My dog ​​ate chocolate: food poisons

We often ignore it, but food we eat every day is absolutely toxic to our dogs. The bad dog and chocolate relationship is surely the best known. But she is not the only one. Here is a non-exhaustive list.

• Chocolate and dog don’t mix: a 100 gram bar of dark chocolate is enough to be toxic for a dog weighing 7-8 kilos.
• Foods from the garlic and onion family are also very toxic in dogs.
• The grape, its seeds: a bunch of grapes can be fatal to a dog weighing 10 kilos. It takes even less raisins to be toxic.
• The lawyer.

The dog poisoned by plants.

A large number of plants are poisonous to the dog if he eats them. The poisonings range from a simple digestive disorder to death from heart problems. It is best to know the plants in your home and in your garden, even if it is not always easy to remember a dog eating grass or plants.

Here are some examples of plants toxic to dogs: Aloe, Arum, Colchicum, Diffenbachia, Ficus, Hyacinth, Oleander, Black nightshade, Lily of the valley, Poinsettia, Tulip and Yucca.

The dog poisoned by agricultural chemicals

These molecules are often intended to kill rodents or slugs that destroy crops or seed stocks. These are often molecules that trigger seizures (involuntary contractions of the whole body, also present duringepilepsy in dogs).

The dog poisoned by cleaning products

There are poisonings linked to caustic soda or hydrochloric acid used to unclog pipes. The dog licks them and they cause a chemical burn all the way to the stomach. You should absolutely not induce vomiting at the risk of burning the digestive tract a second time.

The dog poisoned by human medicine

It is by far the most common form of poisoning. Indeed, drugs are not always locked out of reach of the dog. And for dogs with pica (see article on dog eating his poop and grass) or puppies that taste everything, a pill pack on the table can be very appealing.

There are also and especially cases where the owner seeking to relieve the pain of his dog (in case of osteoarthritis for example) administers one of his tablets. Molecules such as paracetamol or ibuprofen and its derivatives are very powerful molecules when you are in pain but they are very poorly tolerated by the body of dogs. One 500 mg paracetamol tablet is a toxic dose for a 5 kg dog. Likewise, a 400 mg tablet of ibuprofen is toxic to a 10 kg dog. Human doses are absolutely unsuitable for dogs and the consequences are dramatic: acute kidney or liver failure, severe red blood cell damage, gastrointestinal ulcers which can lead to death.

As with children, medications should be locked out of reach of dogs.

The dog poisoned to death to rats or rat poison

Rat poison is a long-acting anticoagulant poison that works by blocking the use of vitamin K. The blood can no longer clot and if bleeding does occur, it does not stop. Their taste is sweet and attractive to rats but also to our dogs. If you think your dog has eaten rat poison, talk to your vet even if he doesn’t yet have any symptoms. There is an antidote: vitamin K.

Dog poisoned by drugs

Tobacco, cannabis in all its forms, alcohol and other drugs can be very toxic to dogs. It usually triggers neurological symptoms in animals that ingest it.

Poisoned dogs can exhibit a wide variety of symptoms: hypersalivation (drooling dog many), convulsions and other neurological symptoms, uncontrollable digestive symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Some toxins can cause bleeding. In some cases, the dog goes into a coma. Usually these symptoms appear sharply and suddenly.

If you’re wondering how to make a dog vomit, don’t do it unless your vet tells you to. Some poisons are very irritating and should not be released from the stomach. Do not give him milk. Milk has no use.

If the poison is on the skin you can rinse your dog with plenty of water without rubbing it. Do not use water that is too cold to hypothermiaize it or too hot to burn it.

Take him urgently to your vet after calling him, if you know the name of the poison, he can tell you what to do before coming. If the poison allows it and it has been ingested less than 4 hours before it may induce vomiting. Beyond this time the chances of him coming out with vomiting are lower. The vet will then swallow a large amount of activated charcoal to absorb as much toxins as possible. He can also put your dog on a drip to rehydrate and eliminate the poison through the urine.

He will administer the antidote for poisons that have them and treat the symptoms that have arisen with appropriate medication. (anti-emetics, digestive dressings, anti-convulsants…).

There are two veterinary poison control centers in France who answer all questions about poisoning whether caused by plants, poisonous animals, human or veterinary drugs and other household products. You can reach them by phone for urgent matters only or by email for all other questions.