Food Poisoning in Dogs – What to Do? Symptoms and Causes

Food poisoning in dogs unfortunately occurs quite often. This is especially common in spring and summer, when we spend a lot of time outdoors with our pets and food scraps appear on lawns. What symptoms does poisoning cause and how can you deal with them? Check it out!

Symptoms of poisoning in dogs

Poisoning in dogs may develop slowly or immediately progress to an acute condition. In the first case, symptoms are mild and may not be very alarming. At this stage, the most common signs are:

• loss of appetite,
• reluctance to play,
• lethargy in dogs.

Over time—usually within a few hours—additional symptoms of food poisoning appear, such as:

• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• significant weakness.

If the dog is healthy, does not suffer from underlying diseases, and the poisoning is not severe, symptoms usually resolve on their own after 2–3 days. Most often, the cause is that the pet has eaten something inappropriate. What can trigger such symptoms?

Foods dangerous for dogs

We must remember that dogs should not eat human food. Although they may really like sausages or yellow cheese, this is not suitable food for them. In dogs with sensitive digestive systems, even a small amount of potentially harmless food can cause unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting in dogs. Non-edible items, such as medications or household chemicals, can also be causes of poisoning. For this reason, they must be kept in a safe place inaccessible to the dog.

There are also foods that are dangerous for dogs even in small amounts. These include:

• dark cocoa and, consequently, all products containing it, including chocolate,
• xylitol, a popular sweetener,
• grapes in any form, including raisins,
• allium vegetables – chives, garlic, onions,
• fruit pits, including apricot, avocado, and cherry pits,
• macadamia nuts.

Importantly—and often ignored by caretakers—dogs should also not eat… cat food! Cat food has different levels of protein and fat, and consuming it in large amounts or snacking on it regularly may cause dogs not only gastrointestinal symptoms, but also long-term problems, including with the liver and kidneys.

When should you visit a veterinarian for poisoning?

First, we need to determine the cause of the poisoning. If we suspect that the dog has come into contact with toxic substances, such as a large amount of chocolate, rat poison, household chemicals, or pesticides, a visit to the veterinarian should take place immediately. These substances can be life-threatening, and only prompt treatment can save our pet. For the same reason, a veterinary clinic should be visited if poisoning affects a puppy, an elderly dog (read the article: How long do dogs live?), or a dog that is chronically ill and taking medication.

If symptoms are not severe, the dog is young and healthy, and we know what caused the poisoning (for example, eating spoiled cold cuts), we can wait up to 48 hours before visiting the clinic. However, it is worth staying in contact with a veterinarian—we should go immediately if the dog’s condition suddenly worsens. The following symptoms indicate such deterioration:

• very pale or yellow gums,
• blood in vomit or diarrhea,
• coughing,
• seizures,
• stupor,
• aggressive episodes,
• epileptic seizures,
• neurological disorders, e.g. head tilting to one side, difficulty walking, nystagmus.

Home remedies for poisoning in dogs

There is no effective and fully home-based way to treat poisoning in dogs. However, if you want to be prepared for such a situation, you can purchase appropriate animal supplements at a veterinary clinic that work for mild gastrointestinal complaints. Above all, remember that throughout the poisoning period, the dog should not be given food—especially if it has diarrhea or is vomiting. Access to fresh water, however, is essential.

One safe way to reduce diarrhea in dogs and remove harmful toxins from the body is the administration of activated charcoal. Instead of buying it at a pharmacy and worrying about dosage and form of administration, choose a product designed for dogs. DiarControl contains not only activated charcoal but also bentonite—both substances bind toxins and help neutralize them in the dog’s body.

If, on the other hand, the dog does not develop diarrhea or vomiting but clearly suffers from heartburn and indigestion, GastroControl is a good choice. Its purpose is to soothe irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, thereby supporting its regeneration and reducing inflammation, which alleviates the dog’s symptoms.

Regardless of whether our pet’s condition requires a visit to a specialist or we manage to improve its health at home, we must remember to take care of its return to full fitness. After any gastrointestinal ailments, therapy with probiotics, prebiotics, and beta-glucan is recommended, for example using the product ImmuneControl. The role of these ingredients is to rebuild the bacterial flora and strengthen immunity after an inflammatory condition.