Spiders, snakes and other pet poison dangers
Chocolate isn’t the only scary threat at Halloween
Halloween conjures up many images, including spiders, snakes, ghosts and, for many revelers, buckets of candy. Most pet lovers know that their animals should not chocolate, but spiders and snakes pose a real danger to pets. As people celebrate this holiday, the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline want to warn pet lovers about things that can seriously sicken or kill a pet.
This expert advice is outlined in the October issue of Toxin Tails.
Lisa Brovold, who lives in Iowa, described what she experienced recently when her dog, Wiley, was bitten by a rattlesnake.
“It was after hours on a weekend, and I knew our regular vet in West Des Moines was closed,” Brovold said. She found the number for the Pet Poison Helpline and called a local veterinarian, who recommended that Brovold take Wiley to an emergency veterinary hospital about 45 minutes away.
By the time she and Wiley arrived, the veterinarian and Pet Poison Helpline toxicologists were developing a treatment plan.
Clinical signs of rattlesnake bites include acute difficulty breathing, blood clotting abnormalities (resulting in bruising and bleeding), abnormal breathing (due to fluid shifts to the lungs and pericardial edema), dermal injury (resulting in tissue sloughing), cardiovascular shock and even organ failure.
Wiley was given strong pain medication, IV fluids, liver protectants and antibiotics. The hospital did not have antivenin, but Wiley was able to make a full recovery thanks to the supportive care he received the following two days. He was then sent home with antibiotics, pain medication and liver protectants.
Learn more about what to do about a spider bite in the October issue of Toxin Tails.
Pet Poison Helpline created Toxin Tails to educate the veterinary community and pet lovers on the many types of poisoning dangers facing pets, both in and out of the home. All the pets highlighted in Toxin Tails have been successfully treated for the poisoning and fully recovered.
About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison Helpline, your trusted source for toxicology and pet health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified toxicologists provide treatment advice for poisoning cases of all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline’s fee of $75 per incident includes follow-up consultations for the duration of the case. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
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