Paws Off! Part 1: A Guide to Common Pet Toxicities, Prevention, and What to Do in Case of Exposure

As a pet owner, ensuring the health and safety of your furry companions is paramount. The U.S. Congress established National Poison Prevention Week on September 16, 1961, and the Poison Prevention Week Council was organized shortly thereafter to coordinate this annual event and promote poison prevention. This year, National Poison Prevention Week is designated for March 16–22, 2025.

In addition to highlighting the toxins pets may encounter, I also want to address what to do if your pet gets into trouble. In this two-part blog post, we’ll first focus on some of the most common household items that can pose serious health risks to pets followed by a second post that will focus on what to do if your pet ingests something harmful.

• Chocolate: Chocolate is made from the cacao bean (Theobroma cacao), which contains theobromine. Theobromine is stimulant similar to caffeine. Due to dogs and cats metabolizing this chemical much slower than humans, even a small amount of theobromine can be highly toxic. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity can vary depending on the amount and type of chocolate consumed, as well as the dog’s size and breed. Typically, the darker a chocolate, the higher the theobromine concentration. The chocolates with the highest theobromine concentrations are dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate. Even white chocolate does contain a small amount of theobromine, and while white chocolate presents a low risk of chocolate poisoning, there's still risk of toxicity.

Symptoms of chocolate toxicity include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, and seizures. Regardless of what type of chocolate your dog may have ingested, it’s imperative you contact your veterinarian or a poison hotline immediately to discuss potential treatment options.

Unfortunately, the risks associated with chocolate ingestion don’t stop with the initial presentation of clinical signs. Days later, pets can experience inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, due to the high fat concentration in chocolate. Symptoms of pancreatitis include vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, abdominal pain, fever, and shock. If any of these symptoms are noted after chocolate ingestion, it’s crucial to seek veterinary attention immediately as pancreatitis can be a life-threatening condition.

• Xylitol: Xylitol is a sugar substitute found in many sugar-free products, such as gum, candies, peanut butter, cough syrups, dietary supplements and toothpaste. Even small amounts can cause a rapid release of insulin, leading to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in dogs. Symptoms may include vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, and seizures and can start within 20 minutes of ingestion. Always check labels and keep xylitol-containing products out of reach. Other names of xylitol include birch sugar, wood sugar, birch bark extract, and sugar alcohol.
• Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, though the exact substance responsible is unknown. Even small amounts can be toxic and there may be individual sensitivities, leading to symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Due to the many unknowns regarding the toxicity, any exposure is a cause for concern. If your dog has consumed grapes or raisins, reach out to your veterinarian for advice, as timely treatment can be crucial.

At this time there are anecdotal cases of cats and ferrets that may have developed kidney injury following grape/raisin ingestion, but true toxicity risk is unknown. The safest thing would be to avoid giving these foods to cats or ferrets as a precaution and to seek treatment with your veterinarian if there has been potential exposure.

• Bread Dough: When ingested, raw bread dough made with yeast can be toxic. Although any species is susceptible, dogs are most commonly affected because of their indiscriminate eating habits. Bread dough toxicosis occurs when the warm, moist stomach environment encourages yeast replication causing the dough to expand. Gastric distension and decreased blood supply to the stomach wall result. With significant distension of the stomach, trouble breathing can occur.

In addition to distension of the stomach, ethanol is produced from yeast fermentation and absorbed into the bloodstream, resulting in inebriation. Early symptoms are associated with the distension of the stomach and include unproductive vomiting and abdominal discomfort. As poisoning progresses, signs of “drunkenness” are seen including disorientation and incoordination. Eventually, severe depression, weakness, coma, low body temperature and seizures may occur. In addition, due to the expanding dough in the stomach, the digestive tract may twist abnormally in susceptible dog breeds, mostly deep chest dogs.

Many common houseplants and garden plants are toxic to pets. Examples include lilies (highly toxic to cats), azaleas, poinsettias, and sago palms. Symptoms of plant poisoning can vary widely but often include vomiting, diarrhea, and even organ failure. If your pet ingests a potentially toxic plant, consult your veterinarian for guidance.

• Sleep Aids: Sleep aids including Klonopin, Ambien, and Lunesta can cause agitation, severe lethargy, lack of coordination, and slowed breathing.
• Anti-Depressants: Anti-depressants including Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, and Lexapro can cause dangerously elevated heart rate and body temperature, as well as life-threatening tremors and seizures.
• Pain Relievers: Human nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), commonly known by their branded names Advil, Aleve, Motrin, and Tylenol, can cause serious stomach ulcers and intestinal ulcers, kidney failure, liver damage, central nervous system depression, and red blood cell injury. It’s very important to never give your pet human NSAID medications if there is concern for pain but contact your veterinarian instead for guidance. While a pet formulated nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory option is preferred due to known therapeutic dose ranges, there may be instances a human version is prescribed but only with veterinary oversight.
• Albuterol: Albuterol is a medication commonly used to treat asthma in people. Albuterol toxicosis is common in dogs because dogs tend to chew on albuterol-containing inhalers and the liquid vials used in nebulizers. While albuterol is also a medication used to treat respiratory conditions in dogs, excessive ingestion can lead to toxicity. Symptoms of albuterol toxicity include agitation and restlessness, tremors, seizures, rapid heart rate, irregular heart rhythms, vomiting, diarrhea and symptoms associated with low potassium levels.

• Antifreeze: Ethylene glycol, a sweet-tasting, odorless liquid, is the active ingredient in most automotive antifreeze products. It can also be found in lower, less harmful concentrations in windshield de-icing agents, hydraulic brake fluid, motor oils, solvents, paints, film processing solutions, wood stains, inks, and printer cartridges. Due to its sweet taste, many animals will voluntarily drink ethylene glycol. Unfortunately, ethylene glycol has a very narrow margin of safety, which means even a tiny amount can result in severe poisoning. As little as half a teaspoon per pound of a dog’s body weight can result in death.

Ethylene glycol toxicity is divided into three stages.

1. Stage 1 (within 30 minutes of ingestion): Signs include lethargy, vomiting, incoordination, excessive urination, excessive thirst, low body temperature, and coma.
2. Stage 2 (12-24 hours after ingestion): Some of these signs from Stage 1 dramatically improve, causing unaware owners to assume their pet is fine. Despite this, dogs in this stage become dehydrated and develop an elevated breathing and heart rate.
3. Stage 3 (36-72 hours after ingestion): At this stage, signs of severe kidney dysfunction occur, characterized by swollen, painful kidneys and the production of minimal to no urine. The prognosis worsens if pets present at this stage, with treatment success rates decreasing significantly.

The good news is there's an antidote; however, dogs must be treated within 8-12 hours of ingesting antifreeze, as the antidote only has a short time frame to work. Due to the very narrow margin of safety and the high likelihood of ingestion due to antifreeze’s sweet taste, antifreeze and engine coolant manufacturers in the United States started adding a bittering agent to deter voluntary ingestion since 2012. Unfortunately, these products may still be palatable to some animals, leading to possible ingestion.

• Insecticides/Pesticides: The purpose of insecticides and pesticides is to get rid of pests. Unfortunately they can have the same effect on our pets. Given the diverse range of these chemicals, poisoning can result in a broad spectrum of symptoms. Potential symptoms include vomiting, rapid breathing, diarrhea, drooling, confusion, excessive drinking, internal bleeding, tremors, seizures, changes in heart rate and rhythm, and possibly death. Toxicity from these chemicals can arise not only from ingestion but also from absorption through the skin. Due to the widespread use of insecticides and pesticides, it’s best to keep pets away from areas where they’re applied, store pesticides securely out of pets’ reach, and use approved, labeled products as directed on the packaging.

Marijuana is one of the most common pet toxicities we see in the ER; however, other illicit drug toxicities can be seen from amphetamine, cocaine, and opiate overdoses either from accidental, intentional, or malicious exposures. As a veterinarian, when it comes to illicit and abused drug toxicities in pets, the most important thing is transparency during the pet's intake to ensure the appropriate treatment is initiated as quickly as possible. Any delay in treatment could have potential adverse consequences.

Understanding these common pet toxicities is crucial for every pet owner. If you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic or has been exposed to something toxic, act quickly and reach out to your veterinarian. For prevention, always keep toxic foods and substances out of reach and educate yourself about the safety of items your pet may encounter.

By staying informed and vigilant, you can help keep your beloved pets safe and healthy!