Ingesting human medications or being in prolonged contact with them can be especially dangerous for pets, even fatal in some cases. From the AniCura Vetsia Veterinary Hospital they warn of the possible consequences.
Los medicines for human usesuch as tablets, syrups, hormone sprays, cortisol-based ointments or pain relievers, may have major repercussions in pet health.
Many people self-administer medications to their pets out of ignorance or to save time and money, which can be especially harmful.
“It is important to remind citizens of the influence they have on the health of their pets. Treating your pet well also means being aware of the effects that the products (especially medicines) you use for yourself can have on their health,” he explains. José Gómez, Medical Manager of AniCura Iberia.
What are the risks of ingesting human medications?
From the AniCura Vetsia Veterinary Hospital They explain that they treat more than one case a month related to the iintoxication by administration, accidental or intentional, of drugs for human use in dogs or cats.
Thus, they indicate that the metabolism of pets is different from ours and that, therefore, the tolerance or elimination times of the drugs are different.
And “self-medication” is a risk of potentially lethal consequences.
“The patient can suffer side effects, poisoning or different adverse reactions because the active principle is not adequate or because the dose is not adequate,” he clarifies. María Rodríguez, Practice Manager of AniCura Vetsia.
According to Rodriguez, the consequences They may be multipledepending on the active principle and the dose.
From, and among others:
- liver poisoning by paracetamol.
- gastric ulcers by ingesting ibuprofen.
- neurological alterations for drug use.
Consumed 21 ibuprofen tablets
This is one of the cases that AniCura vets have recently dealt with.
A two-year-old neutered female ingested 21 pediatric ibuprofen tablets of 100 mg.
And although he did not present clinical signs and the physical examination was without alterations, they induced vomiting with amorphine and was admitted for a day.
Image provided by AniCura Vetsia Veterinary HospitalWhat happens with prolonged contact with human medicines?
The Veterinary Hospital also warns that the prolonged contact with certain medications can lead to health problems for our pets.
For example, they point out that a cortisol-based ointment has been identified as a cause of Cushing’s syndrome in a dog, causing symptoms such as thirst, alopecia, the need to urinate, hunger and a swollen abdomen.
Another case of pet toxicity is estrogen sprays, a drug often used to treat menopausal symptoms.
Prolonged contact with this substance may cause hyperestrogenismwhich can lead to anemia in some pets and their subsequent death.
According to Rodríguez, “everything depends on the active ingredient and which part is exposed: eyes, skin, mucous membranes. It may be that nothing happens, such as an antifungal cream on the skin, until it causes a corneal ulcer, such as povidone-iodine gel in contact with the eyes.
What can we do if our pet ingests any medication without realizing it?
The expert specifies that it is necessary go to the vet urgently y don’t make them vomit at home, since it can cause aspiration pneumonia.
Along the same lines, he recommends keeping all medications, whatever their form of presentation (pills, syrups, ointments, etc…) in places that pets do not have access to.
In addition, it emphasizes that they should never be administered by their own decision and without the supervision of a veterinarian, since, in most cases, a veterinary medicine can be administered.