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So far VPIS Webmaster has created 38 blog entries.
1 07, 2019

Activated charcoal – not without risks

2019-07-01T08:24:13+00:00July 1st, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

1 07, 2019

Avocado – is it poisonous?

2019-07-01T08:21:21+00:00July 1st, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

1 07, 2019

Risks of naproxen in dogs

2019-07-01T08:20:26+00:00July 1st, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

5 06, 2019

Confirmed adder bite in a cat

2019-06-05T13:47:44+00:00June 5th, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

5 06, 2019

VPIS Membership changes from 1st May 2019

2019-06-06T12:29:00+00:00June 5th, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

5 06, 2019

Sweeteners other than xylitol

2019-06-05T13:41:40+00:00June 5th, 2019|Seasonal News|

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. [...]

5 06, 2019

Ivermectin poisoning in reptiles

2019-06-05T13:39:26+00:00June 5th, 2019|Seasonal News|

    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 [...]

5 06, 2019

Adverse effects from soda crystal emetic

2019-06-05T13:38:49+00:00June 5th, 2019|Seasonal News|

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 05, 2019

5-Fluorouracil cream – high risk of severe poisoning in pets

2019-06-05T13:46:36+00:00May 5th, 2019|Uncategorized|

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 [...]

5 05, 2019

Slug baits – enquiries peak over the next few months

2019-06-05T13:45:27+00:00May 5th, 2019|Seasonal News|

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 [...]

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