Help! My Dog Swallowed My Medication!

Much like food, when it comes to drugs or medications, not everything you can have is good for your dog. In fact, some of the things that we take for granted in our medicine cabinet are actually quite lethal to our dogs. Here are five common household drugs and the effects they could have on your dog.

First, the one that is most in the news lately, marijuana. Not only can this one be found in your house but marijuana cigarette butts are being found discarded on the street more often. Many signs of intoxication in your pet are the same as in people; wobbly or uncoordinated, hyperactive, disoriented, and very vocal. Their pupils may dilate, giving them a wild-eyed appearance, they may start drooling or even vomit. In severe cases, tremors, seizures, and coma can result. No matter the method of exposure, detailed and complete information is of the utmost importance for a veterinarian to treat your pet successfully. For instance, eating a ‘pot brownie’ needs treatment for cannabis and chocolate toxicity, whereas second hand smoke may require continued treatment for respiratory complications. Fortunately, the minimum lethal oral dose of THC in pets is fairly high; fatalities were quite uncommon until the creation of medical-grade products, in which the concentration of THC is much higher. 

To learn more visit; https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/marijuana-intoxication-in-dogs-and-cats

Something else in your medicine cabinet is ibuprofen, a common painkiller and anti-inflammatory. This is a must have in any arthritic’s home, but what would it do to your small furry friend? In as little as 12 hours, symptoms will start. Signs of ibuprofen toxicity in your dog may include, but are not limited or exclusive to; not eating, vomiting, black tar-like stools, abdominal pain, weakness, lethargy, increased thirst and increased urination.

To learn more visit; https://www.medvetforpets.com/is-ibuprofen-toxic-to-dogs/ 

Codeine; for those of us plagued by major headaches, we are well aware of how potent this drug can be on our own systems. For your doggies, it would be much stronger. Because it is fairly easy to obtain, many don’t know or forget codeine is in fact an opioid. And heck, your dog may have their own prescription for it! Signs of opioid poisoning or overdose include but are not limited or exclusive to; pinpoint pupils (in dogs), dilated pupils (in cats), sedation, walking “drunk”, decreased respiratory rate, respiratory depression which can lead to respiratory arrest or death.

To learn more visit; https://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/opioids-opiates/

Keeping in line with pain killers, we’ll discuss Acetaminophen next. Signs of acetaminophen in you dog can include brownish-gray colored gums, labored breathing, swollen face, neck or limbs, hypothermia (reduced body temperature), vomiting, jaundice (yellowish color to skin, whites of eyes) due to liver damage, and coma. Acetaminophen is notorious for severe and permanent liver damage.

To learn more visit; https://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_acetaminophen_toxicity

Keep an eye on your cigarettes, tobacco and the multitude of other chemicals isn’t any better for dogs than it is for us. When dogs ingest nicotine, toxicity begins at 0.5 mg nicotine per pound of body weight. The lethal dose is 4 mg per pound. Therefore, a dog weighing 9 to 15 pounds could be in trouble after eating a single cigarette butt. Signs of nicotine toxicity can include but are not limited or exclusive to; vomiting, diarrhea, constricted pupils, drooling, agitation and weakness. You should watch for tremors and twitching that often progress to seizures; cardiac arrest and death may also occur.

To learn more visit; https://figopetinsurance.com/blog/cigarette-butts-toxic-dogs

Call the Pet Poison Hotline at 855-764-7661, your family veterinarian, or emergency veterinarian immediately if you believe your pet has ingested any of these items. They will be able to provide life-saving advice and treatment for your pet.