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Poisoning Your Pooch With Pills

Written by Dr. Dave Hnida CBS4 Medical EditorThere are a lot of things that can harm your pet, i.e. locking them up in a hot car or letting them run into traffic -- but the one biggie that few people think about is medication. Your medication.

A new study shows more pets were harmed by human medication than all the other things that are pet-unfriendly. In fact, dropped or "left out" pills were No. 1 for the third year in a row on the ASPCA's list of top ten toxins to pets.

Here are the Top 3:

- ibuprofen
- acetaminophen
- anti-depressant medications.

Close behind were meds for A.D.D. such as Ritalin.

Now this doesn't mean you need to freak out if your dog or cat is caught chomping down one of your pills -- things like birth control pills, for example, aren't that dangerous. But experts say most of the time you never catch your pet in the act. Often, your puppy is pooped, lethargic, confused, and so forth, and you really have no idea as to the reason why.

Your best resource in that case is your vet. And your vet is your best resource if you catch your four-legged friend in the act. If you get desperate and can't get a hold of your vet, you can call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435. (heads-up, though- its $65 a phone call.)

One more thing,  you've probably heard chocolate is a bad thing for dogs -- it's true.  One ounce of milk chocolate per pound (of your dog's weight) is deadly; with deep, dark chocolate, as little as a quarter of an ounce can cause a problem.

Here's a link to more info:

aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/top-10-pet-poisons-of-the-year.aspx

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