Drug toxicity in dogs is not a topic I run across online much. Could it be I’m not traveling in the right circles?

Even if that’s the case, I still feel comfortable in my assumptions that I am not alone.

Hence the inspiration for this post.

Recently I had somewhat of a scare doling out Harley’s allergy medicine.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS –

It was a crazy busy week, lot’s going on at home and at work, long hours, little sleep.

The alarm went off way too early and I rushed through my morning routine with the Boys trying to make a work meeting on time.

As I sat in the meeting, I replayed all that I’d accomplished before 8am. What I remembered made me gasp out loud which caught the attention of everyone in the room.

My mental video rerun revealed I had given Harley one of my Zyrtec tablets instead of his allergy medicine.

I just knew Harley was slipping into a coma…

I excused myself and ran into the hall to call the vet – 

• No answer
• Not open
• Not good

I dialed my husband to ask him to look at Harley –

• No answer
• Not home
• Not good

I left the meeting in search of a computer. #hadtogo

WHAT I FOUND OUT – 

According to my therapist “Google”, Zyrtec will not “kill” Harley.

That made my hands stop trembling all over the keyboard.

HOWEVER Zyrtec-D contains an active ingredient (Pseudoephedrine) that can be very harmful to dogs. #justsoyouknow

In fact there are several antihistamines (allergy meds) that are “usually” safe for dogs – 

• Benadryl
• Zyrtec
• Claritin

Notice I included the word “usually.” That’s exactly how it is written on the internet. #takecaution

When I returned to the meeting, I whispered to a co-worker why I left the room. She calmly told me not to worry, she’s given Zyrtec to her dog many times when he’s scratching a lot. 

When I asked if this was the advice from her vet – she told me “no” said “her neighbor told her to do it.” #secondgasp

HARLEY HAD NO REACTION – 

By the time the vet’s office opened up, Doodle Dad called back and according to him, Harley was fine, outside beating up Jaxson on the porch…

The vet told me the same thing. Harley should be fine, no need for alarm.

Thank the Doodle I didn’t give him my HBP meds, that could would have been an entirely different blog post. #sudderthethought

Later that day, I read about acetaminophen toxicity. It is unfortunately quite common in dogs –

Acetaminophen is a medication that is used to treat fever and/or pain in humans. Unfortunately, acetaminophen toxicity in dogs is somewhat common as dog owners attempt to treat their dogs for pain without first consulting with a veterinarian.

Advanced Animal Care

Smaller and younger dogs face a greater risk from just one single dose mistakenly given by their pet parent.

DRUGS FOR HUMANS –

Did you know many of our household medications are toxic to our dogs?

As much as we love our family pets and don’t want to see them suffer, we cannot “assume” what’s good for us – will not harm them.

While we are told there ARE over the counter drugs that are actually safe for our pets – 

• Aspirin
• Benadryl
• Pepcid

You should ALWAYS (can I say it again?) ALWAYS get direction/guidance from your vet.

My co-workers response still haunts me because neither she nor her neighbor consulted a vet before giving their dogs human meds.

DRUG TOXICITY – 

Here is a list (although I am sure there are more) of drugs that are toxic to dogs – 

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• Naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox)
• Antidepressants
• ADD/ADHD Medication
• Sleep Aids (Benzodiazepines, Xanax, Ambien)
• Beta-Blockers
• Thyroid Hormones
• Cholesterol Medications (Lipitor)

Harley’s accidental ingestion of my Zyrtec was not due to counter-surfing – but my lack of attention to detail. Curious pups can find things on their own.

If your dog consumes a drug, contact your veterinarian immediately.

If your vet is not available, call poison control – 

Pet Poison Control:    888-426-4435

Pet Poison Helpline:   855-764-7661

*There may be a $65 fee for using this service, but it could save your dog’s life.

OVER THE COUNTER MEDS – 

Armed with your vet’s say so, there are a few OTC drugs you can purchase and follow your vets instructions.

There are OTC – 

• tablets/pills
• antibiotic gels
• corticosteroid sprays, gels and creams
• Antifungal sprays, gels and creams

Just make sure you check with your vet first #notyourneighbor

ONE MORE THING – 

While my vet did in fact acknowledge some dogs find relief taking Zrytec, she does not recommend we adopt that form of treatment for Harley. An over the counter drug is no match for the severities of his environmental allergies. #ohwell 

Train your mind to see the good in everything – especially Mondays ❤️