PET CARE TIPS

WINTER SAFETY

Winter is a beautiful and fun time of year that can be dangerous to dogs and cats if important safety precautions are not taken.  Dogs and cats tend to get less exercise during the winter months.  This lack of activity and stimulation often leads to mischief.  Pets may get into things they normally would not.  It is important to be aware of the dangers that this season brings in order to take the appropriate safety precautions to keep your pet safe.

● HOLIDAY PLANTS: If your pet gets into any plant, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately for advice.

• Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima)
  • Thought to be highly toxic.  They are, however, on the low end of the toxic scale. 
  • These plants produce a milky sap that is irritating to the skin and eyeor if ingested, to the gastrointestinal tract. 
  • If your pet comes into contact with this plant, the clinical signs that may be seen include inflammation of the eyes, skin, mouth, stomach, and/or intestines.
  • Treatment includes getting rid of the plant, rinsing the skin and/or eyes, and/or supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy).
  • Prevention includes keeping the plant out of the house or keeping the plant in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet.
• American Mistletoe ( Phoradendron serotinum)
  • Toxicity occurs when a dog or cat ingests any part of the plant, especially the berries. 
  • Signs may be delayed several hours after ingestion.  Signs commonly seen include stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. More serious signs are seen when larger quantities of the plant have been ingested and include a slow heart rate, low blood pressure, seizures, and/or stumbling. 
  • Treatment includes inducing vomiting, administration of activated charcoal, and/or supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy).
  • Prevention includes keeping the plant out of the house or keeping the plant in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet.
• American Holly (Ilex opaca)
  • Toxicity occurs when a dog or cat ingests a large amount of the leaves and berries. 
  • Signs include stomach upset, lethargy, and/or depression.
  • Treatment includes supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy).
  • Prevention includes keeping the plant out of the house or keeping the plant in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet.

● HOLIDAY FOODS: If your pet gets into any human food, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately for advice.

• Macadamia Nuts:
  • Signs of toxicity are seen within 12 hours after ingestion.  Signs include weakness (especially in the rear legs), depression, vomiting, stumbling, tremors, elevated body temperature, abdominal pain, lameness, stiffness, and/or paleness. 
  • No treatment is necessary.  Supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy) will help make your pet more comfortable during recovery. 
  • Prevention includes keeping macadamia nuts in an area of your house that is not accessible to your pet.
• Chocolate
  • Contains two compounds which are toxic when ingested: theobromine and caffeine.  The amount of each compound varies depending on the type of chocolate.  The toxicity of chocolate increases as the levels of theobromine and caffeine increases.  For example, baker’s chocolate has high levels of theobromine and caffeine compared with milk chocolate.  Therefore, baker’s chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate.  However, milk chocolate can still be toxic, so always call our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals if your pet eats any chocolate. 
  • Signs of theobromine toxicity include elevated blood pressure, elevated heart rate, seizures, elevated body temperature, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
  • Signs of caffeine toxicity include elevated heart rate, increased in respiratory rate, hyperexcitability, seizures, stumbling, and/or vomiting.
  • Treatment includes inducing vomiting, administration of activated charcoal, and/or supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy).
  • Prevention includes keeping chocolate in an area of your house that is not accessible to your pet.

● AROUND THE HOUSE

• Holiday Decorations:
  • Tree food or preservatives that are added to the water of a live tree can cause stomach upset if ingested.  Please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately if your pet drinks water with one of these additives.
    • Treatment includes feeding a bland diet.
    • Prevention includes using an artificial tree, putting a barricade
      around the tree so your pet cannot get to the water, and/or keeping your pet confined to a room of the house away from the tree (especially keep your pet confined when you are not able to directly supervise them).
  • Decorations on the tree and around the house can be harmful if ingested (i.e. tinsel, ribbon, ornaments, etc.).  Please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately if you think your pet may have eaten any foreign object.
    • Signs that your pet may have ingested something and the object is lodged in the gastrointestinal tract include vomiting (especially if not able to hold down food and water), lethargy, lack of appetite, and/or diarrhea.
    • Treatment includes surgery to retrieve the lodged object or inducing vomiting if the item is still in the stomach.
    • Prevention includes watching your pet carefully so they do not get into your decorations, keep decorations in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet, and/or keeping your pet confined to a room of the house that does not have decorations (especially keep your pet confined when you are not able to directly supervise them).
  • Electrical cords can be chewed, causing electrocution.  If your pet chews on an electrical cord, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately, even if your pet appears to be OK.  Pets can appear and act normal even if there are internal injuries from the electrical shock.
    • Signs include burns of the gums, tongue, and/or the roof of the mouth, singed hair or whiskers, coughing, increased respiratory rate, and/or blue discoloration of the gums.
    • Treatment includes giving oxygen if needed and administering intravenous fluids.
    • Prevention includes keeping electrical cords concealed (do not have them “dangling”).
      
      
• Liquid Potpourri: If your pet gets into potpourri please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately for advice.
  • Toxicity is more common in cats than in dogs, because potpourri is usually located on countertops, to which cats have greater access. 
  • There are two compounds in liquid potpourri which are toxic: cationic detergents and essential oils.  The cationic detergents are more likely to cause serious effects than the essential oils.  Cationic detergents are commonly found in fabric softeners and sanitizing products.  Essential oils are commonly found in perfumes, shampoos, and soaps.  The concentration of the cationic detergent determines the severity of the injury.  For example, concentrations of 1.0% to 7.5% may cause damage to the gums, whereas concentrations greater than 7.5% are corrosive and may causeburns to the mouth, throat, and/or esophagus. 
  • Clinical signs and treatment depends on the route of exposure:
    • If eye exposure occurs, signs include irritation, redness, pain in the eye, excessive tearing, and/or sensitivity to light. 
    • Treatment requires IMMEDIATELY rinsing the eyes with warm tap water or physiologic saline for a minimum of 20 minutes.  The eyes should be examined as soon as possible. 
    • If skin exposure occurs, signs include redness, swelling, intense pain at the exposure site, ulceration, and/or irritation. 
    • Treatment includes bathing the animal IMMEDIATELY with a mild dishwashing soap or non-insecticidal shampoo.  The skin should be examined for redness, swelling, and/or itchiness. 
    • Oral exposure should be assumed in cases of skin exposure because animals groom themselves.  Signs include irritation of the mouth, throat, or esophagus, salivation, difficulty in breathing, vomiting with possible blood in the vomit, difficulty in swallowing, stumbling, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or lack of appetite. 
    • Treatment includes encouraging your pet to drink milk or water IMMEDIATELY after ingestion. Dairy products work the best including yogurt or ice cream, but if only water is available, use it.  If your pet will not drink or eat these products, then you will need to rinse your pet’s mouth with a small amount of either milk or water using a turkey baster. Due to the caustic nature of cationic detergents, vomiting is not recommended.
  • Prevention includes keeping potpourri in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet or keeping potpourri out of the house.
  • FYI: Dried potpourri is not as toxic as liquid potpourri because it does not contain cationic detergents.  It does contain essential oils, therefore toxicity can still occur but it is less severe.
    
    
• Antifreeze (Ethylene Glycol):  If you suspect your pet drank antifreeze, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals IMMEDIATELY for advice.
  • Antifreeze is a sweet tasting substance.  It only takes a very small amount to be ingested by a dog or cat to be lethal (i.e. approximately 2 to 4 tablespoons can be lethal for a 20 pound dog and one tablespoon can be lethal to a 10 pound cat). 
  • There are three stages of poisoning:
    • Stage 1 occurs 30 minutes to 12 hours after ingestion.  Signs include nausea, vomiting, depression, stumbling, and/or seizures.  Increased urination and drinking can occur within one hour after ingestion. 
    • Stage 2 occurs 12 to 24 hours after ingestion and signs include increased heart rate and respiratory rate. 
    • Stage 3 occurs 24 to 72 hours in dogs and 12 to 24 hours in cats.  Signs include severe depression, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, kidney pain, and/or low body temperature.  This stage is characterized by kidney failure.
  • Laboratory findings:
    • Blood and urine may be collected from your pet to evaluate organ function.
    • There is a blood test available for the detection of ethylene glycol.  This test should be performed within 12 hours after your pet has ingested the product.  This particular test is not very accurate in cats.
  • Treatment includes inducing vomiting (antifreeze is rapidly absorbed from the stomach, therefore if 30 minutes have gone by since ingestion, vomiting should not be induced). 
    • Ethanol and fomepizole are two antidotes used to treat antifreeze poisoning.  Fomepizole has less side effects than ethanol (ethanol can cause depression, “drunkenness,” and/or increase in urination).  Either of these antidotes should be administered 24-48 hours after ingestion of antifreeze and before the kidney values become elevated.  Once the kidney values are elevated, prognosis is poor regardless of the treatment.  Intravenous fluids are given to correct dehydration and promote urination (which helps to clear the body of antifreeze).
    • Prevention includes keeping antifreeze in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet and IMMEDIATELY cleaning up any outside spills and/or containers.
      
      
• Ice Melts:  If your pet eats an ice melt compound, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately for advice.
• There are many different products available for melting the snow and ice on sidewalks.  Toxicity that may occur depends on the active ingredients found in the ice melt.  Your pet can come into contact with salts by stepping on them and then ingesting the salt by licking their paws.  The most common problem seen with ice melts is local irritation on the bottom of the paws.
  • Sodium chloride causes vomiting therefore preventing severe signs.  However, severe and fatal ingestion of sodium chloride have been reported.
  • Potassium chloride toxicity is unlikely unless your pet has               pre-existing kidney disease. Your pet should be monitored for muscle weakness, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. 
  • Magnesium chloride is irritating to the stomach and may cause vomiting.  Pre-existing kidney disease can predispose your pet to developing low blood pressure, low heart rate, and/or weakness. 
  • Calcium carbonate/calcium magnesium acetate causes local irritation of the gastrointestinal tract and causes vomiting, diarrhea, and/or abdominal discomfort. 
  • Urea causes increase in salivation, abdominal pain, weakness, and/or tremors. 
• Treatment includes inducing vomiting and supportive care (i.e. fluid therapy).
• Prevention includes cleaning your pet’s paws thoroughly after being outside. This can be done by using a moist towel or rinsing the paws in a container of warm water and then drying thoroughly.  Also keep ice melts in an area of the house that is not accessible to your pet.

● WEATHER-RELATED

• Hypothermia
  • Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below the normal range (normal body temperature in dogs and cats is 101-103°F).  This can occur if your pet spends too much time outside during the cold winter months without an   appropriate shelter.
  • Small breed dogs, senior pets, neonates (very young animals), short haired dogs, and hypothyroid pets are predisposed to developing hypothermia. 
• Signs depend on the severity of temperature decrease:
  • Mild hypothermia (90-99˚F) can cause mental depression, lethargy, weakness, and/or shivering. 
  • Moderate hypothermia (82-90˚F) can cause muscle stiffness, low blood pressure, low heart rate, and/or reduced respiratory rate.
  • Severe hypothermia (<82˚F) can cause difficulty in breathing, coma, and/or fixed and dilated pupils.
• Treatment includes warming your pet by way of heat blankets (do not use a     heating pad, because it can cause severe burns), warm towels (from the dryer), and warm intravenous fluids.  Your pet will be warmed until about 100°F.  It is very important not to warm your pet to more than 100°F to prevent their           temperature from rising too much. Movement should be minimized to prevent lethal heart arrhythmias in patients with severe hypothermia. 
• Prevention includes not keeping your pet outside too long in the cold and putting a coat on your pet (especially on short-haired pets).  For pets that spend a lot of    time outside, an appropriate shelter should be provided that is elevated off the ground, free from drafts, and not too large (the animal’s body will warm the inside space of the shelter and if the space is too large, this will not be possible).
  
  
• Frost Bite
  • Frost bite occurs when your pet’s extremities get very cold.  The body pulls    blood away from the extremities toward the center of the body to stay warm, therefore the areas susceptible to frost bite include the ears, paws, and tail. 
  • Ear tips with frost bite appear pale, blue, and cool to the touch.  With warming, the tissue develops scale, crust, and hair loss.  The tips may curl, die, and    eventually fall off.  Amputation of dead tissue results in improved healthy skin   and decreases the risk of frost bite occurring again.
  • If you suspect frost bite in your pet, warm the tissue by GENTLY rubbing the extremity between your hands or a soft, warm towel.  The key is to do this gently, because the skin is very sensitive and excessive rubbing could cause further injury to the area.
• Prevention includes not keeping your pet outside too long in the cold and covering the extremities (i.e. using booties on the feet) especially on short-haired pets.  For pets that spend a lot of time outside, an appropriate shelter should be    provided that is elevated off the ground and free from drafts. 

FYI: The appropriate amount of time that your pet spends outside depends on the temperature outside and breed of your pet.  The colder it is outside and the shorter the hair coat of your pet, the shorter amount of time your pet should be outside.  The general rule of thumb is if you are appropriately dressed for the weather and start getting cold and uncomfortable, your pet is likely feeling the same, and it is probably time to go into the house. If you have any questions in regards to your pet being outside in the cold please call us.  If you suspect your pet may have frost bite or hypothermia, please contact our hospital or one of the local emergency hospitals immediately for advice.