Tag Archives: toxins

Festive Hazards Pet Owners Need To Be Aware Of.

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Festive Hazards Pet Owners Need To Be Aware Of.

 

Festive Hazards Pet Owners Need To Be Aware Of. 

The cold winter months bring particular challenges for our pets, and as their owners, we need to be aware of the problems they can suffer at this time of year. Our Festive Hazards Pet Blog, takes a look at some of the commonest winter hazards including; string, tinsel and bones from your festive feast!

 

 

 

Outdoor pets

Don’t forget about smaller pets during the winter months, particularly those who live outside. Make sure your rabbits and guinea pigs have insulated hutches, plenty of bedding and they are still receiving their daily exercise. Water bottles – these can freeze overnight, try putting an old sock over the top of the bottle to prevent ice forming inside.

 

 

Xylitol, grapes and raisins,

The signs of pet poisoning can be vague so owners need to be vigilant when having these tasty festive treats in your home. Our Festive Hazards blog takes a look at some of the seasonal toxins that could be in your home.

 

 

We hope you enjoy reading our latest pet blog, Festive Hazards Pet Owners Need To Be Aware Of. If you have a query on any of the articles mentioned please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team for more advice.

 

Here at Young Veterinary Partnership, we have been offering a caring service to pets from all over West London for over 50 years. We are experienced and can perform most investigative medical and surgical procedures that are available to your pet. We also have a Pet Healthcare Club, helping you budget for your pets veterinary essentials across affordable monthly payments, join here. Visit a vet who is passionate about your pet.

Autumn has arrived – are you and your pet prepared

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Autumn has arrived – are you and your pet prepared

 

Autumn has arrived – are you and your pet prepared

from fermenting fruit to antifreeze, are you aware of the toxins that could be lurking in your home at this time of year? Our Autumn News has some great advice on what to watch out for during the changing seasons and when symptoms could indicate a pet emergency. Read our Autumn News here.

 

 

Fleas & ticks

love the warm weather, and in addition to your home, they thrive outside in parks and gardens. Our Autumn News explains the signs to watch out for and how to prevent them coming home with your pet.

 

 

 

Firework Fright!

Whilst so much has changed over the past few months following Covid – 19, it is likely that fireworks will continue to plague the lives of many pets. With this in mind, our Autumn News gives some great advice on how to help keep your pet calm and safe at this time of year.

 

 

We hope you have enjoyed reading our Autumn News 2020, if you have a query on any of the articles mentioned do not hesitate to contact our friendly team for more advice.

 

 

 

 

Black and Tan dog in the snow

Winter dangers

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vet in west london

Winter dangers

Antifreeze and Rocksalt

A reminder that antifreeze used for cars, and water coolant can be highly toxic if ingested, particularly for cats.

If ingested it may cause;

  • vomiting,
  • seeming depressed or sleepy,
  • appearing drunk and uncoordinated,
  • seizures (fits),
  • difficulty breathing,
  • increased thirst,
  • increased urination,
  • kidney failure.

Please ensure all antifreeze is kept in sealed containers away from pets and any spills are cleared up immediately, as even a small amount can be highly toxic.

Rocksalt–

Is a mixture of salt and grit used to de-ice roads in winter. If pets get it on their paws and lick it off it can be toxic. It can cause high blood sodium levels which may result in increased thirst, vomiting lethargy and in severe cases seizures.

Most pets would be affected after walking through rocksalt and then licking it off their paws.

We recommend you prevent this by thoroughly wiping or cleaning their paws when they return home.

Some winter plants can also be poisonous to your pet so watch out for Holly, Ivy, Mistletoe and Pointsetta.

What we can do:

If your pet ingested the toxic less than 2 – 3 hours ago we may administer an injection to make your pet vomit. This is not suitable for all toxins but if your pet vomits this can help to stop any further toxins being absorbed. We may also syringe feed your pet with charcoal as this can bind any toxins left in the body and help stop further digestion.

We may run also run blood tests on your pet and put them on a drip to help support their organs whilst the toxins are being broken down.

If you suspect that you pet has been in contact with any type of poison do not hesitate to contact us, we may ask you questions to help us best prepare for your pets arrival.

 

flea products

Avoiding pet poisons

poisons

 

We are proud to offer an emergency service at Young Veterinary Partnership.  Unfortunately some clients have to use our emergency service when their pet is poisoned.  Whilst this is a situation we hope you won’t have to go through with your precious pet, poisons that are harmful to pets are commonly found in everyday household substances and products. We hope this newsletter will help you to understand some of the common poisons and explain what you should do in an emergency to minimize the risk to your pet.

There are a few keys things we may ask over the phone which help us to assess the immediate situation.

  • When do you think the toxin was ingested/in contact with your pet? Some specific toxins may have an anti-toxin which we can administer.
  • What was it? Bring any packaging with you if you can.
  • Make a note of any clinical signs such as vomiting, diarrhoea, shaking, seizures, drooling, altered mentation (behaving strangely), burns/ulcers in the mouth, pain, increased thirst, heavy breathing or difficulty breathing.

Poisonous foods:

Raisins, Grapes, Onions, Chocolate, Alcohol, Leeks, Garlic.

Poisonous Plants:

Lillies, Rododendron , Azalea, Marijuana, Pointsetta, Yew, Deadly nightshade.

Other Poisons:

Rat poison, Paracetemol/Ibuprofen (paracetamol is IMMEDIATELY FATAL to cats), Chewing gum (zylitol), Anti-freeze (ethylene glycol), Permethrin (poisonous in cats and at high quantities in dogs – often found on supermarket anti-flea products), Weed killers / herbicides (Paraquat/doquat), Blue-green Algae, Batteries, Lead, Insecticides (Organophosphates), Slug bait (Metaldehyde), Psoriasis creams (Vitamin D analogues), Bleach, Strong detergents.

What we can do:

If the toxin was ingested up to 2-3hrs ago we can administer a small injection which will make your pet vomit. This stops any further toxin being absorbed into the stomach and intestines. After this we may try to feed your pet some adsorbents such as activated charcoal.  Adsorbents bind to any toxin left in the stomach and prevent any further digestion. If the toxin was on your pet’s skin we may instruct you to wash your pet with some warm mild shampoo.

Depending on how much toxin your pet has ingested we may do blood tests and keep your pet with us overnight on a drip. This helps to support the vital organs whilst the toxin is being broken down. We may also need to monitor your pet intensively for a few days whilst the toxin clears.

We hope this dispels some of the myths around poisons and explains how we can help.  We have extensive experience in dealing with cases of poison in pets.