Poisons & Toxicities

Winter holidays can be a joyous time for humans yet a dangerous time for our four-legged family members. The curious nature of cats, plus a dog’s strong sense of smell, causes both animals to get into holiday decorations, food, and drinks that could lead them to wind up in a MedVet emergency room. Take some extra pet-proofing measures this year to keep your best friend happy and safe all holiday season. Avoid dogggy dilemmas…

Fall is a festive season but can also be a bit of a tricky and scary time for pet-owners. Wondering how you can keep your dog safe this Halloween? Unsure about what to keep out of reach of your cat? Let’s play a game of Trick-or-Treat while MedVet’s team of board-certified veterinarians share their expertise on how to keep pets safe this fall. Guess if the food listed…

“As marijuana is being legalized in more states and its use is becoming more widespread where it’s not legal, we’re seeing more intoxications,” says MedVet Columbus criticalist Natashia Evans, BVSc, DACVECC. “When users compound the drug with a fatty solution like oil or butter, two things happen. The toxicity increases and the risk of pets getting into it increases too.” Evans says that a dog that has ingested a comparatively small amount of the compounded…

  Some commonly used medicines that are safe for humans are very toxic to pets. Ibuprofen is helpful to humans but harmful to dogs. Remember to always consult your family veterinarian before giving your pet any medicine, especially if it’s from your own medicine cabinet.   What is ibuprofen? Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (commonly referred to as an NSAID- pronounced with the letter n-said). Ibuprofen is a popular and effective over-the-counter…

The changing seasons can bring new challenges for our pets. Help keep your pet happy and healthy this season with this advice from our Emergency Medicine team. Spring flowers can present danger to cats and dogs. While many flowers and plants can be dangerous to pets, lilies are especially toxic to cats. If ingested, every part of the lily flower and plant can cause serious health problems, and in some cases, can be fatal. Other…