It may not be something we like to think about, but sometimes pets can get into dangerous stuff. While preventative measures are always best, knowing how to react can save your pet’s life. We pulled these steps directly from the Poison Pet Helpline itself as to the best steps to take if you think Fido ate that bag of chocolate or Kitty was munching on your lilies.
“Detailed Instructions
- Immediately remove your pet from the area, and make sure no other pets (or kids!) are exposed to this area. Safely remove any remaining poisonous material from their reach.
- Check to make sure your pet is breathing normally and acting fine otherwise.
- Collect a sample of the material, along with the packaging, vial, or container, and save it – you will need all that information when you talk to your veterinarian or to a Pet Poison Helpline expert.
- Do NOT give your dog any milk, food, salt, oil, or any other home remedies! Also, never inducing vomiting without talking to your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline – it may actually be detrimental or contraindicated to induce vomiting!
- Don’t give hydrogen peroxide to your pet without checking with a vet or with Pet Poison Helpline first. For you cat lovers, hydrogen peroxide doesn’t work well to induce vomiting (it just causes massive foaming and salivating instead!), and stronger veterinary prescription medications may be necessary to get your cat to vomit up the poison Kitty ingested!
- Get help. Program your veterinarian phone number, along with an ER vet and Pet Poison Helpline’s phone number (800-213-6680) in your cell phone so you will always have immediate access to help.
Keep in mind that the prognosis is always better when a toxicity is reported immediately, so don’t wait to see if your pet becomes symptomatic before calling for help. It’s always less expensive, and safer for your pet for you to call immediately. Remember that there’s a narrow window of time when we can decontaminate (induce vomiting or pump the stomach) in the case of a poisoning!”
We cannot emphasize their instructions enough. If you have family members living in the home with you or have a pet-sitter, be sure that they know the proper phone numbers and instructions.
Here at Emerald Animal Hospital, your pet’s safety and health are our number one concerns. We offer same-day appointments and our doctors and technicians are prepared to help even when you are in a panic. Give us a call at 216-749-7161 to schedule an appointment to go over any questions with our veterinarians, ease concerns, and get even more advice as to how to handle an emergency.