10 Things That Can Poison Your Dog. Be Careful!

The dog is a curious animal by nature and falls within the normal that on many occasions it can even risk its life for something that catches its attention. We must bear in mind that they use their mouths to evaluate everything they find, but some substances can poison them.

Chocolate can poison your dog

Although we see it delicious for us, it is not a good food to give to our dog friends. Chocolate has a substance called theobromine, an alkaloid obtained from the cocoa plant that stimulates the central nervous system, causes bronchodilation, and has various cardiovascular effects. Dogs cannot eliminate theobromine easily and therefore it becomes a toxic agent for them that can poison them.

This substance can be dangerous even in small doses. It is said that although only in a minimal portion, these products associated with chocolate can be lethal for our friend.

Among the various kinds of chocolate, dark is the one that contains the most theobromine substances, much more than the one that goes with milk.

Signs of chocolate poisoning include: diarrhea, vomiting, urinary incontinence, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, tremors, and spasms.

There is a product with contributions similar to chocolate, but much less harmful, that dogs are able to assimilate well: carob. In addition to assimilation , the carob has different beneficial properties for our dog, such as the regulation of intestinal transit, delaying the aging of the animal, energy, benefits for sight and memory improvement.

Acetaminophen and pain relievers can poison you

This drug, beneficial to us humans, is highly harmful to our dogs. This pain reliever will damage the dog’s liver and red blood cells. The consequence is that a canine poisoned by paracetamol can die of liver necrosis. In addition, a small dose of the product can be very harmful to our pet. Some experts claim that two tablets of the drug will kill the animal.

Detergents and fabric softeners

Detergents and fabric softeners can be very toxic if our dog ingests them in any way. Fabric softeners are even more harmful because they contain cationic substances. Symptoms of poisoning include hypersalivation (drooling), lethargy, vomiting, burns in the mouth, seizures, shock, and coma.

Mouthwash

Certain mouthwashes have boric acid among their components, which is very toxic to dogs. Other household products with this addition are those used to clean glasses and contact lenses, as well as those used to sanitize dentures.

Antifreeze

It is a high risk item for pets. Every year it is normal for many dogs to die from antifreeze poisoning. This type of substance has a smell and taste that dogs like, and it is not uncommon for them to decide to try it. However, the ethylene glycol in these products will seriously affect the kidney function of our animal and will cause serious symptoms, such as seizures, vomiting and lethargy.

Clothes bleach

Similar to detergents and fabric softeners, clothes bleaches contain chlorine and are highly toxic to our friends. Among the symptoms that arise are vomiting, drooling and abdominal pain.

Fruit seeds

Certain pips and seeds of some fruits are very harmful to dogs, with the possibility of obstructing their respiratory tract. In other cases, they are toxic to your body.

In the evolution of dogs, they could not adapt to a diet with seeds, therefore their digestive system does not process these foods as it should.

Ornamental plants

Similar to seeds, some ornamental plants are toxic to dogs and other household pets. The symptoms caused by poisoning by these vegetables will be very different depending on the species ingested, but in general they include vomiting and effects on the central nervous system.

Among the toxic plants are: tomato, spinach, azalea, autumn crocus, avocado (leaves), oleander, actea, dulcamara, belladonna, foxglove, hemlock, water hemlock, yew, castor bean and lily of the valley.

Ibuprofen

Its effect is similar to paracetamol in dogs. This excellent anti-inflammatory that produces so many benefits to humans, is highly toxic to dogs in doses that exceed 5 milligrams per kilo of body weight. Thus, an adult ibuprofen tablet (600 milligrams) would be fatal to a small dog.

Antidepressants

There are many medications that humans use for antidepressant purposes, but that will seriously affect our dog’s nervous system, kidney and liver health.