Top 10 Dog Poisons

Dec 23rd 2010

Last year, there were more than 100,000 cases of pet poisoning in the United States. Many of these were caused by substances you probably have in your home, substances that may seem perfectly harmless to you. But just because something is safe for people doesn't mean it won't hurt pets. Some of the most dangerous dog poisons are foods and medications.

Depending on how a particular substance affects your dog's body and how much was ingested or inhaled, pet poisoning symptoms can include gastrointestinal and neurological problems, cardiac and respiratory distress, coma and even death. Our friends at Web MD Healthy Pets share with Paw Nation what to watch out for.

The Poisons

No. 1: Medications for People
Drugs that might be beneficial, or even life-saving, for people can have the opposite effect in pets. And it doesn't always take a large dose to do major damage.

Some of the most common and harmful medications that poison dogs include:

- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, which can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers or kidney failure.

- Antidepressants, which may cause vomiting and, in more serious instances, serotonin syndrome -- a dangerous condition that raises temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, and may cause seizures.

- Isoniazid, a tuberculosis drug, is difficult for dogs to process. Even one tablet can cause problems in a small dog. Signs of poisoning include seizures and coma.