Due to the owner’s carelessness or mistakes in the upbringing, the dog can grab a variety of food on the street. As a result, there may be digestive problems or even poisoning. Sometimes a pet can eat a suspicious piece by accident, but there are times when this happens intentionally, as a result of bullying by special services or a dissatisfied neighbor. In any case, measures must be taken immediately, because life and health will depend on how competently the first aid is provided for poisoning the dog. Any breeder must know the signs of poisoning and understand what can be done in this case.
What can be poisoned
Dogs are sometimes not very picky about food and, unlike cats, can grab a prohibited item in the street or at home. As a result, intoxication of the body develops, the culprit of which may be completely different toxic substances. First aid for poisoning a dog depends on what caused this condition and how the toxic substance got into the pet:
- Through the mouth. If a pet eats a suspicious product, then the toxins rush into the stomach, then into the intestines and are actively absorbed into the bloodstream. The reasons may be poor-quality food, special traps set up by doghunters, and even excessive use of drugs. An animal can also accidentally eat inappropriate medicines, poisonous plants or household chemicals.
- By inhalation. Poisoning can very well be caused by toxic fumes that enter through the nasopharynx and lungs. Typically, the causes are vapors of gasoline, kerosene or carbon monoxide during improper transportation of the pet in the car.
- Absorption through the skin or contact action of the poison. A similar situation can occur with the incorrect use of flea medications or with poisoning from petroleum products.
The diagnosis is important
First aid for poisoning the dog should be provided immediately and competently. But often the first signs of intoxication are prescribed by the owners to develop an infectious disease in the animal. Especially often poisoning is confused with enteritis and antibiotics and immunostimulating drugs are prescribed to the dog. But such treatment will only aggravate the situation. Therefore, it is important to know the distinctive signs of the poison entering the body of a dog or intestinal virus:
- In both cases, vomiting and refusal to eat will be observed.
- But with enteritis, vomit is foamy and white. With poisoning, vomiting gradually fades away, and with enteritis is aggravated.
- In case of poisoning, there are signs of damage to the nervous system.
From understanding what is happening to the pet, his life may envy. Therefore, it is worthwhile to understand what the main symptoms of a dog may be in case of poisoning.
Signs of poison
Very unexpectedly, dog poisoning can occur. Symptoms, first aid and treatment are important points that affect the future life of the animal. So, the first signs that should alert any host and signaling the ingestion of poison can be:
- profuse salivation;
- vomiting and diarrhea;
- the dog does not allow to feel the stomach or experiences obvious pain during this manipulation;
- impaired gait, indicates muscle weakness;
- involuntary twitching or tremor of the limbs;
- there may be paralysis or cramps;
- a change in breathing and heart rate;
- pupils may sometimes be dilated or vision loss occurs;
- loss of consciousness;
- coma.
What to do when a dog is poisoned - first aid
Without fail, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian. Very often poisons have a prolonged action. This means that after the first symptoms are removed, the second phase of the action of the poisonous substance begins. The doctor will conduct the appropriate treatment based on the tests. But before the animal is in the hands of a specialist, it is important to take immediate measures.
First aid for poisoning a dog includes the following actions:
- Stop contact with toxic substance.
- If toxins enter the body through the mouth, vomiting is necessary. To do this, pour a solution from a glass of warm water and a tablespoon of salt (soda) into the jaws of the animal. You can use another recipe. Hydrogen peroxide (3%) is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1. This liquid is poured into the throat of a pet at the rate of 3 kg of weight one tablespoon.
- If the poison got on the skin, then the affected area must be washed thoroughly with water and baby soap.
- When a pet is poisoned by carbon monoxide, it is important to provide him with an influx of fresh air. In this case, it is necessary to partially neutralize the poison by rinsing abundantly in the oral cavity and mucous membranes of the eyes. For this, a solution of water and baking soda (3%) is used.
- It is necessary to give the animal any sorbent in order to remove poisons from the stomach and intestines as soon as possible. If it is activated carbon, then 1-3 grams of active substance is assumed per kg of weight. You can use Enterosorb, Enterosgel, Polypefan.
- Call the veterinarian, and before leading the animal for examination, the doctor will tell you the necessary actions.
However, it is worth remembering that it is forbidden to induce vomiting if the poisoning is associated with the ingress of acids or alkalis into the body. In this case, there may be an additional chemical burn when these substances pass back through the esophagus.
Caution - Doghunters
There is a category of people who group together and intentionally poison dogs. Let us leave behind the scenes the moral point of view of their actions and analyze their methods of fighting animals and first aid measures.
First aid for dog poisoning by doghunters will depend on the poison that was used. Usually for this, the most familiar means are used, which are in pharmacies on sale.
The drug "Isoniazid"
This tool is used most often by dog hunters. Available in conventional tablets and is inexpensive. They are ground into powder or simply put into a piece of bait. If the animal eats a poisoned piece, then the first signs can be seen in half an hour:
- the dog loses coordination, her legs give way;
- drowsiness is observed;
- after an hour, the active substance of the poison reaches its maximum concentration and the animal begins to vomit with an admixture of blood;
- cramps, paralysis and death occur.
First aid for a dog with Isoniazid poisoning is as follows:
- act immediately;
- after 3-5 hours the dog will die;
- urgently need to inject "Peridoxin" - 5 or 6 ampoules;
- induce vomiting with water and salt;
- give any sorbent;
- take to the veterinary clinic.
Digoxin tablets
Tablets are in free sale and are quite budgetary. As soon as they enter the dog’s body, it fixes:
- general weakness;
- vomiting and diarrhea;
- rapidly increasing arrhythmia, leading to malfunctions of the heart and, as a result, its arrest.
First aid for poisoning a dog with digoxin poison, which is the main component of the drug, you must do the following:
- urgently induce vomiting using soda or saline
- then immediately give absorbent in the form of activated carbon, Enterosgel;
- go to the veterinary clinic immediately.
The sooner you complete all of these actions, the greater the chance of saving the dog.
Atropine Powder
Very often this substance is used for bullying dogs. Usually it is mixed in minced meat and scattered on small patties in the yard. This substance acts on the nervous system of a pet. When poison enters the body, the following symptoms are recorded:
- pupils dilate;
- strong thirst overcomes;
- hoarse barking;
- then a rapid pulse and palpitations join;
- convulsions develop.
First aid to a dog for poisoning by dog hunters poison caused by Atropine consists in washing the stomach and soldering it with a sorbent. The treatment will be carried out by a veterinarian and it boils down to eliminating the symptoms provoked by the medicine.
Rat poison
The substance acts slowly, even stray animals have a chance of survival, so now it is not used so often. But it’s still important to know the signs of poisoning and how to help. Because pet health depends on competent actions. It is important for the owner not to miss the first symptomatology. The poison has active anticoagulant properties, therefore, when it enters the body of a dog, it contributes to a strong dilution of blood and a violation of the integrity of the walls of the capillaries. As a result, blood coagulation is disrupted, there are abundant external and internal bleeding. The animal is simply dying of blood loss. The first signs of rat poisoning are:
- general weakness;
- dyspnea;
- tachycardia;
- pallor of mucous membranes;
- vomiting with blood;
- bloody diarrhea;
- bleeding mucous membranes.
Extensive brain hemorrhage ends with poisoning of the dog with rat poison. First aid is as follows:
- induce vomiting using saline or soda liquid;
- inject "Vikasol" - 1-2 ampoules;
- give a sorbent.
Chemical poisoning
First aid for poisoning a dog on the street with chemicals is somewhat different from the usual measures. If the animal has got into the stomach alkali or acid, then vomiting is not caused. Neither do they neutralize using salt, soda or citric acid. First aid for symptoms of poisoning in dogs in this case is as follows:
- it is necessary to wash the oral cavity, nose and eyes with plenty of warm water;
- pour into the mouth about a liter of water with any sorbent;
- take to the clinic for gastric lavage and further treatment.
Sometimes animals can be poisoned by arsenic, which is laid in a tidbit. You can distinguish the first signs by the characteristic smell of garlic from the jaws of a pet. As first aid, it is necessary to induce vomiting and then the dog should be fed water with magnesium oxide and sulfate with iron oxide. In this case, the solution is prepared as follows:
- clean and warm water - 500 ml;
- iron oxide sulfate - 100 g;
- magnesium oxide - 20 g.
It is necessary to offer the dog a solution 3-4 times, with an interval of 15 minutes, 100 ml each.
We treat a dog at home
Quite often, poor-quality food can cause poisoning in dogs. Symptoms and treatment at home should be understood by every breeder. If vomiting has already been caused, the necessary sorbents have been taken and life is not in danger, then it is important to conduct further therapy. You can do the following yourself:
- offer a decoction of flaxseed;
- to restore the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines, a paste of starch is given;
- to neutralize toxins, you can water the dog with egg white, diluted in half with water;
- salt laxatives (Karlovy Vary salt or Glauber's) help to remove residual poison well;
- if there is no contraindication, then offer oil laxatives.
What the veterinarian will offer
It is important for any owner to know the symptoms of poisoning in dogs. First aid is provided immediately, but then it is necessary to deliver the pet to the veterinary clinic. The doctor evaluates the symptoms, finds out the causes of poisoning, and only then chooses the next treatment tactic. The following procedures may be suggested:
- gastric lavage;
- the introduction of a specific antidote;
- to accelerate the elimination of toxins from the body, they will make a cleansing enema and prescribe diuretics;
- specific treatment aimed at restoring the work of internal organs affected by the action of the poison;
- if convulsions are observed, then the introduction of anticonvulsants is necessary;
- antibiotic treatment is necessary for food intoxication.
Rehabilitation therapy
It is important to properly care for the dog after treatment. A day can not be given any food except plenty of drinking. Next, they offer small portions of easily digestible products. The following diet is recommended:
- oatmeal in the water;
- low-fat boiled meat;
- cottage cheese;
- yogurt;
- liver;
- boiled eggs.
Prescribe additional medication can only a veterinarian. If it is not possible to show the dog in person, then you should get a consultation by phone, describing in detail the signs of poisoning and the possible source.
Poison Prevention
Poisoning of an animal occurs through the fault of the owner himself and errors in training. Therefore, in order to avoid a sad fate, you should:
- acquire only high-quality food and not give suspicious food;
- remove chemicals, drugs from the dog’s field of vision;
- the bin should be out of reach;
- the dog should not walk alone and grab pieces in the yard;
- it is necessary to train the animal so that he never takes food from the wrong hands;
- monitor your pet in the garden, where there is the possibility of poisoning with insecticides or poisonous plants;
- It is important to keep a first-aid kit with first aid in case of poisoning and a reminder of the first symptoms and necessary actions.
It must be remembered that the health of the pet is entirely in the hands of its owner.