Pet Toxicology Experts Warn of Dangers During
Take Your Dog to Work Day
MINNEAPOLIS, June 19,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The advantages of taking your
dog to work are well known. For the employee, it relieves stress,
helps build the human/animal bond, can reduce doggy daycare costs
and can help develop new friendships in the office. For employers,
it improves morale and helps with employee hiring and retention.
Without careful supervision, however, your dog's visit to your
office can also lead to a trip to the pet emergency hospital.
"National Take Your Dog to Work Day is on June 21 this year," said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist
and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. "Before
you walk Fido through your office doors, however, be sure you're
prepared. Just as you do at home, you need to pet-proof your office
location and surroundings, and keep a very close eye on your pet at
all times. It's very easy to get distracted by a phone call or
while on the computer, and not notice they've gotten into something
or wandered off."
Some people are fortunate enough to be able to take their dog to
work regularly. Sara Reeves and her
basset hound named Pippa live in Milton, Georgia, about a 45 minute drive from
Atlanta. Reeves is a high school
veterinary science teacher and is able to take Pippa to work with
her almost every day.
"She's actually sleeping under my desk right now," Reeves said
with a smile in her voice. "We are fortunate to have a working
veterinary lab at our high school, so our goal is to give students
enough knowledge and tangible skills to become a veterinary
technician while they work towards becoming veterinarians or some
other profession. Pippa's presence is part of their education."
While having a dog at work can relieve stress, it can also cause
anxiety if they get into trouble.
"Pippa does not love her kennel, so she tends to stick by me,"
Reeves explained. "One day I went into the restroom and Pippa
followed me. When I went into my stall, I could hear Pippa drinking
from the toilet next to me. The restroom had been recently cleaned,
so the toilet bowls still had blue water in them from the cleaning
chemicals. Besides freaking out for a second, I knew immediately
that Pippa may need treatment."
As a veterinary science teacher, Reeves not only knew she needed
toxicology help, but she also knew to call Pet Poison Helpline even
before heading to the veterinary hospital. This allows the
toxicologists to work on a treatment plan while Reeves drove Pippa
to the hospital.
"Once at Veterinary Emergency Group in Alpharetta, Georgia, Reeves gave the hospital
team her Pet Poison Helpline case number, which provides both the
pet owner and hospital staff with unlimited consultations with our
toxicology team," Dr. Schmid explained. "The industrial toilet
cleaner Pippa drank contained alkalis, which can cause significant
damage to tissue. Fortunately, we determined that the concentration
of chemicals in the toilet water was not enough to cause corrosive
injury, so Pippa was given an anti-emetic and other
gastrointestinal protectants, was encouraged to drink water to
dilute what was in her system and sent home to recuperate."
Exposure to alkalis can result in a range of signs, from mild
tissue irritation to severe corrosive or caustic injury. The
severity can vary based on the concentration of the product. When
ingested, this leads to damage in the mouth, esophagus, and
gastrointestinal tract. Significant exposures can result in
perforations to the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract that can
have fatal consequences. These chemicals are not only found in
industrial cleaners, but in materials like wet cement and
industrial pipe and drain cleaners. Alkalis can also be found in
many household products like bleach, automatic dishwasher
detergents, hair relaxers, oven cleaners, lye and drain cleaners.
Treatment for alkalis includes immediate decontamination by
flushing the exposed area with large amounts of water, medications
to protect the gastrointestinal tract, fluid therapy and
symptomatic and supportive care.
"When taking your dog or other pet to work, be just as vigilant
about potential dangers as you would be at home or on a trip," Dr.
Schmid added. "Also, think about how your pet will interact with
your coworkers. For example, if your pet has a special diet or
allergies, be sure and share that with your coworkers so they don't
give them any unapproved treats. If your pet has behavioral issues
such as anxiety in unfamiliar or busy places, consider whether they
will be comfortable in the workplace or better kept in a quiet home
environment. Also, if your pet is scared around strangers and has a
tendency to snap at well-meaning admirers, keeping your pet home is
ideal to avoid potential injury to your co-workers."
Pet Poison Helpline created Toxin Tails to educate the
veterinary community and pet lovers on the many types of poisoning
dangers facing pets, both in and out of the home. All the pets
highlighted in Toxin Tails have been successfully treated
for the poisoning and fully recovered.
About Pet Poison Helpline
Pet Poison
Helpline®, your trusted source for toxicology and pet
health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24
hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary
professionals who require assistance treating a potentially
poisoned pet. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal
poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary
Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional
leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified
toxicologists provide treatment advice for poisoning cases of all
species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals
and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal
poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline's fee of $85 per incident includes follow-up consultations
for the duration of the case. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available
in North America by calling
800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at
www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
Contact:
Curtis Steinhoff
Pet
Poison Helpline®
(602) 300-8466
csteinhoff@petpoisonhelpline.com
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SOURCE Pet Poison Helpline