We Need Each Other, Please Stop!

"Much smoking kills live men and cures dead swine."
George Dennison Prentice

Humans never seem to be satisfied. They like variety, seek out thrills.... always want something bigger and better. Good is bad, bad is good. Simple moments ignored.... the smell of the neighbors barbecue, chasing the same ball for hours, eating the same food night after night, peeing on the same tree day after day, now this is good stuff. Us dogs, we like repetition. We are satisfied by a "good boy", long walks, chasing squirrels.......

Many humans like to bring fire to their face.... what the heck!? The smoke rolls in and out without a cough, while we (your dog and cat) are over here with red eyes, coughing and sneezing..... is the place burning down?

Well believe it or not your harming us as much as yourselves. Secondhand smoke can cause cancer in your pets but that isn't the only risk!! Many people are now trying the electric cigarettes, nicotine patches and gum. All of these products are concentrated nicotine, a little goes a long way, right to the emergency clinic. Even the butts your squishing out on the driveway, poison dude, poison.

Let's look at the facts:

1. We don't live very long compared to a humans life expectancy. Hard to swallow I know and we cherish every moment we have with you! The average life expectancy of a dog is 10-12 years, the cat is a little longer, 12-19 years. Secondhand smoke can cause lung and nasal cancer in dogs, and repeated exposure of smoke to a cat doubles their chance of developing Lymphoma, as well as asthma and bronchitis.

2. Quit smoking. Did you know on the average a person who smokes a pack a day spends approximately $1000 a year on cigarettes? But let us also talk about your veterinary bill. Quit now and you will save money on your vet bill (or at least smoke outside).

3. E-cigarettes can be fatal to your pet! It takes only 5 milligrams of nicotine to cause problems for your pet. A regular cigarette has approximately 15-20 milligrams of nicotine, e-cigarette refill cartridges can have anywhere from 6 to 24 milligrams, then take into account that a package can have five to one hundred cartridges. According to the Pet Poison Hotline, the number of calls about nicotine poisoning from these new products has doubled. One cartridge could cause toxic signs in a 50 pound dog, but in a ten pound dog it could be fatal. Yikes!! And their flavoring them!!! Banana Cream Pie anyone???!!!

4. Nicotine poisoning happens rapidly in pets, typically within 15-60 minutes after ingestion.

5. Signs in dogs and cats: vomiting, diarrhea, irritation, increased heart and breathing rates, depression, tremors, seizures, coma, and cardiac arrest.

6. React quickly, because of the rapid onset every moment counts. Call your veterinarian immediately if you suspect nicotine poisoning.

I've heard how hard it is to stop sucking in all that smoke (my human mom was hooked and quit "cold turkey" when she fell in love with my dad). If you really love your pets you should think twice about lighting, vaping, whatever you want to call it. Quit today, we want you around as much as you want us around. If you can't do it (we know you can), then please take it outside (and don't drop that butt, it's lethal).

Tata for now
Oli

for more information check out these links:
Secondhand smoke harmful to pets as people: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/secondhand-smoke-as-harmful-to-pets-as-people/
E-Cigarettes and Pets Do Not Mix: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/uncategorized/e-cigarettes-pets-mix/

National Poison Prevention Awareness Week

Happy first day of Spring! Couldn't tell by looking outside. 

This week is National Poison Prevention Awareness Week. At Small Animal Veterinary Emergency Services, we see a lot of pet poisoning every week. Trust me, it happens so easily. I can't tell the difference between a good mushroom and a bad one! My family loves chocolate... how come they can eat it and I can't! Come on, now I have to be careful with what types of sticks I chew on. You humans have your job cut out for you trying to keep us healthy.

So here are the most common poisons to keep away from us.

Top 10 Pet Toxins 

1. Prescription Human Medications: top three, heart medications, anti-depressants, and pain medications

2. Insecticides used in and around your house

3. Over-The-Counter-Medications: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen to name a few.

4. Veterinary Products: flavored tabs especially.

5. Household toxins: fire logs to cleaning products.

6. People food: garlic, onions, avocado, macadamia nuts to name a few. Don't forget Xylitol in candy.

7. Chocolate: baking being the most toxic (check out my chocolate toxicity calculator at the top of the page.)

8. Plants: inside and outside!

9. Rodenticides: don't forget about the newest Bromethalin.

10. Lawn and garden products: snail mouse and rat baits and fertilizer to name a few.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned please call your veterinarian immediately. Remember, always bring the container of the suspected poison to the hospital with you!

To find out more about poisons that could be harmful to your pet, check out the ASPCA site.

Tata for now.....

that one little pill.....

So what do you do when you have a little ache or pain? Well my humans pop a little pill called Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen, pain killers commonly referred to as Advil or Tylenol.

That little pill eases the discomfort, makes them feel good again. So why not help us four-legged friends out, sometimes we have little aches and pains?

Because you may kill us if you do! True fact, these two medications are on the top ten list for the most common poisonings for your pet.

We often get a hold of the containers and chew and chew until we get to the inside and then we eat and eat.
What happens next isn't pretty. The drugs can destroy the lining of our stomachs as well as restrict blood flow to our kidneys and in turn destroy our kidneys. No kidney, no pet.

Sometimes you give us these medications because you think it is going to ease our pain. By doing this you are going to increase our pain. Pain medications are formulated especially for pets, humans for humans....

If you have given your pet these drugs you may begin to see vomiting of blood, high enough doses and seizures occur. The silent damage, failure of the kidneys is something that is not fixed.

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned by these human pain medications, call your veterinarian immediately. Symptoms are sometimes days in developing and by then trying to fix the damage may be too late. If your pet has pain issues such as arthritis contact your veterinarian. They can prescribe medications to ease the pain that in turn will not harm your pet.

Tata for now!