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Poisons and dangerous products for your dog

7 min read

Stay calm: what matters is calling quickly

If you're reading this with your stomach in knots, breathe: you've done nothing wrong, and you can still act. Many poisons work in silence. Your dog can seem perfectly normal for hours while antifreeze or rat poison is already doing its damage. That's why we call before the symptoms appear: the window in which treatment works best closes fast. His liver doesn't filter the way ours does, and products that are harmless to us (a tablet dropped on the floor, a bit of leftover dark chocolate) weigh far more heavily on him.

These simple actions are worth more than any home remedy.

1

Move your dog away from the product

Pick up whatever is left (box, packet, puddle) and put it out of reach, without panicking.

2

Call without waiting

Your vet, the emergency clinic or an animal poison centre. In France: the CNITV (Lyon) and the CAPAE-Ouest (Nantes).

3

Keep the packaging to hand

The label tells you the exact compound and guides the whole course of treatment. A photo of the product or the plant helps too.

4

Note the time and the amount

When, how much, what: these three pieces of information guide the professional on the phone.

5

Describe honestly what happened

Even if it involves medication or cannabis: nobody's judging you, we're treating your dog, and hidden information wastes precious time.

The dangers to know, room by room

The right habit is to store these products up high AND locked away, somewhere your dog never goes. Not just "left on the worktop".

Kitchen, bathroom, handbag

Human medicinesParacetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, antidepressants: toxic to dogs, sometimes from a single tablet dropped on the floor.
"Sugar-free" chewing gum and sweetsXylitol (or "birch sugar") is dangerous even in very small amounts; it's also found in some peanut butters.
Dark chocolate, coffee, coffee groundsTheobromine and caffeine build up in dogs, with dark chocolate far worse than milk chocolate.

Garage, cellar, workshop

Antifreeze and coolantEthylene glycol has a very tempting sweet taste and a small puddle is enough: an absolute emergency, it attacks the kidneys.
Rat poison (anticoagulant rodenticides)They stop the blood from clotting; a dog can bleed internally several days later, with no visible wound.
Petrol, white spirit, de-icersHydrocarbons: never induce vomiting, they get into the lungs on the way back up.

Garden and patio

Metaldehyde slug pelletsCause tremors and convulsions, sometimes soon after ingestion. Prefer metaldehyde-free solutions.
Insecticides, weedkillers, rodenticidesKeep them locked away; for parasite treatments, stick strictly to the species and weight indicated.
Bulbs and toxic plantsA dug-up bulb looks like an onion; you'll find the detail in the dedicated plants guide.

Household cleaning cupboard

Drain cleaners, concentrated bleach, detergentsCaustic products: they burn the mouth and the oesophagus. Above all, don't induce vomiting.
Laundry capsules and toilet tabletsColourful and tempting, quickly chewed by a curious dog.

Many of these products have no off-putting taste at all, some are even sweet and tempting: you can't rely on your dog to avoid them.

Recognising poisoning

The signs vary depending on the product and can be delayed. At the slightest doubt, you call, you don't wait for them to get worse.

Keep a close eye

  • Vomiting, diarrhoea, unusual drooling
  • Restlessness, panting, abnormal thirst
  • Loss of appetite, low spirits

Worrying, time to call

  • Unsteady, "drunken" walk
  • Tremors, weakness in the hindquarters
  • Pale or very red gums
  • Unexplained bleeding (nose, gums, stools)

Life-threatening emergency

  • Convulsions
  • Blue gums, very laboured breathing
  • Collapse, loss of consciousness

Convulsions, a drunken walk, blue or pale gums, loss of consciousness: this is a life-threatening emergency, no more deliberating, you head straight to the vet.

Prevention beats every antidote

The best emergency is the one you've anticipated. Five calm minutes today can change everything on a day of panic.

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On walks, a solid "leave it" and a scavenging cue trained with a marker word (a well-timed "yes!" followed by a reward) protect your dog from bait and scraps picked up off the ground. It's a valuable extra, never a replacement for storing things away: dangerous food or products always stay physically out of reach.

  1. Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), ASPCA
  2. Pet Poison Helpline
  3. Merck Veterinary Manual
  4. Centre National d'Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires (CNITV, Lyon)
  5. CAPAE-Ouest (Nantes / Oniris)

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take for a poisoned dog to die?

There's no countdown: it all depends on the product, the amount and above all how quickly treatment starts. It's precisely because some poisons act in silence that we don't wait. At the slightest doubt, even with no symptoms, you call your vet or an animal poison centre straight away: acting early changes the outlook.

How can I tell if my dog has been poisoned?

Possible signs: vomiting, drooling, an unsteady walk, tremors, low spirits, abnormal gums, sometimes bleeding. But they're often delayed. You don't have to make the diagnosis yourself: if you have a doubt, call and describe what he may have swallowed, the time and the estimated amount.

Rat poison: my dog ate some, what should I do?

Call your vet or an animal poison centre immediately, even if he seems fine: anticoagulant rodenticides can cause internal bleeding several days later, and treatment is all the more effective the earlier it starts. Take the packaging, the compound guides the follow-up. Don't make him vomit.

My dog drank antifreeze, is it serious?

Yes, it's an absolute emergency: ethylene glycol, sweet and tempting, attacks the kidneys very quickly and a small amount is enough. Head to the vet or the emergency clinic without waiting for a single symptom. Every hour counts.

My dog swallowed a human medicine, what should I do?

Keep the box in front of you and call the vet or a poison centre right away: the compound and the dosage completely change what to do. Don't give him anything else, and don't make him vomit on your own initiative.

Should you make a poisoned dog vomit?

No, never on your own initiative. Depending on the product (caustic, antifreeze, petrol), making him vomit burns a second time or gets into the lungs, and it's dangerous in a dog who is already unwell. It's the vet who decides whether it's advisable and who does it safely.

What number should I call if my dog is poisoned?

Your vet, the nearest emergency clinic, or an animal poison centre. In France, the CNITV (Lyon) and the CAPAE-Ouest (Nantes) answer animal toxicology questions. Note these numbers down in advance, off your phone, so you're not searching for them on the day.

Read nextNext in this pathLes tiques du chien : prévention et retraitRead

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