Autumn blog
We hope you have been enjoying some beautiful autumnal days with lovely sunshine recently, long may they last! We thought we might take a look at what is around and about in parks and woods (or even on our doorsteps!) over the next couple of months that might pose a risk to our furry friends.
Conkers (horse chestnuts) – the ones we collected played with as children!
Most dogs will not show any side effects following ingestion but if a dog is going to show any symptoms then the most common signs are mild gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea, abdominal pain, reduce appetite and quietness. In very rare cases symptoms can be severe but death is, thankfully, uncommon.
Depending on the size of the conker and the size of the dog then intestinal obstruction is possible which certainly can be more serious. This is where the conker gets stuck in the intestine and causes a blockage which may lead to surgery.
Acorns
Most animals ingesting a small number of acorns will not show any symptoms or simply mild gastrointestinal signs. It is possible it can affect the liver and kidneys so treatment might involve a blood test to check for this.
Some dogs might have an allergic reaction showing symptoms like hives
Sweet chestnuts (the ones you can roast…….’on an open fire’) are not specifically toxic but can cause an upset stomach and intestinal obstruction similar to conkers.
Apples! There are lots of fallen apples around at the moment
Dogs can eat a few slices of apple no problem at all. You might already know that apple seeds contain cyanide and so poisoning from too many apple seeds is possible and symptoms include panting, difficulty breathing and dilated pupils but this is very uncommon. Apple cores can be a choking hazard and also cause an intestinal blockage similar to conkers and sweet chestnuts.
Pumpkins!
Most shop bought pumpkins are not bitter tasting and therefore the flesh and seed are not a cause for concern other than causing mild gastrointestinal signs.
Technically these fruits can be extremely bitter tasting and can cause significant gastrointestinal signs and even collapse but they are not commonly found as this trait has been commercially bred out of them.
Sweets – Halloween is coming! Sweets themselves are only likely to cause gastroinestinal upset. Sugar free sweets containing the sweetener xylitol can cause low blood glucose and liver failure in dogs so can be very serious. It is less toxic in cats but can still cause problems. Please be mindful the sweets themselves might not be toxic but have they ingested any lolly sticks or packaging?
Chocolate
Toxicity is dependent on the size of the dog (or cat or rabbit!), how much they have eaten and the type of chocolate eaten for example white chocolate might not have much theobromine risk but the high fat content might cause an inflamed pancreas whereas cooking chocolate or dark chocolate is more likely to cause toxicity problems.
There may be mild gastrointestinal symptoms, increase in drinking and urinating or more serious problems like hyperactivity, pyrexia, high blood pressure, fast heart rate, muscle tremors and seizures.
Treatment includes rehydration if needed, activated charcoal and potentially sedation.
The toxicity levels are dose dependent so if you are worried your pet has ingested chocolate then please ring up with their weight and what they have eaten and we will guide you as to their toxicity risk level and therefore need to be seen for treatment.
Glow sticks and luminous bands- all those K-pop fancy dress outfits!
The liquid contains an irritant that can cause increase salivation, hyperactivity, vomiting and lethargy that might last a few minutes but just try offer water or a treat to take the taste away.
