Many household disinfectants, such as antibacterial sprays and some patio cleaners, contain benzalkonium chloride, which is a cationic detergent. Cationic detergents are irritant and can cause adverse effects in cats that have licked or walked over treated surfaces. Disinfectants can be harmful to pets and so should be used sensibly [...]
We receive many enquiries regarding the ingestion of daffodil bulbs and flowers (Narcissus species) during the Spring months, and although most cases result in only mild signs, serious effects can occur occasionally. All parts of the plant contain alkaloids and glycosides, although they are most concentrated in the bulb; the exact [...]
The decision to prohibit the use of metaldehyde was announced in September 2020, following the advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about the risks that metaldehyde poses to birds and mammals. The ban on metaldehyde is applicable to all users, [...]
Spring is coming and that means adders will become active. We have already received our first enquiries about adder bites. The adder (Vipera berus berus) is the only venomous snake native to the UK, and is also found across northern Europe. It is a protected species in the UK. Adders [...]
Valentines Day is traditionally an opportunity to shower the ones we love with gifts - usually in the form of chocolates and flowers. Although some of us may love our pets enough to warrant gifting them this Valentines, it is important to remember the dangers of these agents to our [...]
In January, we published a case series of salbutamol toxicosis in dogs in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, discussing the common clinical signs, with onset and duration, treatments given, and outcome. The article retrospectively studies the data from five hundred and one canine cases reported to the [...]
Unsurprisingly, the VPIS sees an increase of antifreeze (which usually contains ethylene glycol) cases during the winter months, as motorists prepare their cars for the drop in temperatures. The toxic dose for companion animals is alarmingly small (treatment is recommended for any amount ingested by cats, and 2ml/kg for dogs). Given [...]
This month we celebrate bringing in the Chinese New Year. February 1st marks the beginning of the Year of the Tiger. The third animal of the Chinese zodiac, the tiger denotes bravery, competitiveness and confidence. We have received a small number of enquiries involving tigers with varying circumstances, including overdose [...]
We have recently had a letter published in The Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, discussing our experience with hops toxicosis in dogs. We published an abstract on 13 cases in 2019, and since then we have had 6 additional cases with outcome information. One dog remained well after [...]
With over 8,000 calls handled this year, 2021 has been the busiest year for Animal PoisonLine. The continued challenges faced by vet practices throughout the pandemic have led to more referrals to APL, allowing our triage service to be put to full use. In 82% of cases handled by APL [...]
