David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Cold medications could poison your pets
by Angela Mulholland, CTV.ca
January 26, 2012
We’re knee-deep into cold and flu season now, busting out the tissues and the pills to stop the shivers, sniffles and sneezes in droves.
Great news if you run a cold and flu medication business, but not so great if you’re a dog or cat and you’ve just gobbled up a pill your owner dropped on the floor.
The ASCPCA says medications used by humans during cold and flu season present some of the worst dangers to pets.
Just one tablet of extra-strength acetaminophen, for example, could kill your cat. Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen (which is often sold as Tylenol), because it can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen, the group says.
In dogs, which tend to be bigger than cats, acetaminophen can cause liver damage as well as red blood cell damage at higher doses.
They warn that id you see your cat gasping for breath, or if they develop a swollen face and paws, or discolored gums, they might have accidentally swallowed an acetaminophen pill.
Acetaminophen poisoning in cats requires immediate veterinary care.
Ibuprofen (often sold as Advil) and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen can cause serious problems even in small doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, the ASPCA says, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.
Pseudoephedrine, a popular decongestant used in many cold and sinus products, acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it will cause a racing heart, increased blood pressure as well as increased body temperature. It can even lead to seizures.
Vitamin D supplements are great in the winter for humans, but in pets, calcitriol or calcipotriene capsules can cause life-threatening spikes in calcium levels in pets. The signs of such poisonings include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure. These symptoms usually take more than 24 hours to kick in.
These are just some of the cold and fly meds that can pose a danger to pets; there are plenty of other kinds of medications that are just as dangerous.
In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 89,000 calls related to pets ingesting over-the-counter and prescription medications.
The ASPCA says if you catch your pet gobbling up medication, you should call your vet right away, even if the pet seems fine, since a poisoned animal might appear fine for several hours or even a day or two after the incident.
Be sure to take the product's packaging with you to the vet so s/he can see what’s been ingested.
by Angela Mulholland, CTV.ca
January 26, 2012
We’re knee-deep into cold and flu season now, busting out the tissues and the pills to stop the shivers, sniffles and sneezes in droves.
Great news if you run a cold and flu medication business, but not so great if you’re a dog or cat and you’ve just gobbled up a pill your owner dropped on the floor.
The ASCPCA says medications used by humans during cold and flu season present some of the worst dangers to pets.
Just one tablet of extra-strength acetaminophen, for example, could kill your cat. Cats are especially sensitive to acetaminophen (which is often sold as Tylenol), because it can damage red blood cells and interfere with their ability to transport oxygen, the group says.
In dogs, which tend to be bigger than cats, acetaminophen can cause liver damage as well as red blood cell damage at higher doses.
They warn that id you see your cat gasping for breath, or if they develop a swollen face and paws, or discolored gums, they might have accidentally swallowed an acetaminophen pill.
Acetaminophen poisoning in cats requires immediate veterinary care.
Ibuprofen (often sold as Advil) and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like naproxen can cause serious problems even in small doses. Pets are extremely sensitive to their effects, the ASPCA says, and may experience stomach and intestinal ulcers and—in the case of cats—kidney damage.
Pseudoephedrine, a popular decongestant used in many cold and sinus products, acts like a stimulant if accidentally ingested by pets. In cats and dogs, it will cause a racing heart, increased blood pressure as well as increased body temperature. It can even lead to seizures.
Vitamin D supplements are great in the winter for humans, but in pets, calcitriol or calcipotriene capsules can cause life-threatening spikes in calcium levels in pets. The signs of such poisonings include vomiting, loss of appetite, increased urination and thirst due to kidney failure. These symptoms usually take more than 24 hours to kick in.
These are just some of the cold and fly meds that can pose a danger to pets; there are plenty of other kinds of medications that are just as dangerous.
In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 89,000 calls related to pets ingesting over-the-counter and prescription medications.
The ASPCA says if you catch your pet gobbling up medication, you should call your vet right away, even if the pet seems fine, since a poisoned animal might appear fine for several hours or even a day or two after the incident.
Be sure to take the product's packaging with you to the vet so s/he can see what’s been ingested.
