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Dec 23, 2023

Keep these toxins away from your pets

by: Susan Shaw Posted: Mar 15, 2023 / 05:41 PM EDT Updated: Mar 15,

by: Susan Shaw

Posted: Mar 15, 2023 / 05:41 PM EDT

Updated: Mar 15, 2023 / 05:41 PM EDT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Most pet owners go to great lengths to make sure animals don't accidentally get poisoned by something. But there are several things in your home you may not realize can hurt your furry friend.

Dr. Lauren Ugol from BluePearl Pet Hospital in Grand Rapids said you probably know to keep your pets away from chocolate. A little of the caffeine and caffeine derivative theobromine in chocolate can cause digestive problems, but higher levels can lead to heart problems, seizure, come or even death. But you may not know that grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in your dog.

"With grapes, we’re still learning a little bit about what's making them so toxic. We think it has to do with the tartaric acid in grapes," Ugol said. "But what we see most commonly is that these kids can go into acute irreversible kidney damage or failure. We don't know which grapes or which dogs are going to be affected, so it's best to treat every pet as if they got a toxic dose."

You also need to watch out for a popular artificial sweetener found in many foods. Ugol said xylitol is relatively new on the market and is often used in sugar-free candy, gum and some peanut butters.

"This can also be labeled as birch gum or birch sugar," she said. "It releases a massive amount of insulin in the pet that tanks their blood sugar. So when they come to me, they’re nonresponsive. I can fix the blood sugar pretty quickly but what we can't fix sometimes is if they go into liver failure. So if your pet has any exposure to this product, please, please, please get them seen by a vet immediately."

She said vets would induce vomiting and may keep your pet in the hospital for a few days to keep an eye on their organs and put them on the path to recovery.

You’ll want to avoid Easter lilies if you have a cat.

"Every part of the plant is toxic (to cats), from the water that it's sitting in to the pollen coming from it. It's all potentially able to cause irreversible kidney failure in cats. So if there's any potential exposure, they’re walking around the table where the plant is, that is something to take seriously and get your cat seen by a veterinarian," Ugol said.

With recreational marijuana legal in Michigan, it may be in more homes. BluePearl says it's seeing more marijuana poisoning in its emergency room.

"If they’re just not acting their normal selves or staring off into space, they’re not responding to you, or kind of the telltale sign is if they start dribbling urine, that is something that we see very commonly," Ugol said. "The best thing is to be honest with your veterinarian. We are only there to help you and a toxin is probably the best-case scenario for these guys."

She said that other problems with similar symptoms include brain tumors or organ dysfunction, so a vet needs to be able to determine whether your pet is dealing with a toxin that will eventually metabolize or a more serious condition.

If you suspect your animal may have been poisoned, you can also call the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (APSCA) Animal Poison Control number at 888.426.4435.

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