Poisons

They can be sneaky, our hounds. If you have anything laying around, they will be interested. Be vigilant, and put food and items away, because some of those items can be very harmful to them.

It’s always a good idea to post, close at hand, your veterinarian’s number, the number of an emergency clinic, and the number for the Poison Control Center.

Poison Control Hotlines

Before you call, note the time your pet was exposed to the toxin, the type of product ingested, the manufacturer’s name and any ingredients you can find listed on packaging.

ASPCA Ani-Med

1.888.721.9100

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center

1.888.426.4435

National Animal Poison Control Center

1.800.548.2423
If you need to speak to a veterinarian there, this service will be billed to a credit card. An alternate number is (900) 680-0000. A veterinarian’s services on this line will cost a flat fee (was $45) for the first five minutes, and an additional fee per minute for each additional minute. These charges will be billed to your phone bill. (Call them for current pricing)

Kansas State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital

1.785.532.5679
FREE 24 hours poison control hotline for pet owners and veterinarians. Be patient. The person answering the phone may have to take a few minutes to consult the vet on duty.

Pet Lover’s Helpline

1.900.776.0007

Tuft University School of Veterinary Medicine

508.839.5395

Poisonous Items

The following list is not complete and some situations and with some hounds many things can be potentially toxic. We can help our hounds by being more vigilant about their environment.

Some Foods which are toxic and poisonous to pets:
Alcohol (all alcoholic beverages, ethanol, methanol, isopropyl)
Almonds*
Apples seeds
Apricots*
Avocado*
Broccoli (in large amounts)
Cherry pits
Chocolate (all types)*
Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
Figs
Garlic*
Grapes
Hops (used in home brewing)
Macadamia Nuts
Milk
Mould y/spoiled foods
Mushrooms
Nutmeg
Onions*
Peaches*
Pear seeds
Plum seed/pit
Potato (leaves & stem, peelings, and unripe green potatoes)
Raisins
Rhubarb leaves*
Sugar Free items with Xylitol (see below)***
Tomatoes (leaves & stem, and green tomatoes)
Walnut hulls
Yeast dough

Some plants potentially toxic to dogs include:

Azaleas
Bleeding Hearts
Buttercups
Daffodil bulbs (notice this is the bulb and not the flower)
Dieffenbachia
English Ivy
Foxglove
Iris
Lantana
Lilly Of The Valley
Lobelia
Mistletoe and Holly
Oleander
Rhubarb
Wisteria
Yew

Some Common household items potentially toxic to dogs include:

Alcoholic Beverages
Antifreeze
Batteries
Cigarettes
Cleansers and Disinfectants
Coffee Grounds
Fertilizers
Fuels
Furniture Polish
Laundry Bleach
Matches
Mothballs
Pennies
Perfume
Rat Poison/Bait traps
Shampoo

If you suspect that your dog has been poisoned, get to your veterinarian as soon as possible. In some cases, it may be after hours or the dog may not have the time to wait to get to an emergency clinic. Administering hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting is correct with some poisons, but not all. Check with your vet or poison control first.

Good websites about poisoning include:

Your first aid kit should contain these items for poisoning.

  1. Poison Control number
  2. a fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP (to induce vomiting)
  3. a turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (to administer peroxide)
  4. saline eye solution
  5. artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing)
  6. mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid (for bathing an animal after skin contamination)
  7. forceps (to remove stingers)
  8. a muzzle (to protect against fear- or excitement-induced biting)