ASPCA's Top 10 Most Common Poisons that Affect Our Furry Friends

Human medications have topped the list of pet toxins for the third year in a row, according to a new list released by the ASPCA. In 2010, the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison control hotline fielded more than 167,000 phone calls about pets exposed to common household toxins and other potentially poisonous substances.

To help keep your pet safe and sound in 2011, experts from the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) in Urbana, Illinois, have created a list of the 10 most common poisons that affected our furry friends last year. A few highlights of their findings include:

• Accidental ingestion of human medications accounted for 25 percent of all calls to the ASPCA in 2010. The most common culprits included antidepressants and over-the-counter medications, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
  
• Approximately 20 percent of all calls concerned insecticides commonly used for flea control.Our feline friends are especially vulnerable to the misapplication of spot-on flea and tick products.
  
• Baits used to kill mice and rats can be deadly if ingested by pets. Many rodenticides are grain-based, which attracts not only rodents, but dogs and cats, too, and can cause seizures, internal bleeding or kidney failure.
  
• Some of the most delicious people food, including grapes, raisins and garlic, can be poisonous to pets. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, while onions and garlic can cause anemia if ingested in sufficient amounts.
  
• Household plants may keep your house green and your air clean, but some can cause serious gastrointestinal problems for companion animals. Please visit our list of pet-safe plants before your next trip to the nursery.

As always, if you suspect your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your vet or the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison control hotline at (888) 426-4435. To read the complete list of the top 10 pet toxins of 2010, visit APCC online.