A client was in looking at our poisonous plants and household hazards poster and asked if I would post pictures on the website. Those posters were referenced from the following link that has the most comprehensive list I have seen. There are links to plants, household, products etc. It also has a link that says poison control OK or NO way, this area has a huge list of items that people have asked about and it not only has the information about the product but will also dispel or confirm common myths. Some also have an answer that is more on the fence, but factual. For example the title ‘garlic’, when you click on it, the question is: I see garlic listed as an ingredient in my dogs treats, but I heard it was poisonous, is this true? They answer that yes it is toxic, but in small amounts it has an almost negligible effect. Other questions I have reviewed are asked in common terms and answered in factual terms, This is a great site to use when simple questions come up like: Is it ok to wash my pet’s toys in ….. or Oh my goodness my pet ate a …. what should I do, is this poisonous or toxic?
Remember any time you are concerned we welcome your call, Dr.Google can have both good and bad quality answers, that can be interpreted in many ways. The best advice is always direct Veterinary advice from people who know you and your pet. Often the answers will change pending the health status for your pet. Below is a good example, the owner wonders about conflicting information she has seen about spinach. In answer technically spinach is ok, but if I knew through her veterinary history that her cat had urinary issues or a history of bladder stones or crystals I would definitely recommend no spinach.
Is spinach poisonous to cats? I looked at several websites and found conflicting information.
– Lauryl B.
Good question, Lauryl. There is currently no solid data pertaining to feline ingestion of spinach, but we do know that it contains a small amount of calcium oxalate. While a leaf or two may not be an issue for a healthy adult cat, chronic and/or large ingestion of spinach could potentially cause crystal formation in the urinary tract. (And P.S., Because of this, spinach should be avoided completely in any cat with a history of urinary problems, including infections, crystaluria and kidney disease.)
So check out the site now, so that when you do have a question you can look it up, but remember in a potential emergency situation make the call to your veterinary provider first, have the information about the product and the amount consumed, and how long since it was consumed. This will help choose the course of action! It is helpful to keep a bottle of regular household peroxide on hand that could be used under veterinarian instruction to induce vomiting. Some poisons or toxins should not have induced vomiting, so always call your veterinary provider before taking potentially harmful actions.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control