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As a way to bring awareness to pet poison prevention, March is Pet Poison Awareness month!
One of the most common emergency room visits for pets is poisoning, usually after they ingest a common household food, product, or plant. This is unfortunate as we can help prevent many of these cases with proper safety precautions.
Today, we’re discussing measures you can take to prevent this from happening to your beloved pet and the signs and symptoms of pet poisoning to watch out for. Remember, Spot’s dog insurance and cat insurance does provide coverage for accidents like toxic ingestion.
Pet poisoning can result in many symptoms, including the following:
You have a few options if your pet is displaying symptoms of accidental poisoning. Regardless of which option you choose, it’s crucial that you act immediately. Time is extremely precious in pet poisoning cases.
Your first option is your pet’s vet. If your pet is experiencing any of the above symptoms or appears sick, immediately reach out to your veterinarian for your next steps.
If it’s after hours and you believe your pet has ingested a potentially poisonous substance, we recommend calling a pet poison control helpline for further information. If possible, have on hand any information about what your pet consumed. For example, if it’s a medication or pesticide, try to have on hand the exact name, concentration, and approximate amount your pet ingested.
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center – 1-888-426-4435 ($65.00 credit card fee)
Pet Poison Helpline – 1-800-213-6680 ($49.00 credit card fee)
*Spot Pet Insurance has Spot VetConnect, a 24/7 telehealth helpline that all customers get access to with their coverage. If your pet is currently not covered, get your free quote today to give yourself peace of mind with pet insurance should the worst happen to your pet.
Lastly, you can take your pet to the closest animal hospital. We recommend calling on your way there to give them a heads up and as much information as possible about your pet’s situation so that they can begin treating your pet as quickly as possible. Depending on the nature of your pet’s symptoms and what they consumed, your veterinarian or the pet poison control helpline may recommend this step if they believe the situation warrants it.
For better or for worse, pets have a knack for getting into things! Here are a few of the biggest pet poisoning dangers to avoid:
Prevention is always better than treatment! Here are our top tips for keeping poisonous substances stored out of your pet’s reach:
Keep your pet protected from potential dangers, and don’t forget that Spot Pet Insurance does cover poison consultation fees. Don’t hesitate to call a poison control helpline if you suspect your pet has ingested something dangerous. Waiting is not worth the potential risk to your pet’s life.
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Get pupdates from the pack.
Get pupdates from the pack.