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Hours
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Monday, Wednesday,
Friday: 8am-5pm
Tuesday & Thursday:
10 am -7pm.
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616-878-7387
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We are a small animal facility providing compassionate and comprehensive veterinary
care for pets.
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 March
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Poison Awareness
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March is poison awareness month. This is a great time to shed some light on the most common toxins your pet can be exposed to along with tips to prevent poisoning of your pet.
Last year the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center received 165,900 reports regarding a pet exposed to a poisonous substance.
The most common of these calls were about a pet that had ingested a human prescription medication. Human medications whether they are prescription or not should be kept locked away from your pet. Many non prescription medications like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be deadly to your pet. While most containers are child proof they are not pet proof, it can be very easy for them to chew open the bottle and gain access the medication.
Other common calls the APCC received were regarding pesticides including insecticides, rodenticides and herbicides.
When applying any type of insecticide to your lawn you must make sure all instructions are followed, like keeping your pet off the lawn for the allotted amount of time. If you are unable to keep your pet away look for products that are safe to use around pets.
Pesticides that are used inside the home may also cause great danger for your pet. Whether it’s an airborne product or stationary “bait” product your pet should not be allowed exposure. One insecticide most people don’t typically think of is flea prevention. Always use the recommended dose on the correct species. You should never apply a dog product to a cat; also applying more of the product doesn’t get you more. This could potentially be an overdose for your pet.
Rodenticides are designed to kill small animals so it is no surprise it can be harmful to your pet, a mammal. If allowed access to any of these products your pet can develop internal bleeding, kidney failure, seizures and death.
Fertilizers are also something that can be harmful to your pet. Some fertilizers can be made up of dried blood; poultry manure and bone marrow which can make it smell particularly appealing to your pet but can also cause gastrointestinal problems.
Household products and people food were also on the list of top poisons. Chocolate- the most common pet toxicity contributed to about 4% of the total calls last year. Ingesting too much chocolate can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and can even cause seizures. Xylitol is a sugar substitute and can be found in many types of food and candies- most commonly sugar-free gum. Xylitol at toxic doses can cause seizures and liver failure in dogs.
Other common people foods to avoid are grapes, macadamia nuts, onions and garlic.
While veterinary medications, plants and antifreeze may be at the bottom of the pet toxin list for 2011 they can still be just as dangerous. Veterinary medications can be toxic if your pet ingests more that the recommended dose.
Certain plants can also be a risk for your pet. This time of year the most common plant toxicity we see is cats that have ingested Easter lilies. All parts of the lily plant are toxic (and apparently tasty) to cats. Even small ingestions can lead to acute or sudden renal failure and subsequent death. To see a full list of pet poisonous plants please visit http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/.
Antifreeze and brake fluid may be helpful for your car they can be fatal to your pet. Antifreeze has been known to have a sweet smell which can be very enticing to your pet. Make sure any spills are cleaned up and the containers of all automotive fluids are kept out of reach of pets to prevent poisoning.
If you suspect your pet may’ve been exposed to a toxin please call your veterinarian, if they are unavailable you can call a 24 hour emergency facility or the ASPCA poison control center at (888) 426-4435, a consultation fee may apply. Here are a few details you may want to have on hand before calling:
• Species, breed, age, sex, weight of all animals involved.
• Symptoms for example: vomiting, diarrhea or seizures
• Name/description of the substance that is in question; the amount the animal was exposed to; how long it's been since your pet ate it or was exposed to it.
• Have the product container/packaging available for reference.
The best prevention is elimination. Keep potential toxins locked away so your pet has no chance at reaching them. While sometimes this may seem impossible, with things like cleaners and insecticides you can try looking for products that will not be harmful to your pet. Always read the instructions and labels carefully before using any product or giving any product/medication to your pet.
Have a safe and happy spring!!
This information was compiled from various sources
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