Poisoning in Dogs: First aid

Family pets (and all animals) risk all kinds of poisoning from all kinds of places. Snakes can poison; some plants can poison; and hundreds of poisonous materials are used around the home by people every day — things like pesticides, weed killers, lawn sprays, acids, fertilizers, paints . . . the list is endless. Here's what you can do if your pet is poisoned:

• Keep the animal warm and quiet
• Try to determine what the poison was, when it was ingested, and the amount swallowed
• Immediately call your veterinarian or your nearest poison control center

If you decide to take the pet to your veterinarian, bring the container (or the label) with you. Most of the time poisoning is accidental. Keep poisonous materials out of reach, know what your pet is doing at all times, and keep emergency telephone numbers handy.