Dealing with Poisoning in Pets: What You Need to Know

One of the more common emergency calls I would receive was related to poisonings. Pets are naturally curious, and sometimes, they get into things they shouldn’t, which can result in toxic exposures. One of the most alarming signs of many types of toxicity is seizures.

If your pet experiences a seizure, it’s important to know how to act quickly and effectively. Here’s what you need to do in these situations.

How CBD Can Help in Seizure Management

When it comes to helping pets with seizures, one of the holistic treatments I highly recommend is CBD (cannabidiol). In fact, CBD has become one of the primary natural remedies for managing seizures in both dogs and cats. Not only is it effective in reducing seizures, but it also works as a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory. Best of all, it’s safe for both dogs and cats.

A Natural Remedy for Your Pet’s Health

CBD is a wonderful option if you’re looking for a holistic approach to managing your pet’s health, particularly when it comes to seizure control and pain relief. It’s important to choose a high-quality product, and that’s why I recommend Dr. Jones’ ULTIMATE CBD for Dogs and Cats.

By incorporating CBD into your pet’s health regimen, you can help manage symptoms of poisoning and provide them with a natural way to feel better.

Common Pet Toxins: Protecting Your Furry Friend from Harm

I’ve seen dogs and cats poisoned by virtually everything: rat poison, slug bait, salt, chocolate, grapes, marijuana, compost, mushrooms, drain cleaner, antifreeze—even chewing gum. The list is long and shocking. It’s hard to believe just how many everyday things can be toxic to pets.

A Cautionary Tale: Bessie’s Close Call

Let me share a story about a small dog named Bessie, a lively West Highland White Terrier (Westie) with an insatiable love for food and anything that dropped to the floor. Bessie was always full of energy, chasing things, and getting into everything she could find. One day, her owner returned home to find her purse had been ‘ravaged’—and a ‘wee’ bit of chewing gum was missing.

Normally, chewing gum wouldn’t raise concern, but this gum contained xylitol, a common artificial sweetener that can be deadly to dogs.

Bessie quickly became extremely weak, lying motionless on the floor, and then began seizing. Thankfully, her owner acted quickly, bringing her to the clinic where it was identified what she had ingested. Her blood sugar and potassium levels were dangerously low, and the treatment involved IV fluids, dextrose, and potassium. Fortunately, Bessie fully recovered—but not every dog is so lucky.

The Big Takeaway: Prevention is Key

The best way to protect your furry friend is to be aware of common pet toxins and prevent access to them. Prevention is always better than dealing with a poisoning emergency.

Human Foods That Are TOXIC to Dogs and Cats

Avocado
Contains Persin, which causes vomiting and diarrhea. The Guatemalan variety is most toxic, but all varieties pose a risk.

Chocolate (All Forms)
Contains theobromine, which is a cardiac stimulant and diuretic.
Signs of poisoning include excitement, increased drinking/urination, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, arrhythmia, seizures, and possible death.
Toxic dose: 2 baking squares for a 10lb dog. Dark and baker’s chocolate are most toxic; milk chocolate is less of a concern.
Action Plan: Induce vomiting, give activated charcoal, and seek veterinary care if symptoms worsen.

Coffee (All Forms)
Contains xanthines, which can cause nervous system and heart issues.

Fatty Foods (Gravy, Bacon, etc.)
Can cause severe gastrointestinal upset or pancreatitis, which can be fatal.

Macadamia Nuts
Contain an unknown toxin that affects the nervous and muscular systems. This can cause paralysis, weakness, and digestive distress.

Moldy or Spoiled Foods
May contain Aflatoxins, which cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, incoordination, fever, excessive salivation, and liver damage.

Onions & Onion Powder
Contain thiosulphate, leading to anemia.
Even one onion can be toxic.
Good news: If ingestion stops, recovery is likely.

Raisins & Grapes
Can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. The toxic compound is unknown, and no treatment is available—so it’s best to avoid them entirely.

Yeast Dough
Can expand in the stomach, leading to severe bloating and alcohol toxicity.

Xylitol (Artificial Sweetener in Gum, Candy, etc.)
Causes a sudden drop in blood sugar, leading to incoordination, collapse, and seizures.

Fruits with Toxic Seeds & Stems
Apples, apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums contain cyanide compounds in their seeds and stems. Symptoms include dilated pupils, breathing difficulty, hyperventilation, and shock.
The fruit itself is safe—just avoid the seeds and stems.

Potato Peelings & Green Potatoes
Contain solanine, which causes drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, confusion, weakness, dilated pupils, and slow heart rate.

Nutmeg
In high doses, nutmeg can be fatal. It causes tremors, seizures, and nervous system abnormalities.

Tomato Leaves & Stems (Green Parts)
Contain solanine, which affects both the gastrointestinal and central nervous systems.

Lilies (for Cat Owners)
All parts of the lily plant are highly toxic to cats, including the water in a vase.
This can lead to acute kidney failure. If you have cats, NEVER keep lilies in your home.

What to Do if Your Pet Ingests a Toxic Food

1. Get to Your Veterinarian Immediately
If you suspect poisoning, take your pet to the vet right away. Some toxins act fast—such as antifreeze poisoning, which must be treated within 4–6 hours to prevent irreversible kidney damage.

2. Purge the Poison (Induce Vomiting)
In many cases, inducing vomiting is crucial.
Important: Do NOT induce vomiting if your pet has ingested something caustic (e.g., drain cleaner or bleach).
How to Induce Vomiting:
Give 1 teaspoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 lbs of body weight.
If vomiting doesn’t occur within 10 minutes, repeat once.
Never administer more than two doses of hydrogen peroxide.

3. Delay Absorption with Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal is available at most pharmacies and helps bind toxins to reduce absorption.
It’s best for “garbage-eating” dogs or unknown poison ingestion.
It’s a good idea to keep both hydrogen peroxide and activated charcoal on hand for emergencies.

4. Prevention is the Best Medicine
The most effective way to avoid poisoning is prevention.

• Store medications and household toxins safely out of your pet’s reach.
• Familiarize yourself with toxic plants (check the full list on ASPCA’s Toxic Plant Database).
• Secure compost bins to prevent accidental ingestion.

P.S. Being prepared for all the common dog and cat emergencies is just good common sense. It’s an essential skill every pet owner should have.

P.P.S. I’ve included this natural remedy in my Pet First Aid kit because it’s so effective. It can be used for seizures, pain, inflammation, and even urinary tract disease.
It’s the non-psychoactive portion of the cannabis plant—CBD.
Check out our Dr. Jones’ ULTIMATE CBD for Dogs and Cats.