Poisoning in dogs

The dog in the house is not just a pet. In most cases, she becomes a real member of the family, any illness of which is perceived very badly. And dogs are sick not so rarely. A common painful condition of the dog is poisoning. What situations lead to intoxication, how to recognize a disease and, most importantly, how to help a pet without aggravating its condition?

What can cause poisoning?

The statistics are staggering, but out of a hundred cases of animal intoxication in 87, the owner himself is the culprit. This happens for various reasons:

• The owner does not provide proper supervision, allowing the pet to pick up food waste during walking . Most often, dogs rummage through garbage in search of food due to hunger, malnutrition, the lack of any vitamins, or not having received the necessary training and education.
• Does not comply with the rules and regulations for the storage of feed.
• In the food of the animal sends the products of inadequate quality - with a "tatty", expired, sour.
• It provides free access to household chemicals, fertilizers, and medical preparations.
• Incorrectly making a diet, including a large amount of meat in the dog's menu. This leads to the development of animal protein intoxication (read how to properly feed a pet ).

Types of dog poisoning

There are two types of intoxication, differing in the method of penetration of poisonous components into the body:

1. Food poisoning - toxic substances enter the body of the animal through the esophagus. This includes eating spoiled food, household chemicals, medicines, etc. Sometimes, for severe poisoning, it is enough just to lick the toxin from the coat.
2. Non-food poisoning - the penetration of toxins through the skin or respiratory system. This type of intoxication includes the bites of poisonous insects, snakes, inhalation of harmful gases, fumes.

Signs and symptoms of poisoning in dogs

To provide first aid to a pet, it is necessary to identify signs of poisoning in a timely manner. Obvious symptoms of intoxication are observed on average after 7 hours. When poisoning with rat poison and other similar toxic substances, signs can be observed after 3 hours.

With gradual intoxication, slowly poisoning the body of the animal, the disease can declare itself after weeks and even months.

Most often the organs of the gastrointestinal tract are the first to respond to ingress of poisons

• hypersalivation is observed in the pet (copious saliva);
• the dog often licks his lips;
• diarrhea , vomiting observed;
• mucus and bloody impurities may be detected in feces and vomit.

The respiratory system also does not stand aside; the following symptoms of intoxication can be observed:

• rapid breathing;
• cough , wheezing;
• from the nose stands foam;
• pulmonary edema (occurs at a late stage of poisoning).

The ingestion of toxins leads to a disorder of the cardiovascular system, signs of illness can be extremely severe:

• heart rate increases;
• hypertensive manifestations are observed (increase in blood pressure);
• if intoxication has occurred due to the use of sedatives or narcotic drugs by animals, then bradycardia (sinus rhythm disturbance) may develop.

Such conditions often lead to cardiac arrest in a state of shock and death of the animal.

Intoxication can affect the nervous system, then the poisoning is accompanied by the following conditions:

• lack of coordination - the dog staggers when walking and standing in one place; the pet is trying to throw back his head;
• shakiness in the whole body, convulsive states, tremor can be observed;
• possible loss of consciousness;
• In some cases, damage to the central nervous system leads to overexcitement of the animal, sudden aggression, the pet may moan.

In case of poisoning, involuntary urination may occur, or the opposite situation may occur - anuria, that is, no urine. The latter is usually a sign of renal failure.

In severe forms of intoxication, against the background of disturbed metabolic processes, a sharp decrease in body temperature indices is possible - hypothermia.

Poisoning with certain substances are accompanied by specific conditions. Rat poison causes multiple hemorrhages, isoniazid - convulsions , foam from the mouth, confusion.

Chronic intoxication leads to itching, hair loss , flaking of the skin. Skin and mucous membranes can change color. With these symptoms, it is recommended to undergo diagnosis in the clinic.

First aid for pet intoxication

When poisoning is very important to provide first aid, as the poison begins to affect one system of the body after another, but the wrong actions can greatly harm. What to do if the animal is poisoned?

An important event for food poisoning is the elimination of toxic substances from the body. It is necessary to provoke vomiting in a dog, for this you can give your pet a warm solution of salt (1 tbsp per glass of water) or hydrogen peroxide (one to one).

When insect bites, a cold is applied to the damaged tissue - a piece of ice or a compress. If the poison got on the pet's skin, it is necessary to wash it off with water.

In case of intoxication with gases or vapors, it is important to take the dog away, into a room with possible airing, or on the street. Turpentine or gasoline fumes can lead to vomiting and cramps. In this case, 1-2 spoons of any vegetable oil should be poured into the animal's mouth, and a laxative should be given in 15-20 minutes.

Self therapy in some cases

It is possible to cure a dog by yourself in case of poisoning only in certain situations. To do this, you need to know the exact cause of intoxication and have some medical skills:

• Isoniazid poisoning . If the dog was poisoned by this anti-TB drug, then the first signs appear already during the first half hour. At pet coordination is disturbed, convulsions are observed. In this case, intravenous injections of 1% pyridoxine solution (from 30 to 50 ml, depending on the weight category of the pet) are effective. If you can not enter the medicine in a vein, you can put a shot in the muscle.
• Poisoning with rat poison . The main sign of intoxication with this toxin is the appearance of non-coagulated blood, nasal and oral bleeding in the vomit. It is important at the first sign to put vitamin K intramuscularly. It helps to eliminate blood incoagulability.
• Acid in the gastrointestinal tract . When acids enter the stomach, it is undesirable to induce vomiting. Immediately you need to rinse the mouth, nose, tongue with plain water. In this case, you need to give your pet absorbent preparations and wash the stomach.
• Arsenic poisoning . After first aid, treatment includes taking the mixture from a solution of magnesium oxide and iron oxide sulfate. Every quarter of an hour a pet is given 50 ml of liquid. 3-4 receptions are enough.

In case of intoxication, the pet can be given:

• flaxseeds in boiled form;
• starch paste;
• raw egg white diluted with water.

As laxatives, the use of vegetable oils, Glauber's or Karlovy Vary salt is acceptable.

Treatment of poisoning in the clinic

Naturally, the pet's poor health is an important reason to visit the veterinary clinic. Here, experienced specialists will examine the sick animal. Take a series of tests to identify the type of toxin and assess the condition of the dog. Only after that adequate treatment is prescribed, including various activities:

• gastric lavage;
• intestinal cleansing enemas;
• administering a suitable antidote;
• the use of diuretic drugs that promote the rapid elimination of poisons from the body;
• medical procedures supporting vital organs - kidneys, liver, heart muscle;
• normalization of respiration;
• removal of convulsions with the help of special preparations;
• The use of antibiotics is important in case of toxicity of infectious origin.

Pet diet after poisoning

After therapeutic treatment, the pet will need some time to recover. During this period, it is very important to monitor the nutrition of the dog, after adjusting the diet. The menu must contain the following products:

• cottage cheese;
• boiled eggs;
• boiled liver and lean meat.

If the pet at first refuses to eat, you should not insist. At this time it is necessary to provide the dog with plenty of fresh water. Begin to feed the dog should be small portions, including in the diet of food and foods that are well digested by the body.

When starting a pet, it is worth remembering that all responsibility for his health and well-being rests on the shoulders of the owner. So, it is necessary to prevent such cases of poisoning, removing potential toxic substances away from the pet.