COMMON HOUSEHOLD TOXINS FOR DOGS 

Your pup is a part of the family and you would do anything to keep your family safe. Pet owners actively keep their pets away from dangerous areas or poisonous products that could put their pet in harm’s way. Little do you know those toxins may just be in your household. Below is a list of common toxins for dogs that could be in your home.  

  1. Food: Foods and sweeteners such as chocolate, grapes, and xylitol are poisonous to dogs. Ingesting any of these can cause severe damage from life-threatening drops in blood sugar to liver and kidney failure.  
  2. Insecticides: Insecticides and pesticides, especially those containing organophosphates, can be lethal to dogs if ingested in even small amounts.  
  3. Rodenticides: Mouse and rat poisons, which can have a variety of active ingredients, can all be dangerous to dogs. Depending on the type ingested, poisoning can cause internal bleeding, brain swelling, kidney failure, or even vomiting and bloat. Also, there is the risk of relay toxicity, meaning pets or wildlife can be poisoned by eating dead rodents that have been poisoned by rodenticides.  
  4. Human NSAIDs: Human NSAIDs, such as Advil, Aleve, and ibuprofen can be extremely harmful to dogs if ingested. These common drugs can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers, as well as potential kidney failure, in dogs. It is important to never give a dog any sort of medication without first consulting your veterinarian first. 
  5. Household Cleaners: Household cleaners that have a corrosive nature, such as toilet bowl cleaners, lye, drain cleaners, rust removers, and calcium/lime removers, pose the highest risk to pets. Additionally, it is important to remember that even natural products can cause severe reactions and should be kept out of reach. It is best to keep all household cleaners out of reach from dogs. 
  6. Antidepressants: Ingestion of these drugs can lead to neurological issues in dogs, such as sedation, incoordination, agitation, tremors and seizures. 
  7. Fertilizers: While certain fertilizers containing blood meal, bone meal, feather meal and iron may be especially appealing to dogs, large ingestions can lead to severe pancreatitis or the formation of a concretion in the stomach, potentially obstructing the gastrointestinal tract.  
  8. Cold/Cough Medications: When consumed in large quantities, acetaminophen can cause severe liver failure and dry eyes in dogs. 
  9. ADD/ADHD Medications: These medications contain powerful stimulants, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate. Even small ingestions by dogs can cause life-threatening tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures and heart problems. 
  10. Veterinary Pain Relievers: Carprofen is a veterinary-specific, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug usually prescribed to treat osteoarthritis, inflammation, and pain in dogs. However, if ingested in large quantities, it can result in severe gastric ulceration and acute kidney failure. 

In conclusion, it is important to always check the ingredients of food, store all goods and products securely, and to contact your veterinarian and the Pet Poison Helpline® at (855) 764-7661 for help if you have any questions or concerns about certain products or potential poisoning symptoms.