5 Items in Your Purse that Could Poison Your Pet

You’ve probably dog-proofed your house…but have you thought about what’s in your purse? Did you know that there are 5 items in your purse that could poison your canine companion?

Here’s a look at the top five most hazardous handbook contents:

Sugarless chewing gum and breath mints

Many women carry chewing gum in their purses and don’t realize that, if ingested by a dog, it can be fatal. Most sugarless gums, including some Trident™, Orbit™, and Ice Breaker™ brands, contain xylitol, a sweetener that is toxic to dogs. Some sugarless mints and flavored multi-vitamins may also be made with xylitol. When ingested, even small amounts of xylitol can result in a life-threatening and rapid drop in blood sugar, and if large amounts are ingested, dogs can suffer from severe liver failure. Signs of xylitol poisoning include vomiting, weakness, difficulty walking, collapse, tremors and seizures.

Human medications
Many purses contain pill bottles and dispensers. They are irresistible to some dogs, as they resemble toys that rattle. Each year, nearly half of the calls to Pet Poison Helpline concern ingestions of potentially toxic human medications. Common drugs including NSAIDs (e.g. Advil®, Aleve® and Motrin®), acetaminophen (e.g. Tylenol®) and antidepressants (e.g. Effexor®, Cymbalta®, Prozac®) can cause serious harm to dogs and cats when ingested. NSAIDs such as Advil can cause stomach and intestinal ulcers as well as kidney failure, especially in cats. A single Tylenol tablet containing acetaminophen can be fatal to a cat, and in dogs, a larger ingestion can lead to severe liver failure. Of all medications, antidepressants account for the highest number of calls to Pet Poison Helpline, and can cause neurological problems like sedation, incoordination, agitation, tremors and seizures.
Asthma inhalers (albuterol)

While asthma inhalers are often used in veterinary medicine for cats and dogs, when accidentally chewed and punctured by dogs, they can cause severe, life-threatening, acute poisoning. Because inhalers often contain concentrated doses (often 200 doses in one small vial) of beta-agonist drugs (e.g., albuterol) or steroids (e.g., fluticasone), dogs that chew into them are exposed to massive amounts of the drugs all at once. This can lead to severe poisoning, resulting in life-threatening heart arrhythmias, agitation, vomiting, collapse and death.

Cigarettes

As few as three cigarettes can be fatal to a small dog, depending on the strength or “lightness” of the cigarettes. After ingestion, clinical signs of distress can become apparent in as little as 15 minutes. Cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and even gum (Nicorette®) contain nicotine, which is toxic to dogs and cats. Exposure causes high heart and respiratory rates, neurological overstimulation, uncontrolled urination/defecation, tremors, seizures, paralysis and death.

Hand Sanitizer

In recent years, hand sanitizer has become a common item in millions of handbags. Many hand sanitizers claim to kill almost 100 percent of germs, and this possible because they contain high amounts of alcohol (ethanol) – sometimes up to 95 percent. Therefore, when a dog ingests a small bottle of hand sanitizer, it can have the same effect as a shot of hard liquor. This can cause a severe drop in blood sugar, incoordination, a drop in body temperature, neurological depression, coma and death.

Whether you are the host or a guest at a holiday party, be sure that purses are placed in a safe location and out of the reach of pets. When in doubt, hang it up.

Dog Saves the Day

Watch this incredible video of a dog leading police to a burning house. It is amazing how animals have the instinct to protect their owners and find creative ways to communicate without speaking.

Pets & Grills

Did you know that some of the most common foods we eat during our cookouts are the most dangerous foods for our pets? Meat with bones in it, such as chicken and ribs, are extremely dangerous for our pets to get a hold of…bones can puncture the stomach and other organs if swallowed because they cannot be digested. Corn-on-the-cob can also be dangerous because dogs have been known to swallow the cob whole! What do you do to keep your dog busy with something else during the barbeque?

Pets & Easter Egg Hunts

Easter egg hunts are so much fun for kids, and sometimes even for adults! Finding that brightly colored egg stuffed with a surprise is exciting! But don't forget the dangers of failing to find an egg that's been stuffed with candy. Your dog leads with their nose, and if you don't find it, your pet might! Consider stuffing your eggs with something safe for pets this year. If Fido finds them, he'll be less likely to break them open and eat what's inside.

March is Poison Prevention Month

March is Poison Prevention Month. Did you know that some of the most common household items that poison pets include human medication, both prescription and over the counter? With over 25,000 reported cases of pets poisoned by eating human medicine, it’s important to exercise extreme caution when it comes to storing these items! Keep your medications high up on shelves and closed inside cabinets, where your pet cannot access them. It’s also important to open bottles over counters so that any dropped pills don’t end up on the floor where they can be snapped up by a curious pet. Use precaution, and give your pet a long, healthy life.