Know the symptoms of poisoning in dogs and cats.

Poison is life-threatening. If you spot these symptoms in your pet, immediately seek emergency veterinary care to help limit the damage.

Signs and symptoms of poisoning can show up immediately, or develop over a few days:

What to do if your pet has been poisoned

Don’t panic. Stay calm and seek veterinary care — it’s the best way to help your pet.

1. Call your local emergency pet hospital to let them know you are on your way. On your way to emergency veterinary care, call the Pet Poison Helpline at 800-213-6680.
   For a $59 incident fee, they can supply initial information on how to help dogs, cats, puppies, kitten, birds, small mammals, large animals, and exotic species. See more at www.petpoisonhelpline.com


2. Safely remove any remaining poisonous materials from your pet’s reach, and have it on hand for the vet and Pet Poison Helpline.
   If your pet is puking, collect a sample of your pet’s vomit in case it’s needed for testing. (Don’t induce vomiting if your pet isn’t already doing it.)


3. Let emergency care or the poison hotline know as much of the following information as you can:
   • What your pet ate, when they ate it, and how much you suspect is in their system (number of tablets, tablet strength, etc.)
   • Your pet’s current weight
   • You pet’s known medical history, including any medications, prescriptions, or supplements

Don’t try home cures or try to induce vomiting

Many common “cures” for poisoning may actually make the situation worse. Never induce vomiting in your pet, give human medications, or use home cures without veterinary instruction.

• Don’t give a poisoned pet kitchen staples like milk, peanut butter, vegetable oil or salt — they won’t buffer or neutralize the poison, and oil and salt can be actively harmful to your pet
• Don’t try to induce vomiting if you suspect poisoning, as this can cause additional harm and be actively dangerous for your pet

How Banfield can help