substituted for the normal drinking water until the attack has passed. Your veterinary surgeon should be consulted in all cases where blood is seen in the motions, or when the attack has not cleared up within 12 hours.
2. Bacterial food poisoning
This is a more serious form of enteritis. A certain degree of fever is usually present (102?5°F.-103?5°F.) The animal is markedly dejected, and tight skinned. For first-aid measures treat as instructed in previous section. If, however, this type of poisoning is suspected your veterinary surgeon should be consulted immediately as the dog will require medicinal treatment to kill the bacteria, which often establish themselves in the intestines. This type is therefore likely to be more prolonged and need remedies more specific.
It is most important to be scrupulously careful in washing one's hands after dosing, cleaning or nursing such patients as certain types of these bacteria can produce enteritis in humans, if ingested.
3. Chemical poisons (food contaminants)
Occasionally food becomes contaminated by a poison or chemical. Paraffin, kerosene, and others are usually so noxious that the animal will refuse the food. Rat poisons sometimes are accidentally mixed with food, in which case the animal should be treated as for the specific poison.
Faulty canning as a cause of chemical poisoning is today most rare, but if such a case is met with, treat as for type 1 food poisoning, but using Epsom salts, not castor oil, as a purge.
Lead Poisoning
This may occur in puppies or dogs which lick, or chew, lead paint covered objects. Symptoms are: abdominal pain, reeling, and finally the dog becomes comatose. Treatment, An emetic should be given immediately. When this has acted, give 2 or 3 small doses of Epsom salts at 1/2-hour intervals..
Phosphorus
This is a common constituent of rat poisons, e.g., Rodine. First give an emetic, then small amounts of permanganate of potash crystals dissolved in a little water. Follow this by a dose of Epsom salts, and finally a little glucose in water. Do not give any oily purge, or any milk, or other fatty food.
Barbiturates
Occasionally a dog will accidentally eat some phenobarbitone, intended for medicinal purposes, or other types of barbiturate. First give an emetic. Follow this with stimulants, e.g., black coffee, and constant stimulation until a veterinary surgeon sees the case.
Strychnine
This is occasionally put down to kill rats or moles, although its use is strictly controlled by law. The animal will show excitement, and convulsions of a rigid
nature, arching the neck and lying stretched out with legs stuck straight out. Give an emetic only if no convulsions are seen, as these spasms affect the jaws and are uncontrollable, and may therefore result in a severe bite. Quiet is essential and if possible give a large dose of a sedative . The animal should be seen by a veterinary surgeon as soon as possible.
|
Nasal Discharge The nose, in health, is always moist, and by a discharge we mean one which is clearly perceptible, ...
read more
Misalliance Misalliance, or accidental mating of the in-season bitch, is a frequent mishap and is often regarded by the owner ...
read more
How To Take Your Dog`s Temperature A half minute short bulbed clinical thermometer is necessary. See that the mercury is ...
read more
Paralysis This condition, a symptom or result rather than a disease in itself, is tedious to nurse and alarming to ...
read more
Dealing With Poisons Poisoning in dogs is not very common but when it does occur prompt action is required. The ...
read more
Pyometra This is an important and serious condition (pus in the womb) in which the uterus is infected. Although it ...
read more
Snake Bites Fortunately, only occasionally are dogs bitten by a snake in this country. Whilst a bite is unlikely to ...
read more
Thorns In Pads This minor mishap occurs frequently with dogs whose lives are not bounded by an asphalt road or ...
read more
Deaths In New Born Puppies Sometimes puppies within the first few days of birth begin to whimper continually, lose interest ...
read more
After Care For Nasal Operations The care of post-operation cases will depend to a large extent on the nature and ...
read more
Inflamation of The Brain Under this general heading can be grouped encephalitis, meningitis, the involvement of the brain during uraemia ...
read more
Preventing Diarrhea Diet for puppies is a big subject . Sudden change to a different kind of food can cause ...
read more
Dislocations Dislocations occur occasionally in dogs, usually as a result of a car accident. The commonest joint to become dislocated ...
read more
Dealing With Abdominal Pain The causes of pain in the abdomen are many and varied. They may be serious or ...
read more
Abortion Abortion, or miscarriage, is the expulsion of puppies before they have reached their full stage of development in the ...
read more
Dealing With Accidents Street accidents can be divided into two main groups: 1. Superficial injuries (varying degrees of bruising, skin ...
read more
Dealing With Bites Dogs are most commonly bitten by another dog, a cat or a rat. 1. Dog bites There ...
read more
Dealing With Burns And Scalds A burn is an injury produced by dry heat and a scald by moist heat, ...
read more
Dealing With Collapse This serious condition resembles shock but is very much more severe and often has a fatal outcome. ...
read more
Certain rarer conditions may produce abdominal pain, e.g., intussusception, where the symptoms are similar to those of an intestinal foreign ...
read more
When a dog is incontinent (this often happens in paralysis) several newspapers arranged under his hindquarters will help to keep ...
read more
Caring For Your Dog Much will depend on the time of year whether the dog is allowed out to relieve ...
read more
How to Handle your Dog in an Emergency THE handling of a dog should start when he is a puppy, ...
read more
Dealing With Heat Stroke This is most frequent in short-nosed dogs, especially bulldogs. Immediate action is important as collapse and ...
read more
Using Inhalation These can be exceedingly unpopular with canine patients but are nevertheless prescribed quite frequently for catarrhal infections, such ...
read more
Looking After Your Dog`s Eyes 1. Scratches of the eye. 2. Foreign bodies. 3. Extrusion of the eye-ball. Eyes are ...
read more
Dealing With Acute Mastitis. Mastitis, or inflammation of a milk gland, is usually seen in bitches in milk. Therefore this ...
read more
Ear Problems Mishaps to these parts of the dog's anatomy are fairly frequent. The three main causes of trouble are: ...
read more
Eclampsia Eclampsia is a condition seen in the bitch and it generally occurs about the time of whelping, or it ...
read more
Dealing With Feeding and Fevers "Feeding" is a misnomer in this connection as one of the most important points to ...
read more
Dealing With Foreign Bodies Objects which become lodged in various parts of an animal's digestive tract are referred to collectively ...
read more
Dealing With Fracture General. Fractures are the result of injury to the normally firm skeletal tissue—bone. Fractures may be of ...
read more
Dealing With Hemorrhage Bleeding, when it is from the skin, is a natural process to wash bacteria and dirt from ...
read more
|
|
|
Disclaimer: The Publisher has strived to be as accurate and complete as possible in the creation of this website, notwithstanding the fact that he does not warrant or represent at any time that the contents within are accurate due to the rapidly changing nature of the Internet.
This site is a common sense guide to Dealing With Poisons. In practical advice websites, like anything else in life, there are no guarantees of income made. Readers are cautioned to reply on their own judgment about their individual circumstances to act accordingly.
This site is not intended for use as a source of legal, medical, business, accounting or financial advice. All readers are advised to seek services of competent professionals in legal, business, accounting, and finance field.
Any perceived slights of specific people or organizations are unintentional.
 |
