Venomous Creatures Poisonous to Pets in North America

Great info from Pet Poison Helpline on venomous creatures poisonous to pets! Do you know what's in your backyard?

It's spring and many pet owners are itching to spend quality time outdoors with their pets. While run-ins with poisonous creatures can be infrequent, pets are curious and it’s not uncommon for them to investigate other living things that move. These “interrogations” can quickly escalate into deadly situations when dealing with a creature that protects itself with venom.

More than any other time of year, the spring and summer months are when Pet Poison Helpline receives more calls from pet owners and veterinarians concerning pets that have been poisoned by venom. When encountered by a venomous creature, pet owner knowledge and awareness is the best defense. For this reason, the veterinarians and toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline suggest that pet owners arm themselves with this list of the most common venomous creatures in North America.

Snakes

Several species of snakes are venomous and extremely dangerous to pets. Coral snakes (family Elapidae), commonly found in the Southeastern United States, are very poisonous to all pets and farm animals. The saying “red next to black is a friend of Jack; red next to yellow is a dangerous fellow,” applies to their colorful ringed bands. Coral snake venom contains neurotoxins that can cause respiratory failure and muscle paralysis. Symptoms are acute paralysis (not being able to move or walk), problems breathing, and sometimes collapsing. Treatment typically includes supportive measures, particularly respiratory. Anti-venom is effective, but not readily available.

Rattlesnakes (family Viperidae) are most common in the Southeast and Southwest, but can be found in nearly all areas of the country.  Pit vipers (subfamily Crotalinae) and are generally considered to be the most dangerous, followed by cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus, a.k.a. water moccasins), and copperheads (Agkistrodon contortrix). Rattlesnake bites are poisonous to all pets and farm animals. Symptoms of envenomation include difficulty breathing, bruising, cardiovascular shock, and in serious cases, organ failure. Treatment often includes intravenous fluids, antibiotics, transfusions, anti-venom and blood parameter monitoring. Something to keep in mind is that about 25 percent of rattlesnake bites are “dry,” meaning that venom is not released, but immediate veterinary attention is always recommended.

Toads

For toads, the two primary species of concern are the Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius) and the marine toad (Rhinella marinus). Typically found in warm, tropical areas like Arizona, California, Florida, Texas, Hawaii, they are poisonous to cats and dogs. The Marine toad is considered to be the most toxic, and most dogs poisoned by them will die if untreated. Even just mouthing or holding the toad in the mouth, or drinking water from a container where the toad was laying, can result in severe poisoning. Symptoms can include severe drooling, followed by difficulty breathing, incoordination, seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and even death. Treatment includes flushing of the mouth, medication to treat abnormal heart rates, blood pressure monitoring, and supportive care.

Scorpions

There are more than 1,500 species of scorpions throughout the world, but the Arizona bark scorpion (Centruroides sculpturatus) is the only species considered significantly venomous in North America. Common in the Southwest (primarily Arizona and New Mexico), it’s about 7 to 8 cm long, light brown to gold in color, and nocturnal. When dogs or cats are stung, symptoms may include drooling, itchiness, hyperactivity, seizures, abnormal eye movement, tremors, and walking in a drunk-like state. Immediate veterinary attention is recommended for pain medication, anti-venom intravenous fluids, and supportive care.

Spiders

Most spiders are minimally venomous, but the female black widow (Lactrodectus) is poisonous to dogs and cats because of its large fang structure. Found throughout North America, female black widows are 2 to 2.5 cm in length, shiny and black with orange or red hour glass shaped markings on their underside. Males, generally considered non-toxic, are smaller, can be black or brown, and lack the characteristic abdominal markings. When bitten by a female black widow, dogs, and especially cats, may show signs of severe muscle pain, cramping and muscle rigidity, incoordination, tremors, paralysis, blood pressure changes, drooling, vomiting and diarrhea, and respiratory paralysis sometimes leading to death. Veterinary treatment includes the use of an anti-venom, muscle relaxants, intravenous fluids, anti-seizure medications, pain medications and symptomatic supportive care.

The brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) is found across the southern region of the United States. Measuring between 8 and 13 mm in length, it has long legs, ranges in shades of brown, and a violin shape on its upper body (dorsal cephalothorax). Its venom is a mix of phospholipases and proteases, which can result in severe tissue damage at the bite locations. However, there is tremendous variability of the potency and quantity of venom injected with a bite. Animals bitten may show clinical signs of vomiting, fever, lethargy, bleeding/bruising, organ damage to the liver and kidneys, severe chronic skin lesions, bleeding/bruising, organ damage to the liver and kidneys, which can lead to death. Unfortunately, no anti-venom is available for this spider. Immediate veterinary attention is always recommended, and strong supportive care measures may be needed, including wound care.

While enjoying the outdoors this spring and summer, be aware of venomous creatures native to your area and keep your pets a safe distance away. Simply keeping your dog on a leash – or your cat indoors – can minimize the chance of your pet suffering the consequences of an unfortunate encounter with a venomous creature. If your pet comes into contact with one of them, take action immediately. Contact a veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680. Pet Poison Helpline is the most cost-effective animal poison control center in North America charging only $39 per call, including unlimited follow-up consultations. Pet Poison Helpline also has an iPhone application listing an extensive database of over 200 poisons dangerous to cats and dogs. “Pet Poison Help” is available on iTunes for $1.99.

Top 10 Dog and Cat Medical Conditions of 2012

VPI Pet insurance: Nation’s Largest Pet Insurer Reveals Most Common Causes of Veterinary Visits

Released by VPI!

Brea, Calif. (April 2, 2013) – Just like their human counterparts, when pets are afflicted with even seemingly minor ailments such as an ear infection, stomach ache or cough, it can prompt a visit to the doctor. While the majority of these conditions are rarely life threatening, they can become chronic and expensive to treat. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. (VPI) policyholders spent more than $58 million in 2012 treating the 10 most common medical conditions affecting their pets. VPI, the nation’s oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance, recently sorted its database of more than 485,000 insured pets to determine the top 10 dog and cat medical conditions in 2012. Below are the results:

Top Dog Conditions	Top Cat Conditions
1. Skin Allergies	1. Bladder Infection
2. Ear Infection	2. Periodontitis/Dental Disease
3. Skin Infection	3. Overactive Thyroid
4. Non-Canerous Skin Growth	4. Chronic Kidney Disease
5. Upset Stomach/Vomiting	5. Upset Stomach/Vomiting
6. Arthritis	6. Diabetes
7. Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea	7. Intestinal Upset/Diarrhea
8. Bladder Infection	8. Skin Allergies
9. Periodontitis/Dental Disease	9. Lymphosarcoma (Cancer of Lymph Node
10. Bruise or Contusion	10. Upper Respiratory Infection

“Although a few of the top 10 dog and cat conditions can be associated with an animal’s natural aging process, many of the conditions listed above can occur in any pet,” said Dr. Carol McConnell, DVM, MBA, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for VPI. “Regardless of the age or breed of the dog or cat, pet owners should familiarize themselves with their pets’ daily routine in order to identify abnormal behaviors that might indicate an injury or illness.”
In 2012, VPI received more than 68,000 canine claims for skin allergies, the most common cause for taking a dog to see a veterinarian. The average claim fee was $96 per office visit. For cats, a bladder infection was the most common reason to take your kitty to the veterinarian. VPI received more than 4,000 medical claims for this ailment – with an average claim amount of $251 per office visit.
The most expensive canine condition on the list (arthritis) cost an average of $258 per visit, while, for cats, the most expensive condition (lymphosarcoma) cost an average of $415 per visit. In addition to familiarizing themselves with their pets’ routine and behavior, pet owners should schedule their pets’ semiannual veterinary examinations on a regular basis to help prevent and identify certain conditions before they become serious or costly.

How to go green with your dog

Source: pethealthnetwork.com via Pet Health Network on Pinterest

Breeder’s Choice, a Central Garden & Pet company, has issued a voluntary recall for a single batch of Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats due to mold discovered in one of the lots of dog biscuits.

The following product is included in the recall:
Product Code/SKU/ Material #: BCP-080
UPC Code:  0130104895
Size: 24 oz.
Product Name: Active Care Biscuits-Healthy Dog Treats
Best Before Code: 19/Dec/2013
Product and product lots that do not appear above have not been affected.
According to a release from the manufacturer, the mold seems to have occurred due to varying dryer temperature settings for drying biscuits. This exposed the recalled product to excess moisture and has since been remedied.
Pet owners who fed their pets the recalled biscuits should watch for symptoms that may develop. Common symptoms associated with mold exposure include gastrointestinal issues such as loose stool. At the time of this release, there have been no reports of human or pet illnesses associated with this recall.
For more information, call the Central Customer Care line at (866) 500-6286 or visit goactivedog.com.

Chuckit! Heliflight dog toy review

As an ultimate frisbee playing veterinarian, I'm always looking for good ways of training my dog on how to catch discs better!

This Chuckit! Heliflight toy is a combination of a boomerang and frisbee toy. It's soft and durable, and seems to be made out of nylon and plastic. It's washable, and overall, I'm going to give it a 2 paws up.

The pros:

• Its got a great profile/outline, so my dog can see it in the air really well.
• Its easy to pick up, as its got 3 elevated areas (vs. a dog trying to pick up a flat disc).
• Its bright colors make it easy for me to see when I've lost it in the snow.
• Its soft, unlike a true plastic frisbee, so even if it hits your dog's mouth hard (e.g., catching it in the air), it doesn't appear to hurt or cause any damage!

The cons:

• It is a bit challenging to get the hang of how to throw it. Again, it's not a flat frisbee, but rather boomerang like, so takes crazy, funny angles. Its definitely throwing off my ultimate backhand.

Overall, really happy with this this toy. My dog jumps up and down on the way to the dog park in anticipation!

Sponsored post, Dr. Justine Lee

Rodenticide manufacturer defies EPA, requests hearing on anticoagulant use

Previously published by Julie Scheidegger of DVM360 on April 5, 2013 here.

Veterinary toxicology expert prefers banned poison over new neurotoxin.

Pesticide manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser Inc., maker of the rodenticide d-Con, has reached a face-off with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after defying new regulations that, according to veterinary toxicology experts, could prove harmful to pets.

Reckitt Benckiser has been noncompliant with the EPA’s 2008 risk mitigation reforms, enacted in 2011, which require manufacturers to stop using long-acting anticoagulants in products meant for residential environments. As a result, the EPA notified the company in mid-February that it intended to cancel 12 of its products.

On March 7, the day before the EPA ban on d-Con’s products was to take effect, the manufacturer requested a hearing before an EPA administrative law judge, effectively delaying the ban until the hearing is completed.

Conflicting safety concerns
While the EPA states that the anticoagulant products “pose unreasonable risks to children, pets and wildlife,” toxicology expert Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS, a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology and assistant director of veterinary services for Pet Poison Helpline, says she’d rather contend with d-Con, all things considered. “I’d like to see long-acting anticoagulants kept on the market for in-home use for consumers. I think that is the safest option in regards to pets and wildlife exposure,” Brutlag says.

The new breed of rodenticides spawned by the EPA prohibition use the neurotoxin bromethalin. The rapid onset of bromethalin gives veterinarians little time to intervene if a pet has ingested it. And unlike anticoagulants, which can be treated with vitamin K, bromethalin has no diagnostic test and no antidote.

D-Con says on its website that the use of more potent rodenticides such as bromethalin could “increase the risk of serious harm and potentially death if these products are used improperly.” The company also says using less-effective products would impact public health by making rodent infestations more difficult to control. “EPA’s actions would leave consumers with fewer alternatives which, ironically, puts the public health and environment at greater risk,” says Hal Ambuter, Reckitt Benckiser’s director of regulatory and governmental affairs for d-Con.

Reckitt Benckiser argues that residential consumers should have the choice to use anticoagulants if that’s the most effective way to control a rodent infestation. In fact, Ambuter says d-Con was granted registration for a tamper-proof bait station and hoped the EPA would continue to allow its products for residential use if the anticoagulant was contained. “We applied for an anticoagulant bait in a tamper-proof bait station but were surprised and disappointed that the EPA rejected that registration,” Ambuter says.

However, Reckitt Benckiser’s overarching position is that loose bait should be allowed, while the EPA reforms require that nearly all consumer products be tamper-resistant for children and dogs. “Use of a bait station that substantially reduces exposure to the bait plainly poses less risk to children, domestic animals and nontarget wildlife,” the EPA says. Reckitt Benckiser claims that bait stations are less effective in controlling rodent infestations. And Brutlag says they’re not even that effective in preventing poisonings. “We’ve been looking at that really closely,” she says. “We’ve found that when animals are exposed to new risk mitigation products, a large percent are getting into the bait itself.”
Dogs often chew through the bait stations or the plastic bags in which rodenticide blocks are packaged, Brutlag says--and these bags hold up to a pound of blocks. Also, she says consumers with a rodent problem often disregard safe practices; they set the bait station out but also set out loose blocks as well.

In addition, Brutlag says, many rodents are suspicious of bait stations--rats in particular. Dogs, however, seem to have no reservations. “When we see dogs get into it, they seem to eat as much as they can,” she says. “Would [bait stations] deter them? Dogs will eat anything. I honestly don’t know if that would change the outcome here.”

Brutlag also says that cats, while fairly tolerant of anticoagulants, are highly sensitive to bromethalin. “I’m glad not to see bromethalin pellets being sold for the home,” she says.

Products still available--for now
In the meantime, consumers will be able to continue buying anticoagulant rodenticides. The EPA expects the hearing requested by d-Con’s manufacturer to start later this year, “likely several months from now following prehearing proceedings such as prehearing conferences and discovery,” the agency said in a late March e-mail to dvm360.

Brutlag concedes that a return to preregulation standards may be impossible. If the EPA carries through with its cancellation of d-Con anticoagulant products, “almost all in-house container-based rodenticide will be bromethalin,” she says. Her solution for now is to continue to educate pet owners and veterinarians about the EPA’s changes and the dangers of rodenticide posioning.

The EPA says Reckitt Benckiser’s refusal to implement the 2008 reforms is the first time in more than 20 years that a company has declined to voluntarily implement EPA risk mitigation measures for a pesticide product and requested a cancellation hearing. It is also the only company--out of nearly 30 rodenticide producers--to refuse to adopt the measures.

To view a list of the d-Con products scheduled for cancellation, go to epa.govepa.gov.

Chuckit! Indoor ball and Indoor launcher product review

As a veterinarian, I'm a huge advocate of exercising your dog. This is imperative for both exercise (and weight loss) and mental stimulation for your pet.

I've recently acquired a new rescue puppy, and keeping him entertained and exercised in the winter months of Minnesota can be tough! So that's when I discovered Chuckit!'s indoor line (I've only ever used the ChuckIt tennis ball thrower and amphibious ring up to this point).

What I love about the Chuckit! Indoor Ball and Indoor Launcher is that it's a sturdy enough ball that you can "chuck it" without the loud crashing obnoxious sounds that heavy balls create.  I found this indoor ball to be dense enough while still being lightweight. It's soft and compressible, so gentle for a puppy's mouth. It's about a 4.5" diameter, so does require a big mouth (medium dog sized and above) to fully grab. The soft yarn texture is great to help keep noise down.

That said, use some smarts. These balls aren't designed to be chewed on when you're not around - they can be chewed up and swallowed. As with any toy, supervise your pet while throwing toss with him, but don't leave the ball around for him to chew on while you're not at home.

Overall, two paws up for this veterinarian and her mutt on a great indoor ball!