Love is in the air…

Valentine’s day is just around the corner and that means love is in the air. Soon your pets will be exposed to many flowers, candies, and chocolates! The following is a list of 5 toxins to watch our for this Valentine’s day:

1. Roses

Threat to pets: Although roses don’t often cause serious poisoning beyond gastrointestinal upset, there’s risk for trauma to the mouth and paws from the thorns. Additionally, if a large enough portion of the rose head or stem is ingested, a bowel obstruction may result.

Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, abdominal pain or discomfort, drooling, and reduced appetite.

Therapy: Check the pet’s mouth and paws for signs of trauma from thorns. Depending on severity of signs, subcutaneous (SQ) or intravenous (IV) fluids or anti-emetic drugs may be needed. In cases of notable trauma, pain medications, and antibiotics may be necessary. Prognosis: Excellent with supportive care.

2. Lilies

What’s in them: The toxin, which remains unidentified, can be found in the petals, leaves, pollen, or even the water in the vase.

Threat to pets: These lilies are extremely toxic to cats and cause acute kidney failure within one to two days of exposure. If not treated, the exposure will likely result in death. The ingestion of just one to two leaves or petals is enough to cause sudden kidney failure. Even ingesting small amounts of pollen from a cat’s fur is considered toxic. Dogs don’t develop kidney failure but may have mild gastrointestinal upset.

Signs: Within a few hours of exposure, cats may display salivation, vomiting, reduced appetite, and lethargy. Within 30 to 72 hours cats may become anuric (stop producing urine) and become gravely ill.

Treatment: Timely decontamination can include inducing vomiting, giving activated charcoal, and bathing (if there’s pollen on the fur). IV fluids are the cornerstone of therapy and are used to protect the kidneys.

Prognosis: The rapid onset of treatment is imperative for a good outcome. If treatment is started after the kidneys have stopped producing urine, the prognosis is poor.

3. Chocolate

Threat to pets: “Dark equals dangerous.” The darker or more concentrated the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains. Therefore, the most dangerous chocolates are baker’s chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and gourmet dark chocolates. White chocolate has very little theobromine and won’t cause chocolate poisoning in pets.

Signs: Ingestions of small amounts of chocolate may cause mild vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive urinating and drinking. Larger amounts can cause severe agitation, increased heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, tremors, seizures, and collapse.

Treatment: Induce vomiting, and give multiple doses of activated charcoal to decontaminate. IV fluid therapy helps animals excrete theobromine. Sedatives and specific heart medications may be necessary.

Prognosis: Excellent in pets with mild signs of poisoning. Poor in those with severe signs, such as collapse and seizures.

4. Chocolate covered raisins

Don’t forget that grapes also fall into this same category of toxins.

Threat to pets: These fruits cause acute kidney failure in dogs. There’s speculation that they may cause kidney failure in cats as well. All pets (especially dogs) that ingest grapes or raisins should be monitored closely and treated appropriately. If a small dog eats just a small number of grapes or raisins, this is considered an emergency.

Signs: Vomiting within hours of ingestion. Within one to four days: increased urination, increased thirst, lethargy, and reduced appetite.

Treatment: Induce vomiting, and administer activated charcoal. In most cases, IV fluids (to protect the kidneys) and in-hospital care are recommended.

Prognosis: Excellent if animals are treated before signs begin. Once they have begun to go into kidney failure, the prognosis is worse.

5. Chocolate covered macadamia nuts

Threat to pets: Macadamia nuts can result in poisoning in dogs if ingested. This type of poisoning hasn’t been reported in cats.

Signs: Within three to six hours, dogs exhibit lethargy, vomiting, and hyperthermia. Within six to 12 hours, hind limb weakness and tremors occur.

Treatment: Appropriate decontamination should be performed if the dog ingested more than 1 g/kg of nuts. Supportive measures such as in-hospital monitoring and IV fluids may be necessary.

Prognosis: Good. Recovery generally occurs within 24 to 48 hours.