My Dog Has Been Poisoned! – What Should I Do?

Translated by Nick R

Dogs love going out to explore their surroundings, and the possibility of accidentally finding something that might be toxic for them, either in their own home or in the street, is always there.

Here I’ll explain everything you need to know to keep your pet safe or provide first aid in case of poisoning.

Table of Contents

How do I know if my dog has been poisoned?

First of all, if you fear that your dog has been poisoned, take him to the vet straight away.

However, let me tell you here the symptoms you need to know so you can help your pet quickly. Although these symptoms may vary depending on the type of poison or toxin they have ingested, your dog must receive immediate attention as it could be lethal.

Symptoms of poisoning in dogs

Vomiting.
Diarrhea.
Fever.
Excessive drooling.
Loss of appetite.
lethargy and fatigue
Dizziness.
Apathy.
depression
Disorientation.
dilated pupils
red eyes
Intolerance to light or loud sounds.
swelling in the areas of the head (face or mucous membranes).
Drinking increased amounts of water.
Involuntary urination and defecation with blood (urinating, dribbling or pooping in places where he/she does not).
Cannot stand and have difficulty walking.
Ataxia (lack of muscle control).
Cyanosis (the canine breathes through his mouth and gums have a bluish tint).
Respiratory difficulty.
Pain (whining).
Tremors.
Muscle stiffness.
Spasms.
seizures
Skin rashes or bruising.
Paralysis.
According to the Journal of Toxicology, poisoning “(…) causes a variety of clinical effects in dogs including anorexia, lethargy, bleeding, bloody stools, decreased activity, pallor of mucous membranes, edema of extremities, hematuria, and dyspnea, among others. Many canines die from lack of veterinary care (mainly unowned dogs), since ingestion is usually unnoticed and consultation is delayed”. (Veterinary intoxications in Chile).

What should I do if my dog has been poisoned?

The first thing you should do in these cases is to contact your veterinarian and take your dog immediately to the clinic to be treated at the very first symptoms. If you have any idea of what poison he may have had contact with, you better let the health professional know.

If for some reason there is no time to get to the veterinarian, you can ask him to guide you to give first aid to your dog so that he can get there alive and receive attention.

Here I’ll also explain the first aid and care you should take if your dog has suffered from poisoning for you to have a better chance of saving his life.

First aid for dogs

It’s important that you locate the poison he has had contact with, this way your veterinarian will know how to act. So always keep samples of the poison for investigation.
DO NOT feed or water him, nor use any home remedies until they find out what poison has affected him and your veterinarian tells you what you can or cannot do.
If your canine is unconscious, you can move him to a well-lit and ventilated area so that he can get some air and you can examine him better. Of course, you must do this with great care and by grasping your dog’s whole body firmly.
Induce vomiting if your dog has consumed something that could harm him, however, do NOT do this if he is unconscious or the substance he consumed is corrosive (such as an acid, a petroleum product or a substance that destroys the surfaces it comes in contact with) as this action (vomiting) could do more damage.
One essential product that you should have in your kit is activated charcoal, it comes in the form of pills and these are sold in veterinaries, you can grind them (the amount will be specified by the size of the dog so ask your veterinarian) and dilute it with a little water, then you will make your dog swallow them and they will absorb the toxic in his stomach.

However, you have to give it as soon as possible, once you notice the symptoms, but, it must be administered under certain parameters. Again, if the products are acidic or petroleum-based, it can make the situation worse. Besides, it doesn’t work with some substances and you should always ask your veterinarian before giving anything.

If you identified that your dog carries some powder or has been sprayed with some substance, you must brush him and bathe him with plenty of water to remove the poison from his coat and thus prevent it from penetrating into the skin.
If the poison affects the eyes or mucous membranes, you should also bathe with plenty of water in the areas that came in contact with the toxin.
Give water to drink when the veterinarian has given you permission and when your pet is awake.

Care or treatment for poisoned dogs

Depending on the type of poison, the veterinarian will perform the appropriate treatment, preventing further absorption of the poison and keeping the canine stable.

It may be necessary to stimulate vomiting after identifying the substance or to perform gastric lavage to remove the poison. Absorbent products, such as the activated charcoal mentioned above, can also be used to prevent further absorption of the venom.

On the other hand, it may also be necessary to provoke the canine to defecate, but this will always be indicated by the professional.

And, naturally, if the objects in question are sharps, they will need to perform surgery.

This is how you can make your dog vomit

If your veterinarian told you so. You can do the following:

Dilute 2 or 3 tablespoons of salt in a glass of water and give it to your pet with a syringe to drink.
Oxygenated water 3% (the number of spoonfuls should be indicated by the veterinarian since it will also depend on the weight of your pet), and give it orally with a syringe.

It’s advisable to collect the vomit for your veterinarian to analyze it, on the other hand, remember that it should always be done with the approval of the professional because, if your pet ingested something sharp or corrosive, it can cause great damage when vomiting.

In addition, if your dog is having difficulty breathing, it is also not advisable for him to vomit or he could suffocate.

How can your dog get poisoned?

Your dog can be poisoned or come into contact with poisons in different ways.

Orally: if he consumed something, either accidentally at home (like some medicine or toxic food for dogs) or deliberately by someone who threw or left some poison for him to find.

By Inhalation: if, for example, it’s a powdered poison and the dog inhaled it.

Skin poisoning: the skin comes into contact with the poison and absorbs it, some substance may have been thrown on the fur.

Types of poison that can affect your dog

Some types of poison that can affect your canine are the following:

Foods: various foods that we eat can be toxic for dogs, such as chocolate, alcohol, citrus fruits, coffee, or grapes.
Toxic plants: poisoning can also occur by consuming a toxic or poisonous plant such as ivy, marijuana, aloe vera, daffodils, Lilium, mistletoe, or lily of the valley.
Medications: the medications you use and have at home can also be toxic for your pets, for example, ibuprofen, paracetamol, antidepressants, sleeping pills, or contraceptives (among others). This is why you should keep these products away from your pet and never give him/her anything without a veterinarian’s prescription.
Cleaning products: the consumption of these products can cause poisoning, given that they contain strong chemicals that will cause great damage to your pet’s stomach and affect his general health in different ways.
Insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, or pesticides: your dog can get poisoned by getting in contact with these products; all these chemicals are highly toxic to any living being.
Poisonous animals: this depends on the area where you are. There may be fewer or more poisonous insects such as spiders (black widows as an example) or scorpions, on the other hand, you may encounter a snake or a poisonous toad.
Corrosive products and petroleum derivatives: these products include acids, gasoline, oil, or some derivative.

Recommendations

If your dog has been poisoned, contact your veterinarian immediately, this is a medical emergency and your pet’s life is at stake.

On the other hand, considering that some people can intentionally poison animals, it’s advisable to never let your dog eat anything in the street or in the park, you should always be aware of what he sniffs or puts in his mouth.

Likewise, don’t keep anything that can be toxic for your dog within its reach. They don’t understand that eating something inappropriate can hurt them, so their human relatives must be careful.

Data about dog poisoning in different countries

Unfortunately, there are many cases of intentional poisoning of animals, especially dogs and cats. Surely you have heard some news talking about it even when laws against animal abuse have been implemented.

Here are some examples of cases in different countries so you can be aware of the ways in which unscrupulous people poison pets and be alert.

Colombia

Only on April 6, 2020, the organization “Hadacaninos” denounced a massive poisoning of about 70 dogs in the San Luis neighborhood in Bogota, Colombia.

In July 2018, in the city of Cali “residents of the residential unit Portón de Cali denounced that there were 20 cases of dogs and cats poisoned in just 3 weeks using poisoned food that was thrown to the pets in their own apartments.”

Spain

On the other hand, in this research by WWF, World Wildlife Fund, and SEO/Birdlife, called “poison in Spain“, it has been found that between 1992 and 2017, 21,260 animals died because of poisoned baits, among which domestic dogs reach 21% of the affected animals being surpassed only by birds of prey.

Ecuador

Between July 12 and 13, 2019, 27 dogs died in 3 shelters (foundations) in the Ecuadorian capital, Lucky, Acción animal, and Defensa de la Vida animal, because the food that was donated contained poison.

Mexico

On September 26, 2019, at least a dozen dogs and a cat were poisoned and died in Comapa, Veracruz. “In June of this year, hundreds of similar cases were reported in Campeche, Yucatan, State of Mexico, and Michoacan. According to information gathered by activists, in the first state alone, more than 300 cases of poisoned and burned dogs have been accounted for.” (Infobae)

Paraguay

“In October 2021 the first trial for animal abuse was held against a man of German nationality who was accused of poisoning 16 dogs in San Bernardino, Cordillera.” (Extra)