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Originally Posted by Lacy's Mom Here's some info on nicotine toxicity and dogs. How is Milo doing today?
Nicotine is a poisonous alkaloid derived from the tobacco plant and used in medicine and as an insecticide. Nicotine is found in a variety of sources, primarily cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, nicotine gum and nicotine patches. However, the fact that nicotine alone is an extremely toxic poison often goes unmentioned. Not many people realize that nicotine is sold commercially in the form of a pesticide. Nicotine is toxic to humans if enough is ingested at once, and many children are seen in emergency rooms every year after eating cigarettes or cigarette butts. Ironically, the dizziness and nausea that hit people after smoking their first cigarette is actually a very mild case of nicotine poisoning.
Nicotine is toxic to our pets, too. The most common source of nicotine is tobacco products like cigarettes, cigarette butts and even nicotine gum and patches. The toxic level of nicotine in dogs is 5 milligrams of nicotine per pound of body weight. For example, one cigarette contains 15-25 milligrams of nicotine, and nicotine patches contain between 8-114 milligrams of nicotine. A 10-pound dog would only need to eat 2-4 cigarettes in order to show toxic signs. You should note that even after smoking, tobacco retains a significant amount of nicotine residue.
What To Watch For
Signs of nicotine toxicity generally develop soon after ingestion. When large amounts are consumed, the effects can be life-threatening, but even small amounts can induce symptoms. Without treatment, nicotine toxicity can cause paralysis of the breathing muscles and your dog may die from an inability to breathe, sometimes within a few hours. If your pet exhibits any of the following symptoms, call your veterinarian.
Bradycardia (slow heart rate) and cardiac arrhythmias
Depression
Tremors
Fast breathing
Drooling
Hyperactivity
Lethargy (in high doses)
Dilated pupils
Stumbling
Possible seizures
Diagnosis
Diagnosis of nicotine toxicity is generally based on a history of exposure to or eating of nicotine products and development of some of the toxic signs.
Treatment
Recovery can take up to a week or more and cause the animal to be very uncomfortable. The immediate treatment is to reduce the amount of nicotine in the stomach keeping your dog alive until the nicotine is broken down by the body. Despite treatment, some pets that have ingested large amounts of nicotine may not survive. Your veterinarian might do any of the following:
Induction of vomiting if you witnessed the nicotine ingestion and the pet is alert. Ask your veterinarian for advice.
Pumping the stomach and periodic feedings of charcoal to reduce further nicotine absorption, hospitalization and intravenous fluids.
A ventilator to assist with breathing until the toxin can be cleared from their system for severely affected dogs.
Home Care
If nicotine ingestion is witnessed, induction of vomiting may prevent the toxic signs of nicotine poisoning. Consult your veterinarian or local emergency facility for instructions regarding inducing vomiting at home.
Once the signs of nicotine toxicity have developed, home treatment is not effective and immediate treatment by a veterinarian is encouraged.
Preventive Care
The best prevention is to eliminate the source of nicotine. Keep cigarettes, cigars, and all nicotine products out of the reach of your pets. This includes ashtrays, chewed nicotine gum and used nicotine patches. Remember, even ash and used products still have residual nicotine. The amount of ingestion required for toxicity is a lot higher than with the unused product, but the potential for toxicity is still there. |