WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
POISONING?
FIRST AID KIT
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WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT
POISONING?
Poisoning is one of the most barbaric and cowardly crimes against
animals, causing them extremely painful and agonizing deaths. And
it is a source of immense anguish and grief to the people who love
them.
Strangely enough hardly any complaints are filed to the Police or
the municipality, many people believing it is useless to do so and
they simply accept it as "a fact of life". The victims might
disagree... if they could have their say in it!...
Your veterinarian will do all he can to rescue a poisoned animal
but often it is impossible to save the animal's life. Therefore it
is important to take further action!
The veterinarian can make an anonymous record of the poisoning
cases in his clinic to chart the poisoning problem and bring it to
the attention of relevant authorities. These are needed as evidence
and statistics, so that authorities can no longer pretend the
problem does not exist - as they often claim - and to press them to
take further action to protect animals. We aim for stricter laws,
severe sentences and effective enforcement of the laws.
PRECAUTIONS
Keep your animal away from "edible things" in places where they
don't belong. They can be packed in plastic bags, bowls with food
or liquids, remnants of food, meatballs etc. Remove and discard
such suspicious items when you happen to see them. Poisoned baits
are often put at places where animal lovers leave food for the
strays. Beware of (colored) powdery substances! Keep an eye on the
behavior of any strangers around your property, especially when
they are annoyed with your barking dogs. Record the number plates
of suspicious cars and the date and place you saw them. Have a
camera at hand to collect evidence.
FIRST AID
PREPARATION
First of all discuss the content and use of a first aid kit with
your veterinarian as emetics and antidotes differ per country. Ask
your vet to tell you the symptoms of poisoning by herbicides and
pesticides like strychnine, arsenic, paraquat etc. He knows which
poisons are used locally, he can explain the symptoms and he can
advise on the treatment. Knowing the symptoms is essential as
antidotes can be harmful if an animal is not poisoned! Most vets
appreciate the fact that first aid by the owner of a poisoned
animal is crucial for its survival. Ask your vet to show you how to
administer emetics or activated carbon solutions orally and how to
handle a syringe in such a case of emergency. Preparation is the
first step!
THE FIRST AID
KIT
Carry with you at all times a first aid kit containing emetics
(ampoules and/or solutions), activated carbon (tablets or
solution), a syringe and antidotes, together with the dosage and
administration instructions your vet will recommend. Be aware that
dogs and cats need different treatment and that oral treatment of a
poisoned animal might be impossible when it has convulsions or is
unable to swallow.
FIRST
AID
Warn the veterinarian immediately! When you start first aid let
another person phone the veterinarian so he can prepare for the
emergency treatment while you are on your way to him.
1. If possible, try to identify the substance ingested before
administering the emetics by:
*
carefully inspecting the surrounding area and
*
observing the symptoms of the animal.
WARNING: You should NOT cause an animal to vomit if it has ingested
caustic/acid substances or glass, as this would cause further
damage of the internal organs! In that case try to administer
activated carbon and leave for the vet immediately.
WARNING: If the animal has convulsions do NOT administer anything
orally (through the mouth). With swallowing always be very careful
in order to avoid aspiration into the lungs.
If it is likely that it has ingested another poison:
2. Make the animal throw up with:
*
orally: 30 - 60 cc of saturated salt water solution, or
*
orally: 30 - 60 cc of diluted hydrogen peroxide (1:10), or
*
orally: mustard seeds in lukewarm water, or
*
orally: 10% IPECAC SYRUP (10ml per 10kg body weight), or
injection:
*
APOMORPHINE (0,05mg per kg body weight), do not use on cats as they
get wild by it, or
*
injection: FILTALON under the skin (large dog 1cc and if it has not
vomited after 5 minutes another 1cc)(medium dog 1cc) (very small
dog or a cat 0.5cc)
Subcutaneous
(make a tent of the skin at base of neck, just below the
'scruff
3. Only after it has thrown up:
*
Let it swallow active carbon.
*
Give it an intramuscular injection of:
- dogs/cats: ATROPINE (0.04mg per kg or 1ml per 10kg), or
- cats: XYLAZINE (0,5-1mg per kg)
4. When finished take the animal to your vet immediately!
N.B.: Beware of overdose!
intramuscular
(best place is the top of the leg/thigh) and subcutaneous (make a
tent of the skin at base of neck, just below the
'scruff
POISONING
SYMPTOMS
* insecticide (organo-phosphate) poisoning: salivation, excessive
tears, diarrhoea, severe vomiting, constriction of the pupil,
muscle twitching, asthmatic breathing, convulsion and coma.
Treatment: an injection of atropine (one vial for a cat or small
dog, two or three vials for larger dogs depending on their weight).
The injection can be intravenous (into the vein - it is absorbed
most quickly this way), intramuscular (into the muscle), or
subcutaneous (under the skin).
* rat poison (warfarincan): result in vomiting and diarrhoea, but
sometimes the animal will display no symptoms at all for two to
three days. Patches of red/purple/dark blue on the body or gums
begin to develop later. These are signs of internal bleeding.
Treatment involves an injection of vitamin K (Konakion) to help
clot the blood - between 5mg and 20mg depending on the size and
weight of the animal.
* strychnine poisoning: animals that have been poisoned with
strychnine go into spasm, their pupils expand and muscles twitch.
Treatment is an injection of diazepan (Valium): cats 5-10mg, dogs
10-30mg depending on size and weight.
Report cases of deliberate poisoning to the Police and the
municipality.
Teach children that poisoning is a terrible and horrible
crime.
® Action Against Poisoning
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