VPIS Webmaster, Author at Veterinary Poisons Information Service
Activated charcoal is commonly used as an absorbant in the management of poisoning. It is a finely powdered material with a huge surface area, which is capable of binding a variety of drugs and chemicals. Charcoal is given orally and passes through the gut, binding with the ingested substance and thereby reducing or [...]
Avocado – is it poisonous?
Avocado leaves, bark, fruit and seeds are toxic to some animals. The active principle is believed to be persin but its mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. Poisoning has been reported in birds (chickens, cockatiels, budgies, canaries, ostriches), horses, goats, sheep, mice and rabbits. A recent report described [...]
Naproxen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used in human medicine. Dogs are particularly sensitive to naproxen which is a propionic acid NSAID (like ibuprofen). Dogs may ingest by accident or misguided owners may give it to their pet for apparent pain. In dogs the main risks or naproxen exposure [...]
One of our previous cases has been published. The cat presented with pyrexia and tachycardia and then returned 48 hours later with inability to defecate or urinate and with tail paralysis. There was swelling and bruising at the tail base but no radiographic evidence of a tail pull injury. The owner [...]
VPIS Membership changes from 1st May 2019
VPIS is the UK’s only animal poison centre and our team of vets and toxicologists provide 24 hour telephone advice on the management of suspected or confirmed poisonings in any animal. We provide all the information needed to proceed with the case in the appropriate way, informing vets of the [...]
We are often asked about the safety of sweeteners such as malitol, sorbitol, sucralose and saccharin present as excipients in some medicines. These sweeteners are not hazardous to pets and are also well tolerated in overdose, although some can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. The only sweetener of concern is xylitol. [...]
One of the abstracts presented at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in 2018 involved ivermectin poisoning in 19 chelonians. They developed inappetence, weakness, pronounced lethargy and paralysis. Eighteen of them survived with supportive care. Lizards and snakes tolerate ivermectin in therapeutic doses but it is contraindicated in [...]
A recent report highlights the risks of using soda crystals (washing soda, sodium carbonate) as an emetic in dogs. The mechanism of action of washing soda is not fully understood but it is thought to act as a direct alkaline irritant to the mucosa of the upper gastrointestinal tract. The dogs [...]
5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is used in human medicine for the mangement of dermal neoplasms and actinic keratoses. It is typically available in a 5% cream and only a small dose causes severe poisoning in cats and dogs. 5-FU poisoning is characterised by gastrointestinal signs, neurotoxicity and bone marrow depression. A recent letter [...]
The peak in enquiries about slug baits occurs in May and June. There are 3 main ingredients in slug baits: metaldehyde, ferric phosphate and methiocarb. Metaldehyde causes rapid onset tremors, muscle fasciculation and prolonged seziures. There is no antidote and treatment is supportive with the focus on controlling seizures and preventing [...]