Professional paper

Foodstuffs toxic to dogs: macadamia nuts and onions

Andreja Prevendar Crnić orcid.org/0000-0001-9540-8831 ; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska
Ema Šantek ; Specijalističke veterinarske ambulante Marković, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Jelena Šuran ; Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Hrvatska

Abstract

Pet poisoning is most common with human drugs and over-the-counter drugs, veterinary drugs, insecticides, rodenticides, household chemicals, fertilizers and houseplants. Another important source is poisoning with human foods that may be toxic for dogs and cats. Different foods that are not harmful to humans or that are harmful only in large quantities can cause severe poisoning or even death of animals. Animal owners are often unaware of this fact and inadvertently may keep potentially toxic substances, believing that what is not harmful to them cannot be harmful to their pets. Important sources of information on poisoning of dogs and cats are the periodical reports of emergency centres for pet poisoning from many countries. As a follow-up to a previous study that described poisoning with chocolate, coffee, grapes and raisins, as the most common sources of food poisoning, this paper describes the poisoning of dogs and cats with macadamia nuts, onions and garlic, i.e. plants of the genus Allium, which are among the 10 most toxic foods for pets. Apart from possible sources of poisoning, we describe the mechanisms of toxicity and the toxic dose, signs of poisoning,
and recommended treatment of the poisoned animals. Signs of poisoning with macadamia nuts in may occur up to 12 hours after ingestion, and a characteristic symptom is weakness which is more pronounced in the hind legs. Poisoned animals generally recover completely within two days without treatment. Clinical signs of poisoning with onions in dogs and cats develops within 24 hours of ingestion or a few days later, depending on the amount eaten. The most common clinical signs are vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite and depression, as well as the development of anaemia resulting in pale mucous membranes, weakness, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat. Jaundice and dark urine (reddish or brown) are the result of methemoglobinemia and haemoglobinuria. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness about potentially toxic substances for pets among veterinarians and animal owners, so they can act preventively, by avoiding their consumption or storage in places accessible to pets.

Keywords

food poisoning; macadamia nuts; onion; dog; cat

Hrčak ID:

223027

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/223027

Publication date:

2.4.2018.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 1.512 *