Top 10 Hazardous Poisons to Your Pets

There are many medications, plants, and foods found around your home that can be quite poisonous to our furry companions. According to the Pet Poison Hotline, the following toxins are the most common for each pet:

Dogs:

• Chocolate
• Rodenticides (i.e. mouse and rat poison)
• Anti-inflammatory medications (i.e. Voltaren gel, Advil)
• Xylitol (found as an artificial sweetener in many products including peanut butter)
• Grapes and raisins
• Antidepressant medications
• Acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol)
• Vitamin D overdose (i.e. consuming supplements)
• Stimulant medications (i.e. ADD, ADHD, even caffeine)
• Fertilizers

Cats:

• Lilies
• Spot on flea/tick medications for dogs (i.e. permethrin-containing products)
• Household cleaners
• Antidepressant medications
• Essential oils
• Anti-inflammatory medications (i.e. Voltaren gel, Advil)
• Rodenticides (i.e. mouse and rat poison)
• Stimulant medications (i.e. ADD, ADHD, even caffeine)
• Onions and garlic
• Vitamin D overdose (i.e. consuming supplements)

As you can see, a lot of these items are toxic to both dogs and cats. This list ranks each item from most common, and not level of toxicity. Some of these toxins are toxic even at a very small dose, while others will require larger doses to cause toxicity.

If your dog or cat has ingested or come in contact with anything listed above, or a toxin that you are concerned about, contact your veterinarian and/or the Pet Poison Hotline. If seeking emergent veterinary care, bring any packaging associated with the product if possible to allow your veterinarian to have a better understanding of the ingredients and strength of the item.

Written by: Dr. Justine Anutunes, DVM