In this special Case of the Month, I wanted to focus on a problem that I see all too often in my canine patients. This will serve as more of a "Public Service Announcement" than an individual case report. In over 20 years as a veterinarian, some of the saddest and scariest cases I've seen are when dogs get into human or veterinary medications. There is no such thing as a "dog proof" pill vial and most dogs can easily chew open plastic bottles especially if the item inside is yummy or flavored in some way. Some dogs will eat pills even if they taste bad. Since dogs are often left unsupervised in our homes, these accidents usually happen when the owners are away and then come home to find chewed up pill vials, pills on the floor, or a very sick pet. It further complicates things when there are multiple dogs in the home since we won't know who ate what and how many. Thankfully, this problem is very easily avoidable! ALL MEDICATIONS SHOULD BE STORED IN UPPER CUPBOARDS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AT ALL TIMES! If you have a very agile dog who could even climb up on a counter, a locked cupboard might be necessary. We always tell our clients which medications are flavored when we dispense them from our hospital and try to warn people about this issue but we sadly still see this problem very often. Some human medications can be very harmful to our pets with even just one pill. Other medications are only harmful when an overdose occurs. The most common medication we see that causes a very harmful overdose is Rimadyl (carprofen). This non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is a common pain medication for dogs and comes as a very yummy chewable tablet. Dogs think this is a treat! Overdosage of this drug is dose dependent and can lead to stomach ulcers, gastroenteritis, acute kidney injury, liver toxicity, and even neurologic disorders. Some dogs require lengthy stays in the hospital to rid their body of these toxins. Sometimes, it is fatal.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR DOG HAS INGESTED A TOXIN:
1) Immediately call your veterinarian and tell them you have an emergency and need to bring in ALL YOUR DOGS for treatment. Be sure to bring all chewed pill vials, extra pills, and all evidence if possible.
2) Call ASPCA Animal Poison Control to get a toxicologist on the case: 888-426-4435
3) Your vet will induce vomiting if the pet is stable and your vet feels that there is a good chance the toxin will still be in the stomach
4) Your vet will administer activated charcoal by mouth to absorb the toxin if indicated
5) Your vet will recommend labwork to assess for any organ damage. This may be recommended several days in a row.
6) Your pet may need to be admitted for further hospitalization
I cannot reiterate this enough. Please store ALL medications out of reach of your pets! Even if you think, "my dog would never do that", please do it anyway. The heartbreak and guilt that comes along with this issue is so avoidable.
The Drake Center for Veterinary Care is an AAHA-accredited animal hospital located in Encinitas, CA. The Drake Center loves being a source of information for all pet owners across the country however if you have any questions regarding pet care and do not live in Encinitas, CA or surrounding cities, we encourage you to contact your local veterinarian.
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