Pills that Poison Pets: Preventing Medication Overdoses

                        Without question, medications prescribed by physicians go a long way to restore health and quality of life for so many people.  But, what about accidental exposure of pets to human medications?  

                        Nearly half the phone calls to pet poison control hotlines are for accidental ingestions by pets of human medications.  The IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics recently released a list of the top five human prescription drugs sold in the United States.  Do you have any of the following drugs within your curious pet’s reach on your counter, table, or night stand, or in your purse? 

---Lipitor (atorvastatin): A commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine for humans, its effects on pets are mild, consisting of vomiting and diarrhea. This drug is considered to be of low toxicity to pets.

 
---Nexium (esomeprazole):  This medication, an anti-ulcer drug that decreases acid secretion in the stomach, is prescribed occasionally for pets as well as their human counterparts.  Side effects for pets are mild and include vomiting and diarrhea that generally subside on their own.

---Plavix (clopidogrel):  Physicians use this drug to prevent clot formation in patients at risk for strokes.  Plavix works by affecting platelets, a type of blood cell that facilitates clotting.  When a pet ingests this drug, the margin of safety is wide as it is only likely to cause mild vomiting or diarrhea.

---Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol):  Unlike the previous three medicines, this asthma medication in its inhaler is potentially life-threatening when ingested by pets.  Advair contains beta-agonist drugs that expand the lung air sacs, as well as potent steroids to decrease dangerous levels of inflammation in asthmatic lungs.  These inhalers are plastic dispensers that are very attractive to inquisitive pets that chew on them, releasing multiple doses of powerful drugs all at once.  Symptoms of intoxication include heart arrhythmias, elevated heart rate, agitation, vomiting, and even collapse.  The pet’s blood potassium may also become desperately low and life-threatening.  Seek immediate veterinary attention for this potentially deadly overdose.

---Abilify (aripiprazole):  In human medicine this drug is used to treat clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. This atypical anti-psychotic agent, when ingested by pets, can result in profound lethargy, vomiting, hyperthermia, significant changes in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as seizures. If you think your pet has swallowed this medication, contact your veterinarian
immediately.

                        As always, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!  Please remember the following important tips to avoid deadly drug overdoses for your family pet:

1)      Store your medications in a different location than your pet’s medications - avoid accidentally giving your pills to your pet!

2)      Careful placement of weekly pill dispensers – these rattle and resemble chew     toys. Your pet could be exposed to a week’s worth of medication all at once, resulting in a much higher overdose.

3)      Be mindful of how and where you pack drugs for travel – avoid putting medicine in plastic baggies that are not pet-proof (nor child-proof!).  Women who carry medications in purses should not place handbags where pets may gain access to deadly drugs stored in them.

4)      When handling individual doses of drugs, do so without your pet nearby – accidentally dropped doses are quickly confiscated and ingested by pets under your feet. Immediately locate and safely dispose of any dropped medications.

                If your pet ingests human medication, as with any overdose or other emergency, time is of the essence!  Promptly call your veterinarian for instructions.  Listen carefully as your veterinarian may instruct you to make your pet vomit at home to expediently remove the potential poison from your pet’s stomach. 

               Most importantly, inquire about your veterinarian’s after hours emergency policies BEFORE you have an emergency.  Post your veterinarian’s phone number in a conspicuous location near your phone or enter it in your speed dialing.  Know where to go for emergency care and who will be seeing your pet in the event of a drug overdose or any other emergency.

Author: Dr. Bonnie Jones
Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net