Common Dog Poisons (What To Avoid)

Signs Your Dog Has Been Poisoned

It’s not always easy figuring out what’s wrong with your dog, especially if you don’t know what they might have gotten into. Dog poisoning symptoms may also mimic symptoms that come with other medical issues, so it can be tough to determine if your dog was poisoned or is experiencing another problem. Clinical signs can vary depending on what type of toxin was ingested. This is why it’s so important to look out for symptoms of dog poisoning and take your dog to a vet if they’re experiencing any of those symptoms. Here are some of the symptoms you may notice if your dog has ingested something poisonous:

• Agitation
• Tremors
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Seizures
• Diarrhea
• Excessive bruising or bleeding
• Nose bleeds
• Unsteady on feet
• Abnormal heart rate
• Drooling
• Oral irritation
• Pale gums
• Inability to urinate or leaking urine

As soon as you notice your dog exhibiting symptoms of dog poisoning, take a quick look around your house to see if there are any signs that your dog got into something. It could be that somebody left something out on the counter that your dog ate, or perhaps they got into the garbage and ate something that’s making them sick. The sooner you can figure out what your dog ate and how much of it they ate, the easier it will be to treat your dog.

In some cases, you may know your dog ate something poisonous because you saw them do it. If you see your dog eating something poisonous and you can’t get it out of their mouth, you should call a vet right away and tell them what your dog ate. Your vet can tell you how serious the problem is and give you tips to take care of your dog before you bring them into the vet.

Treating a Dog Who Has Been Poisoned

Dogs may eat poisonous things for lots of reasons, whether it’s puppy separation anxiety or a certain food that smells enticing. The good news is, there are a handful of treatment options when it comes to dealing with dog poisons. However, the first step is taking your dog to the vet to get a proper diagnosis, because certain poisons may require immediate, life-saving treatment. If your dog has ingested a lot of a toxic substance or a substance that’s especially toxic, you need to go to the vet right away.

Treatment for a poisoned dog depends on what kind of poison your dog has ingested. Certain things that are poisonous to dogs may have a specific antidote, and getting that antidote administered as soon as possible is an important part of treatment. This is also one of the reasons why it's so important to try to figure out what your dog might have gotten into, whether there are plants that look damaged or garbage strewn about the house.

If there’s not an antidote for the poison your dog has ingested, your vet will provide treatment to help absorb the poison in your dog’s system and give your dog the support they need to recover. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the specific treatment your dog gets depends on what kind of poison you’re dealing with, whether that poison was ingested or not, and what your vet decides is best.

When you take your dog to the vet for poison that they’ve ingested, your vet may attempt to induce vomiting in order to get some of the poison out of their system. However, inducing vomiting isn’t a treatment option if vomiting up that poison could cause damage to the esophagus or stomach. In the event that too much time has passed or your dog is exhibiting certain symptoms, your vet may need to use a tube to flush your dog’s stomach. In  rare cases, stomach surgery may be required to physically remove the toxins that your dog has ingested.

If a vet can’t physically remove poison from a dog’s stomach, they may use activated charcoal to keep the toxins from being absorbed into your dog’s bloodstream further. Activated charcoal is administered via the mouth.

Some types of dog poisons don’t have to be ingested to harm your dog. If your dog is being poisoned by something that’s stuck in its fur and getting on its skin, a thorough soap-and-water washing is an effective way to prevent further skin damage. Dogs with long or matted fur may need to have some of their fur clipped to remove toxins.

Because there are so many different methods of treating poisoning in dogs, it’s important that you take your dog to the vet if you think they may have been poisoned. The less poison your dog is able to absorb, the better, so early detection is also a key to simple treatment.

Dog Poisons: Frequently Asked Questions

Can dogs survive being poisoned?

The severity of dog poisoning depends on several factors, but dogs survive being poisoned all the time thanks to timely proper treatment. The biggest key to surviving dog poisons is getting your dog to the vet as soon as possible, that way your dog doesn’t continue absorbing toxins and getting worse. Some poisons may require an antidote or other immediate life-saving treatment, while others simply require general treatment to get your dog healthy again.

The amount of poison your dog ingests and the weight of your dog are the biggest factors when it comes to surviving poisoning. Certain dog poisons are only lethal to dogs in very large amounts, so you may have nothing to worry about if your dog just ate a small bite of chocolate. If you’ve got a smaller dog that got into a whole batch of brownies or ate a lot of medication, time is of the essence and you should get your dog to the vet as soon as possible.

How long does it take for poisoning to kill a dog?

Just like there are a lot of factors that determine whether poisoning is fatal or not, different dog poisons operate on different timelines. Some poisons are highly lethal to dogs and can kill a dog in mere hours, while others have long, drawn-out effects on your dog’s health over time. For example, over-the-counter painkillers (NSAIDs) may cause damage to your dog’s liver, which may eventually lead to medical issues or even death.

Taking your dog to the vet as soon as possible is an important part of keeping poisoning from getting any worse. You want to stop your dog from absorbing the poison they ingested as soon as possible, or get the poison cleaned off of their skin or out of their fur if they didn’t ingest it. The sooner a vet treats your dog, the better odds they have of surviving—especially if there’s an antidote for the poison they ingested.

How do you save a poisoned dog?

In order to save a poisoned dog, you need to be able to recognize the signs of poisoning in dogs. If you think your dog might have been poisoned, take a quick look around your home and yard to see if there are any clues about what they may have gotten into. Figuring out what your dog got into lets you know how severe the situation is and how quickly you need to get your dog to the vet.

No matter what your dog got into, you should take them to the vet. Your vet can help you figure out what’s going on with your dog and stop your dog from further absorbing poison. If your dog needs immediate life-saving treatment or surgery, your vet can get that process started as soon as possible to increase the odds of survival. The sooner you see a vet, the better.

Final Notes

Watching your dog struggle to deal with the symptoms of poisoning is tough, and there are more dog poisons than you might think. Not only are certain foods poisonous, but your dog can also be poisoned by medications, household products, and plants and plant products. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, agitation, and tremors. If you think your dog has been poisoned, immediate action is essential.

Having a trustworthy vet you can take your dog to is important, and Dutch makes finding a good vet easy. Whether you want to know how to train a dog to stop barking or what’s making your dog sick, Dutch can connect you with a vet who can help. Your vet can even prescribe treatments that can be delivered to your door.