Join us at Bark Williams in Santa Monica for a monthly non-anesthetic teeth cleaning clinic conducted by Kathy Shafer with Houndstooth!

Our next Non-Anesthetic teeth cleaning clinic will be held on Sunday August 29, 2010. Please call for more information on future clinics or to schedule an appointment today. These clinics tend to book up quickly.

310-664-7009

2901 Ocean Park Blvd

(Enter on 30th Street)

By Erica Cargill, CVT and Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC

Spring is just around the corner! Plant bulbs are just as excited to break through the ground to add some color to our yards as we are to see some greenery! That said, we need to be aware of the potential dangers spring plants can be for our pets. Here is a list of some of the most common spring plants and their toxicities, so you know how to pet-proof your garden and keep your pet safe!

Tulips and hyacinth

Tulips contain allergenic lactones while hyacinths contain similar alkaloids. The toxic principle of these plants is very concentrated in the bulbs (versus the leaf or flower), so make sure your dog isn’t digging up the bulbs in the garden. When the plant parts or bulbs are chewed or ingested, it can result in tissue irritation to the mouth and esophagus. Typical signs include profuse drooling, vomiting or even diarrhea, depending on the amount consumed. There’s no specific antidote, but with supportive care from the veterinarian (including rinsing the mouth, anti-vomiting medication and possibly subcutaneous fluids), animals do quite well. With large ingestions of the bulb, more severe symptoms such as an increase in heart rate and changes in respiration can be seen, and should be treated by a veterinarian. These more severe signs are seen in our overzealous, chowhound Labradors.

Daffodils

These flowers contain lycorine, an alkaloid with strong emetic properties (something that triggers vomiting). Ingestion of the bulb, plant or flower can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and even possible cardiac arrhythmias or respiratory depression. Crystals are found in the outer layer of the bulbs, similar to hyacinths, which cause severe tissue irritation and secondary drooling. Daffodil ingestions can result in more severe symptoms, so if an exposure is witnessed or symptoms are seen, we recommend seeking veterinary care for further supportive care.

Lilies

There are dangerous and benign lilies out there, and it’s important to know the difference. Peace, Peruvian, and calla lilies contain oxalate crystals that cause minor signs, such as tissue irritation to the mouth, tongue, pharynx and esophagus—this results in minor drooling. The more dangerous, potentially fatal lilies are true lilies, and these include tiger, day, Asiatic, Easter and Japanese show lilies—all of which are highly toxic to cats! Even small ingestions (such as the pollen or two to three petals or leaves) can result in severe kidney failure. If your cat is seen consuming any part of a lily, bring your cat (and the plant) immediately to a veterinarian for medical care. The sooner you bring in your cat, the better and more effectively we can treat the poisoning. Decontamination (like inducing vomiting and giving binders like activated charcoal) are imperative in the early toxic stage, while aggressive intravenous fluid therapy, kidney function monitoring tests and supportive care can greatly improve the prognosis.

Crocus

There are two crocus plants: one that blooms in the spring (crocus species) and the other in the autumn (Colchicum autumnale). The spring plants are more common and are part of the Iridaceaefamily. These ingestions can cause general gastrointestinal upset including vomiting and diarrhea. These should not be mistaken for autumn crocus, part of the Liliaceaefamily, which contain colchicine. The autumn crocus, also known as meadow saffron, is highly toxic and can cause severe vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, liver and kidney damage and respiratory failure. If you’re not sure what plant it is, bring your pet to their veterinarian immediately for care. Signs may be seen immediately but can be delayed for days.

Lily of the valley

The Convallaria majalisplant contains cardiac glycosides which will cause symptoms similar to digitalis (foxglove) ingestion. These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, a drop in heart rate, severe cardiac arrhythmias and possibly seizures. Pets with any known exposure to this plant should be examined and evaluated by a veterinarian and treated symptomatically.

In addition…fertilizers

As we gardeners work on our rose gardens, be aware of those fertilizers. While most are not very toxic (resulting in minor gastrointestinal irritation when consumed), some fertilizers can be fatal without treatment. Here are a few ingredients to be aware of so you know what toxins and symptoms to watch out for.

Blood meal

This is dried, ground and flash-frozen blood and contains 12% nitrogen. While it’s a great organic fertilizer, if ingested, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea. More importantly, it can result in severe pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. Some types of blood meal are also fortified with iron, resulting in iron toxicity, so make sure to know what’s in your bag of blood!

Bone Meal

This is made up of defatted, dried and flash-frozen animal bones that are ground to a powder. This “bone” is also what makes it so palatable to your dog, so make sure to keep your pet from digging in it and ingesting the soil. While this also makes a great organic fertilizer, it can become a problem when consumed in large amounts as the bone meal forms a large cement-like bowling ball foreign body in the stomach—which can cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract—resulting in possible surgery to remove it!

Rose and plant fertilizers

Some of these fertilizers contain disulfoton or other types of organophosphates (OP). As little as 1 teaspoon of 1% disulfoton can kill a 55 lb dog, so be careful! Organophosphates, while less commonly used, can result in severe symptoms, including SLUD signs (which abbreviate for salivation, lacrimation, urination and defecation), seizures, difficulty breathing, hyperthermia, etc. In some cases, it can be fatal!

Pesticides/Insecticides

Most pesticides or insecticides (typically those that come in a spray can) are basic irritants to the pet and are usually not a huge concern unless a pet’s symptoms become persistent. Some may contain an organophosphate which can be life-threatening when consumed in large quantities. It is always best to speak to a trained medical professional if there are any questions.

Iron

This is commonly added to fertilizers, and can result in iron toxicity (from ingestion of elemental iron). This is different from “total” iron ingestion, and can be confusing to differentiate. When in doubt, have a medical professional at Pet Poison Helpline assist you with finding out if the amount ingested was toxic or not. Large ingestions can result in vomiting, bloody diarrhea and potential cardiac and liver effects.

The best thing any pet owner can do is to be educated on the household toxins (both inside the house and out in the garden!)—that way, you make sure how to pet-proof your house appropriately. Make sure to keep all gardening or yard products in labeled, tightly-sealed containers out of your pet’s reach. When in doubt, please feel free to call Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680^*with any questions or concerns if you’re worried that your pet could have inadvertently gotten into anything!

^*There is a one-time per-incident fee of $35. The $35 fee is billed by Pet Poison Helpline. PPH is not affiliated with VPI.

References:

• Lieske CL: Spring-blooming bulbs: A year round problem. Veterinary Medicine 580-588; 2002.
• Burrows GE, Tyrl RJ: Toxic plants of North America. Iowa State Press. Ames, IA. 2001. Pp. 773-776, 778-780.
• Poppenga R H: Toxic household, Garden and Ornamental Plants. Western Veterinary Conference; 2002.

Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC is a veterinary emergency critical care specialist and the Associate Director of Veterinary Services at Pet Poison Helpline. She is the author of It’s a Dog’s Life… but It’s Your Carpetand It’s a Cat’s World…You Just Live In It.

White, white teeth and no more doggie breath

Here is one source of bacteria you should worry about- the ones that make their home in the tartar on your dogs teeth that is caused by soluble carbohydrates in a kibble diet. These bacteria and the toxins they produce, can spread throughout the body, invading organs, specifically the heart and kidneys. Raw fed pets have beautiful teeth and breath possibly due to the enzymes in raw food and/or the lack of carbohydrates in the diet. Many people believe it is the chewing action that produces white teeth, but you can get this same benefit when feeding your pet raw meaty bones- whole or ground.

If your dog suddenly develops bad breath be sure to check the dog’s mouth to determine whether a bone has been lodged between his/her teeth. If not, a blood test may be in order to determine if there are any kidney malfunctions. Bad breath is one of the outward signs of kidney or heart disease.

• Poop patrol becomes an adventure!

A dog on a raw diet has fewer and smaller stools. It can also have very little smell.  Smaller stools indicate the dog is using the food efficiently.

Stools are a good indication of what is going on in your dogs’ body. If it’s too soft-add more raw meaty bones. Too hard-add more veggies. Watch for undigested material in order to determine if probiotics should be added to the diet. When too much vitamin C has been given, diarrhea occurs. Just back off slowly until the stool becomes firm again. The dog itself seems to know best.

• Yard stains

Raw fed dogs produce fewer yard stains. A dog being fed a poor quality kibble can have highly concentrated urine that burns the lawn. Adding alfalfa to the dog’s diet may decrease yard stains even further.

• Hot spots

If your dog suffers from hot spots, a raw diet may be the answer. It may be best to eliminate the hot spots by proper nutrition, rather than pouring on more medications.

• Water consumption

This is not really a benefit, but a raw fed dog does not consume much water! The dog is provided with so much moisture via the raw diet, the need to drink copious amounts of water is eliminated.

• Doggie gas (the quickest way to clear a room!)

The odorous gas that some dogs have may be caused by a digestive system that is not functioning properly. When starting your dog on a raw diet, the gas problem can escalate to the point that you want to give up! But, when the flora of the intestines adjusts to the new diet, it virtually goes away.

• Bloat Prevention? Possibly!

Bloat seems to be less common in raw fed dogs. Please read up on PREVENTION OF BLOAT AND TORSION IN DOGS. Also, here’s some extensive information on bloat: Purdue University

Dog food companies have gone to great lengths to convince humans that it is right to feed our dogs a food that consists of cooked cereal and rendered meat meals. We, ourselves, are told to eat many raw fruits and vegetables every day. Raw being the key to good health because vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes are present in their natural form. Why would it be different for our dogs? Their bodies were designed to eat and thrive on raw food. Cereal and cooking have no place in a dog’s diet.

Visit our raw food page for information on raw foods we carry like Halshan and Honest Kitchen.

Thur DEC 24: 10am to 2pm (last wash at 1pm)

Fri & Sat DEC 25 & 26: CLOSED

Thur DEC 31: 10am to 2pm (last wash at 1pm)

Fri JAN 1: CLOSED

Learn more about Halshan Premium Raw Food and other raw pet foods in the Raw Food portion of our site.

Wednesday November 25– 10 am to 3 pm (last tub at 2 pm)

Thursday November 26– Closed

Regular Store Hours Starting Friday November 27 (Sun-Fri: 10 to 7 pm, Sat: 8:30 am to 7 pm, last tub at 6 pm)

December 24– 10 am to 3 pm

December 25– Closed

December 31– 10 am to 3 pm

January 1– Closed

Happy Holidays!!

Join us at Bark Williams in Santa Monica for a monthly non-anesthetic teeth cleaning clinic conducted by Kathy Shafer with Houndstooth!

Our next Non-Anesthetic teeth cleaning clinic will be held on Sunday January 11, 2010. Please call for more information on future clinics or to schedule an appointment today. These clinics tend to book up quickly.

310-664-7009

2901 Ocean Park Blvd

(Enter on 30th Street)

Bark Williams is hosting a fundraising event for FORTE Animal Rescue on Sunday, October 11th, from 12 PM to 5 PM. Come visit us in Santa Monica for a dog wash and help animals in need, too!

Click here for more info.