Assessing Cases of Animal Poisoning

Tina Wismer, DVM, DABVT, DABT, MS, medical director at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, outlines necessary steps in handling a case of animal intoxication.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

"It’s very important that the owners contact you as soon as possible after an exposure [to a potential poison]. That way you can assess what has been ingested, [and] how much of it has been ingested [with respect to] that animal's own medical history so [you] can determine if it is going to be a problem. We can potentially figure out a dose and maybe get that animal decontaminated before it ever starts to shows clinical signs.

In many cases there isn’t an antidote, so treat the clinical signs. It's important [that] you don’t waste time looking for an antidote, and always question the owners to make sure the history is correct."