23/12/2024
POISONS to be aware of during the FESTIVE SEASON
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Do not forget your four legged loved ones this season!
These days in particular we have to watch them like a hawk and make sure that certain foods and plants as well as the decorations are not at easy reach.
Any form of chocolate can be poisoning. The severity of it will depend on the size of your little one and how much of it they have eaten. The more cocoa in the chocolate, the more risk it poses to your pet.
The Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) is circulating a very informative sheet about chocolate and the other 3 main poisons we deal with during the Christmas holidays and we are sharing it with you here:
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CHRISTMAS MEANS CHOCOLATE!
Christmas is associated with an excess of food and top of the list is chocolate. This of course means an increase in cases of accidental ingestion in pets, particularly dogs. We see a huge increase in call numbers relating to chocolate at this time of year – around 20% of all chocolate cases reported to the VPIS occur in December.
The toxic component of chocolate is theobromine, a methylxanthine. It is a metabolite of caffeine, which is also present in chocolate. The amount of theobromine in products will vary due to natural differences in cocoa beans and the formulation of the products.
Signs of chocolate toxicosis include vomiting, diarrhoea, polydipsia, polyuria, restlessness, hyperactivity, tachycardia, hypertension and hyperthermia. Less common effects include haematemesis, haematuria, bloat, tachypnoea, cyanosis and arrhythmias (classically premature ventricular contractions (PVC)). Renal dysfunction may occur but is uncommon.
Treatment is supportive with emesis, repeated doses of activated charcoal, IV fluids and sedation, if required. Although chocolate can make dogs unwell, serious cases are not common, and deaths are rare. Prognosis is guarded in dogs with seizures or arrhythmias after ingestion of chocolate.
Vets requiring treatment advice for animals with suspected poisoning can call our Veterinary line on 02073 055 055. Owners can call our Animal PoisonLine 24/7 on 01202 509000.
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FESTIVE PLANTS
We have already started receiving enquiries involving various festive plants this year. Here is a summary of the species we most commonly receive calls about:
Holly - (Ilex aquifolium) Holly can cause – in dogs - hypersalivation, vomiting, inappetence, diarrhoea, lethargy and depression. Animals may also shake their head and smack their lips. Choking on the stiff leaves is also a potential hazard.
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Poinsettia has the reputation of being a toxic plant, but this has been greatly exaggerated. It can cause irritation to the mouth and stomach with hypersalivation and sometimes vomiting.
Mistletoe (Viscum album) The plant is considered to be of low toxicity. It is likely that reports of alarming effects refer to American mistletoe (Phoradendron flavescens) and not European mistletoe (Viscum album). Ingestion of the berries of European mistletoe may cause gastrointestinal upset.
Christmas Trees These trees are considered to be of low toxicity. Ingestion may cause a mild gastrointestinal upset and they could cause mechanical obstruction or physical injury (some needles are sharp).
Ivy (Hedera species) The ivy used in wreaths and decorations is Hedera helix (not Toxicodendron radicans, the American poison ivy). Ivy may cause gastrointestinal upset when ingested. Where there is significant or prolonged skin contact, Hedera species can cause both irritant and allergic contact dermatitis.
Lilies (Lilium species) Many households will have lilies at Christmas, and all parts of this plant, even the pollen, are extremely toxic to cats and cause severe kidney damage. Lilies are not hazardous to dogs and may cause only mild gastrointestinal upset if ingested.
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LILIES AND CATS IS A NO NO
The Cats Protection survey represents views and attitudes from people across the UK, including those that look after or share their homes with cats and also those that don’t. Over the past fi ve years, our findings have answered some of the most important and pressing cat welfare questions.
This year's report reveals that 52% of cat owners are still not aware of the dangers that lilies (lilium) pose to cats. To help increase awareness about the risks of these popular flowers, Cats Protection met with over 40 retailers of cut flowers through the British Retail Consortium to ask them to improve their labelling of lilies.
As discussed above, lilies are a common addition to the house during Christmastime, so it is particularly important to raise awareness of lily toxicity around this time.
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GRAPRES AND DRIED FRUITS
… Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies!
Another potential Christmas food hazard are grapes and their dried fruits (sultanas, raisins and currants). This includes Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and mince pies. Ingestion of grapes or their dried fruits can cause renal failure in dogs but this only happens in a minority of cases. Not all dogs are affected and the reason for this remains unknown. There is also no apparent dose-response relationship. We have follow up information on over 1000 cases of grape and dried fruit ingestion in dogs but only a small number died or were euthanased.
The current understanding is that grape and sultana/raisin/currant toxicity is idiosyncratic and it is still not possible to determine a toxic dose since the risk factors remain unknown. Although it is likely that a single grape or piece of dried fruit is unlikely to be a risk, dogs ingesting more than this should ideally receive an emetic and repeat dose activated charcoal.
Owners should be fully informed of the risks and it may be decided to send the dog home after gut decontamination with instructions to return if any signs start, particularly vomiting, at which time IV fluids and bloods for renal parameters are indicated. Certainly, any dog with vomiting and late presentation after ingestion of grapes or dried fruits should be admitted and assessed for kidney injury.
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The VPIS has got a great website dedicated to inform pet owners of these and other poisons: https://www.animalpoisonline.co.uk
The Animal Poison Line has a free 24h phone number that you can contact as an owner to seek advice:
01202 509000.
Save it in your contacts for future reference. We hope you will never need to call them, but it is peace of mind.
Have a SAFE and JOLLY festive season!
Remember that we will be closed from 25th to 27th of December as well as on 1st of January.
Appointments for Mar and Cecile can be booked online through PetsApp
On Tuesdays 24th and 31st of December we will be open until 3pm only.
Cecile will be consulting on the 24th and Mar on the 31st.
During our opening hours, call us on 01730 858160 for any worries and emergencies.
When we are closed and your pet needs urgent attention, Farnham Veterinary Hospital
01252 750329
is open 24/7
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We provide conventional & holistic veterinary care for pets and Acupuncture Referrals for all species Home and Stables/Fields visits are possible.
