- Sources of poisoning: household items, garden products, and poison bait on walks
- Symptoms: restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, pale gums, unconsciousness
- First aid: stay calm, recovery position, head to the vet right away
- Activated charcoal only on veterinary instruction
- Bring samples: take the poison, vomit, or stool to the vet
Where can my dog get poisoned?
At home
Sources of danger in the home
In the garden
Sources of danger in the garden
On walks
- Poison bait, rat poison, or slug pellets. Anti-poison-bait training can help prevent this
- Fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides: often especially concentrated in puddles at the edge of fields
- Toxic plants and carrion
- Poisoned mice, rats, or insects
- Trash of unknown composition
- Snake bites (recognizable by severe swelling and blue-black discoloration of the skin)
- Insect stings (hornets, wasps: can trigger anaphylactic shock)
- Contaminated feces from other animals
Symptoms of poisoning
If you notice several of these symptoms in your dog, act immediately and see a vet.
Possible signs of poisoning
First aid in an emergency
- Stay calm: panic doesn't help
- Recovery position if unconscious
- Check pulse and breathing regularly
- Keep the airways clear
- NO muzzle (risk of choking!)
- DON'T force vomiting
- Give activated charcoal only if instructed
- Keep the dog warm (blanket/cushion)
- Call the vet or emergency clinic: right away with poison, amount, and timing
- Bring poison samples (with packaging)
What are charcoal tablets?
Charcoal tablets are made of medicinal charcoal, which is obtained from plant parts such as wood, peat, or coconut shells. Activated charcoal is highly porous like a sponge: the surface area of four grams of activated charcoal is about the size of a soccer field.
Because of this structure, activated charcoal binds toxins in the gastrointestinal tract and renders them harmless to the body. The bound substances are excreted in the stool (which turns black in the process: that's normal).
The faster activated charcoal contacts some poisons, the more useful it can be. It is not right for every toxin and never replaces veterinary care. Give it only if your vet or an emergency clinic tells you to.
Ask your vet ahead of time whether activated charcoal belongs in your dog first-aid kit and which emergency number to call. Keep your dog warm and pad the surroundings so it cannot hurt itself during seizures.
What the vet should know
Help the vet by giving them this information:
| Information | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Which poison was ingested? | Targeted treatment |
| Sample available? (incl. packaging) | Identifying the toxin |
| When was the poison ingested? | Time window for treatment |
| Which symptoms are present? | Assessing severity |
| How much was ingested? | Dose-dependent treatment |
If possible, bring vomit or stool along as a sample.
Further reading
Toxicity calculators
Related topics
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Question 1 of 3Your dog is showing signs of poisoning. Should you make it vomit?
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