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Top 10 Human Medications Poisonous to Pets Revealed

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen top the list of human medications most poisonous to pets.

Justine A. Lee, DVM, DACVECC, associate director of veterinary services at the helpline, said as far as animal poisonings go, “they are unfortunately very, very common.” The 24-hour helpline is available throughout North America for veterinary professionals and pet owners who need help treating a potentially poisoned pet.

Tens of thousands of phone calls are fielded on human prescription drugs, rat poisons and environmental/home toxins, Lee said. Nearly half the calls involve over-the-counter and prescription medications for humans.

At the Pet Poison Helpline, they have numerous veterinary professionals on staff, including board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialists, board-certified veterinary emergency critical care specialists, veterinarians and certified veterinary technicians specifically trained in the field of toxicology. “We also have the added benefit of pharmacologists (PharmD) on staff; this multi-disciplinary approach is very important for us,” Lee said, as more than half the calls are about human drugs.

Below are the top 10 human medications most frequently ingested by pets.

1. NSAIDs (e.g. Advil, Aleve and Motrin) Common household medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) top the list. The names include ibuprofen (e.g., Advil and some types of Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve).
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2. Acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol) Even though this drug is safe, this is not true for pets—especially cats. One regular strength tablet of acetaminophen may cause damage to a cat’s red blood cells.
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3. Antidepressants (e.g. Effexor, Cymbalta, Prozac, Lexapro) While occasionally used in pets, overdoses can lead to serious neurological problems such as sedation, incoordination, tremors and seizures. Pets, especially cats, seem to enjoy the taste of Effexor and often eat the entire pill. One pill can cause serious poisoning.
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4. ADD/ADHD medications (e.g. Concerta, Adderall, Ritalin) Minimal ingestions of these medications by pets can cause life-threatening tremors, seizures, elevated body temperatures and heart problems.
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5. Benzodiazepines and sleep aids (e.g. Xanax, Klonopin, Ambien, Lunesta) About half of the dogs who ingest sleep aids become agitated instead of sedate. In addition, these drugs may cause severe lethargy, incoordination and slowed breathing in pets.
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6. Birth control (e.g. estrogen, estradiol, progesterone) Large ingestions of estrogen and estradiol can cause bone marrow suppression, particularly in birds. Additionally, female pets that are intact are at an increased risk of side effects from estrogen poisoning.
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7. ACE Inhibitors (e.g. Zestril, Altace) Pets ingesting small amounts of this medication can potentially be monitored at home, unless they have kidney failure or heart disease.
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8. Beta-blockers (e.g. Tenormin, Toprol, Coreg) Small ingestions of these drugs may cause serious poisoning in pets. Overdoses can cause life-threatening decreases in blood pressure and a slow heart rate.
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9. Thyroid hormones (e.g. Armour desiccated thyroid, Synthroid) Large acute overdoses in cats and dogs can cause muscle tremors, nervousness, panting, a rapid heart rate and aggression.
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10. Cholesterol lowering agents (e.g. Lipitor, Zocor, Crestor) Most “statin” ingestions only cause mild vomiting or diarrhea. Serious side effects from these drugs come with long-term use. <HOME>

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Top 10 Human Medications Poisonous to Pets Revealed

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I am 20 years old. I use lexapro for two months i must say great anxiety and depression are gone. I found Lexapro online on google i must say great medicine also for young people.Lexapro help me http://www. antidepressantscomparison- .com Bill12, la, CA Posted: 1/20/2010 12:12:39 AM While this article is good reminder for all of us to be careful,, it would be more helpful I think, to list the DEADLIESt of the common household medications/items, rather than once again, getting everyone overly paranoid about everything. Thanks though. rp, dts, CA Posted: 1/11/2010 1:35:22 PM Thanks, we have a very valuable British Bull Dog and whatever falls on the floor he loves to investigate. If it smells any good of course he likes to get a taste. To try to get anything out of that big mouth is a real challenge, so we have to be ever observant - - Rod Roderick, london, ON Posted: 1/8/2010 12:56:17 PM