Dr. Duggan's Pet Care Articles
Dogs and Cats: Ethylene Glycol Toxicity aka radiator
fluid poisoning. Radiator fluid has a sweet taste to it and one
tablespoon can kill a dog or a cat. The poison in the radiator fluid
destroys the kidneys of your pet. Immediate hospitalization with an
Intravenous drip with the antidote is the only remedy and it is not always
successful. Three days of treatment is the standard procedure. So please
don't let your pets get any where bear radiator fluid.
Toad Poisoning:
Usually occurs in dogs, the dog will place the toad in his/her mouth. The
toxin is in the skin of the toad and once it comes in contact with the mucous
membranes of the dogs mouth it causes a violent convulsion type reaction that
can lead to seizures and death. Immediately wash the dogs mouth out with
copious amounts of water, using a garden hose for 2-3 minutes to flush the
gums of the dogs without drowning your pet is the best idea. If the dog is
still seizuring...seek immediate veterinary care.
CATS: Tylenol Toxicity in Cats:
Under no circumstances can a pet owner ever give Tylenol or aspirin
of any kind to their cat. The active ingredient in the Tylenol CANNOT be
detoxified by the liver and will cause liver failure and death in the cat if
the dose is high enough. And the dose is rather low to cause such a problem.
It is a painful death to the cat. There is nothing in one's medicine cabinet
to relief pain for a cat. It is best to seek veterinary care and let the
veterinarian treat pain disorders in cats.
DOGS:
The only over the counter pain medication for dogs, if your veterinarian is
unavailable, are Tylenol and buffered aspirin, but please keep in mind that
these drugs should under NO circumstances be used for more than 10 days since
they can cause a irreversible anemia and eminent death in dogs. If your dog
experiences pain, please consult with your veterinarian right away and let the
professional handle the pain treatment of your dog.
Dr. James Duggan / Dr. Isabel Fisher
