Murl Bailey, Jr., DVM, PhD, DABVT, VTTPP, CVM

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines a pesticide as "any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or lessening the damage of any pest".

When one is concerned about treating intoxications, the primary emphasis should be on prevention, not treatment.

While most small animals being seen by veterinarians are not herbivorous, they will from time to time ingest plants out of boredom or maybe for other reasons.

This discussion will be divided into OTC products and Illegal drugs for ease of discussion.

Heavy metals have often been a cause of intoxication in companion animals but the number metals that cause a toxicosis is low.

Household products are generally made from complex chemical mixtures.

A venomous animal produces a toxin to attack its prey or defend itself. Animal venoms are protein in nature and primarily enzymes.