Poisoning in Dogs and Cats

Your pets may be poisoned in two ways:

(1) Accidental poisoning: Resulting from faulty feeds and feeding such as eating of stale and putrid meat, overdosing with medicines like piperazine and other dewormer, indiscriminate use of tonics containing arsenal preparations, licking of paints or their containing lead and zinc as well as external use of D.D.T., Gammaxene, Butox, Malathion dust or spray for destroying ectoparasites like lice and ticks.

(2) Malicious poisoning: This done with a malafide intension to kill the pet out of jealously or personal rivalry. Certain incurable dangerous diseases such as rabies, chronic paralysis etc. also call for such an undesirable step. Thieves also adopt such a measure when they plan to attempt a theft in a house with barking watch dogs. They may mix the poison with meat, sweet or other eatables and throw in the campus or compound within approach of the dog.

Symptoms of Poisoning in General

The symptoms in general are related to gastrointestinal tract with diarrhoea, vomiting, salivation, abdominal pain, muscular convulsions, laboured breathing, dilated pupil and bulged eyes with eager look, trembling of limbs, staggering gait, no interest in food, increased desire for drinking water, subnormal temperature, clamping of jaw, frothing of mouth, paddling of feet, irregular heart beat and respiration, sudden loss of condition leading to coma and collapse.

Source of Poisoning	Clinical Symptoms
Putrid meat or eggs, arsenic, heavy metals, cantharides, antimony, carbon tetrachloride	Diarrhoea, vomiting with garlicy odour, retching, acute abdominal colic, grinding of teeth, cyanosis, weak pulse, convulsions, staggering gait, spasms, dilated pupils, coma and death
Strychnine, camphor, santonin, phenyl, phenol, Lysol, oil, Chenopodium	Convulsions, cyanosis, incoordination of muscles, laboured breathing, respiratory distress, diarrhoea, gastritis and irritation
Barbiturates, belladonna, Datura and opium	Dilated pupil of the eyes, early coma and sinking condition
Ergot poisoning	Necrosis of extremities
Barium sulphide (rodenticide)	Staggering gait
Fluoride and selenium	Lameness
D.D.T., Gammaexine, Aldrein and Endrine (parasiticide)	Excitement, tetany, laboured breathing, fever, incoordinated movement, muscular tremors, grinding of teeth
Malathion, Neguvan, Butox, Asultol and Sumithion (used as spray over the animal body for destroying ectoparasites)	Dyspnoea, diarrhoea, frothy salivation, staggering gait, muscular stiffness, constricted pupils of the eyes, coma and death
Snake bite (accidental)	Excitement, salivation, local pain with teeth injury, tetanic spasms, paralysis, recumbency, asphyxia leading to death of the pet within few hours

Diagnosis

Enquire about accidental overdosing with some poisonous drugs as well as skin applications for destroying the ectoparasites. Usually the diagnosis is symptomatic as per clinical symptoms observed. Rule out possibility of electric shock, specific infectious diseases and snake bite. Collect the vomitus or viscera for chemical examination.

Treatment

Universal Antidote for Poisoning

Pulv charcoal	30 gm
Magnesium oxide	30 gm
Tannic acid	15 gm
Kaolin	15 gm
Mft Pulv.	3

A. General line of treatment

(1) Locate the source and stop further ingestion or absorption of the poison.

(2) In case of non-corrosive poison, induce vomiting with anyone of the following emetics and preserve vomitus for detection of specific poison. It will assist in evacuation of toxin from the animal body.

• Apomorphine injection – 1/5 to 1/10 gram (40 microgram/kg body weight IV).
• 100-120 gram crushed mustard dissolved in 120-300 ml of drinking water as a drench.
• 5 grains of zinc sulphate dissolved in 30 ml of tap water.
• 5 ml hydrogen peroxide, a knob of soda or 1 teaspoon common salt dissolved in little drinking water orally.

(3) If possible, give stomach wash (gastric lavage) to the ailing pet immediately.

(4) Give specific antidotes such as calcium, activated charcoal, catechu, tannic acid, Lugol’s iodine (15 ml in 120 ml water) and potassium permanganate solution.

(5) For irritants and corrosive poisons (acids/alkali), use demulcents such as egg albumin, milk, rice gruel, liquid paraffin, desi ghee, vegetable oil, milk of magnesia, chalk, soda bicarb, lime water, lemon juice, citric acid, diluted vinegar. Castor oil may be given in the end to evacuate the bowels. Vomiting should not be induced in such cases.

(6) For removal of residual poison from skin, wash it thoroughly with plenty of tap water.

(7) Keep the patient completely under rest without any disturbance to the pet.

(8) Provide oxygen, fresh air and artificial respiration whenever necessary.

B. Specific Treatment

For specific poisoning, try specific antidotes as described below:

Poisoning	Antidote and Remedy
Barium and Santonin	Soda bicarb, Magsulph, emetics and chloral hydrate
Bromide	Sodium chloride
Opium and Morphine	Strong cold coffee, 1% potassium permanganate solution followed by emetics
Formaldehyde	Gastric lavage with 1% solution of soda bicarb or ammonium bicarbonate
Ergot Poisoning	Amyl nitrite inhalation, emetics, tannic acid, saline purgatives
Lead and Lead salts	Pot. iodide, egg white, dilute sulphuric acid, demulcents, phosphates, 12.5% solution of calcium versentate @ 25 mg/kg SC in repeated doses for 4-5 days. For controlling excitement give largactil or Siquil
Arsenic and Antimony (Tarter emetic)	Calcium hydroxide, magnesium oxide, oily purgatives, tannic acid, strong tea, milk, dimercaprol (BAL) 3-6 mg/kg IM, 10% sodium thiosulphate
Strychnine or Nux vomica	Emetics (Apomorphine) for evacuation of stomach, chloral hydrate, bromides, chloroform inhalation, artificial respiration, barbiturates IV, gastric lavage after anaesthesia and opiates are contraindicated
Zinc salts: zinc chloride, zinc sulphate and zinc phosphide (rodenticide)	Emetics, egg white, Milk, tannic acid, soda bicarb, gastric lavage with 1:200 potassium permanganate solution, dextrose IV, 0.05 g caffeine, Sod. benzoate IM, oxygen and artificial respiration
Castor oil	Atropine sulphate, tranquilisers
Nicotine (Dip)	Atropine sulphate, sedatives, chloral hydrate, tannic acid
Narcotics, chloroform and chloral hydrate	Atropine sulphate, strychnine or nux vomica, ammonia inhalation, normal saline IV, artificial respiration
Mercury	Milk, egg albumin, emetics, 20% sodium thiosulphate solution IV, Pot. iodide, Pot. chlorate, BAL and demulcents
Hypnotics	Stimulants, artificial respiration
Croton oil	Demulcents, tannic acid, opium
Copper	Milk, egg albumin, Pot. permanganate, lactose, sulphur and demulcents
Carbolic acid (phenol and creosote)	Milk, egg white, enema, emetics, kaolin, soda bicarb, bismuth and demulcents, glycerine externally
Acids	Chalk, soda bicarb, Mag. carb., magnesium oxide, milk
Alkalies	Weak acids, vinegar, milk and demulcents
Alcohol	Soda bicarb or sodium citrate 1% lavage
Carbamate (Sevin), Butox	Atropine sulphate injection
Babiturate	Glucose, Leptazol, Megimide
Chloroform	Oxygen, Coramine, calcium gluconate IV
Ammonia	Inhalation of hot water vapour, dilute acetic or citric acids, demulcents, milk
Atropine and Belladonna	Strong coffee, chloralhydrate, opium, tannic acid 1%, pilo caprine and emetics
D.D.T., B.H.C. and Gammaxene (Spray or dust)	Chloral hydrate, calcium gluconate, Coramine, barbiturates, Magsulph, cold water packs for reducing temperature, wash the skin with soap water, try emetics, saline purgatives and gastric lavage
Malathion, Nuvan, Cythion, Parathion, Diazinon, DDVP	Atropine sulphate IM or IV followed by SC route, calcium (Sandoz) IV, dextrose IV, barbiturates for sedation. The dose of Atropine sulphate is 0.2-0.5 mg/kg body weight (one-fourth) given IV and the rest IM or SC. Atropine action diminishes or passes away soon because of receptor competition by acetylcholine. Therefore, the same dose should be repeated at 3-6 hours interval for a day. The correct effect of Atropine sulphate can be identified when pupils are dilated, salivation ceases and pet appears to recover. Overdosing of atropine leads to hypermotility, excitation, signs of delirium leading to death of the animal
Snake Bite	Polyvalent antiserum injection if possible IV as initial dose and repeat till recovery takes place.

In case of Snake-Bite: Apply tight bandage above the side of the snake bite and give 1 cm deep incision. Wash with 20% solution of bleaching powder. Insert potassium permanganate crystals in the wound. A local infusion of potassium permanganate solution subcutaneously is also useful. The wound may be cauterised. Prevent the pet from running or exercise.

C. Supportive Treatment

Administer sedatives during excitement, stimulants during depression of central nervous system, fluids during dehydration and demulcents during irritation.

D. Other therapeutic measures in case of organophosphate poisoning in pets

• Oxygen therapy in case of cyanosis and dyspnoea.
• Removal of the source of poisoning/pesticides.
• Bathing of animal with detergent and water in case of exposure through skin.
• Oral administration of mineral oil to retard absorption of poison or pesticides from the gut.
• Use of supportive therapy by way of administration of fluids, electrolytes and Vitamin B-complex.
• Keeping the pet quiet and comfortable without the use of narcotics, tranquilizers or sedatives.