There seems to be national days, weeks, and months for almost everything these days. One of them is March's National Animal Poison Prevention Week, as well as March being National Poison Prevention Month. First started for people (kids) in 1961 by the National Safety Council, the observance of animal poison prevention week naturally followed suit.1 Given the ever-increasing availability of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, chemicals (e.g., fertilizers, rodenticides, chemotherapeutic agents), prescription medications, foods, the legalization of marijuana in many jurisdictions, illicit drugs, and more that can wreak havoc on our pets, cognizance of these threats and education of clients to minimize risks remains part of our duty as veterinarians 365 days a year. Provide handouts on common hazards, how to minimize risks, and what to do if their pet ingests something of concern when clients check in for appointments. Use email to send educational information, post on your social media, and emphasize risks and prevention strategies. Recommend contacting poison control and providing your clients with emergency contact information. Because these hazards exist year-round, these materials can be used throughout the year.
Common toxicities
As an emergency clinician, one of the more rewarding types of emergencies includes intoxications for which the pet is clinically normal, a substance that is amenable to emesis induction, and with successful induction, we then send home an otherwise happy, healthy animal. Of course, those who ingested lethal or very concerning amounts, even with emesis, may require hospitalization, and those already demonstrating clinical signs require medical management and care. Still, those who come in healthy, vomit successfully, no longer carry a concerning toxic risk, and go home happy are the ones who really make me smile. Ensuring we understand which toxins warrant emesis induction, when to induce, the associated risks and complications, the options available to induce vomiting, and the resources available to manage toxicities are all key to successful ingestion management.
According to the ASPCA's 2024 most common ingestions (2025 is not yet readily available, but likely not much different), the number one intoxication pertains to the ingestion of OTC medications (16.5 percent of all reported intoxications to them), including vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements. Other common OTC ingestions include NSAIDs (e.g., ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen) and acetaminophen. Next on the list are food and drink items with toxicity concerns, including xylitol, grapes/raisins (tartaric acid),2,3 products containing garlic or onion, protein bars, drinks, and more.4
