Friday, October 17, 2008

Top Ten Medications That Poison Dogs

The ASPCA Poison Control Center has just released a list of of the 10 human medications that most often poison dogs and cats. They are:

1. NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like ibuprofen or naproxen (ie, Advil or Aleve);

2. Antidepressants;

3. Acetaminophen (ie, Tylenol);

4. Methylphenidate (ie, Ritalin and other drugs used to treat ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder);

5. Fluorouracil (an anti-cancer cream used treat minor skin cancers and solar keratitis);

6. Isoniazid (often the first line of defense against tuberculosis);

7. Pseudoephedrine (a popular decongestant in many cold and sinus products);

8. Anti-diabetics (ie, glipizide and glyburide)

9. Vitamin D derivatives (ie, calcipotriene and calcitriol);

10. Baclofen (ie, the muscle relaxants Kemstro and Lioresal).

Learn more about common households poisons––and what to do if your dog ingests something toxic––from urbanhound's own veterinarian, Betsy Brevitz.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Every time the economy takes a downturn, people try to save money by self diagnosing and treating their pets. This practice often results in what I like to call, "uninformed poisoning". The well-meaning owner actually poisons their pet. Please talk to your veterinarian before giving any medication to your dog.

Anonymous said...

Great--and very important--post. I recently left some of my meds in an open suitcase on the floor, thank god I got to them before Henry (my Westie) did.

It's probably also a good time for a refresher on some foods that are perfectly healthy for people, but toxic to dogs: Five Surprising Foods that are Poisonous to Dogs