Bonfire night is not the only day to be cautious of fireworks, with the whole month seeing an increased prevalence of these mini explosives. Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices that contain many different ingredients; in most cases, the exact composition of ingested fireworks is unknown. Most [...]
The VPIS Annual Report for 2019 is now available on our website. We received 12,864 enquiries in 2019 comprising 10,163 Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) enquiries and 2,701 Animal PoisonLine (APL) calls. Most enquiries involved dogs (85%) followed by cats (13%) and rabbits (1%). The most common agents were non-steroidal anti-inflammatory [...]
As a popular addition to the doorstep at Halloween, pumpkins, which belong to the Cucurbitaceae (gourd) family may be eaten by pets. Fruits of these plants can contain extremely bitter-tasting compounds, but they have been bred out of crop varieties. Generally, if the pumpkin is shop-bought it is not bitter tasting. [...]
Metaldehyde, a pesticide commonly contained in slug and snail baits, can cause severe neurological signs if ingested. Metaldehyde intoxication has been reported in many domestic and wild species, but there are few case reports relating to metaldehyde poisoning in cats in the literature. A paper published recently describes a case of metaldehyde [...]
The weeks surrounding Halloween are usually one of the busiest periods of the year for our team at the VPIS and APL. The season presents many potential hazards to pets, including the consumption of Halloween chocolates and sweets. The primary toxins in chocolate are theobromine and caffeine. Although the concentration [...]
Ingestion of acorns by dogs is common during the autumn months. Quercus species contain tannic acid; however, it may not be the only substance responsible for the toxic effects observed in animals, which are mainly gastrointestinal and, in some species, renal. Following an acute ingestion of acorns, vomiting and diarrhoea may [...]
A quick reminder for vets about our APL fees: In hours (8am-8pm Mon to Fri) - £35 Out of hours (8pm-8am Mon to Fri and all weekend/bank holidays) - £45 Please remember that this is not the same as the VPIS service and we DO NOT give owners detailed treatment advice. We [...]
With the end of summer comes the season of autumn fruits including cherry laurel, conkers, rowan and acorns (above). Pets, particularly dogs often eat fallen fruit and ingestion of any plant material can cause gastrointestinal signs. Some fruits such as acorns and conkers also pose a risk of gastrointestinal obstruction. [...]
A paper published earlier this month reviews the common household plants implicated in companion animal poisoning. There is an increasing risk of exposure to such plants, as pets are more often allowed and kept indoors, as well as pets’ continued curiosity. The following plants are discussed: Anthurium spp. (flamingo flower), Aucuba japonica (Japanese laurel), Cycas [...]
With September comes the 'Back to School' season, and students’ fill their pencil cases with all the essentials - pens, pencils, rubbers, rulers. These are readily accessible to pets and dogs (and other animals!) may chewing and eat various stationery items. The majority of pencil case-fillers are considered ‘non-toxic’, and [...]
