Veterinary toxicologists are warning clients about the dangers of accidental exposure to semaglutide weight loss medications
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Since the launch of semaglutide weight loss medications, like Ozempic, Pet Poison Helpline has seen multiple cases where a client accidentally administered their diabetic pet the semaglutide weight loss medication rather than their insulin. Because of this, Pet Poison Helpline is warning clients of the dangers Ozempic and other semaglutide weight loss medications can have on pets.
"If you're not paying close attention, Ozempic can be easily confused with insulin," said Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline, in an organizational release.1
"While some insulin for pets is administered using an autoinjector pen, most is administered using insulin syringes. Because of the explosion of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, however, people have become very familiar with seeing the new autoinjector pens. Since people often store these medications together in the refrigerator, mixing up medications can easily happen and have dire consequences."
For calls to Pet Poison Helpline, almost 50% involve human medications, over the counter and prescription.2 In order, the top 10 medications they receive calls about are:
To help raise awareness, Pet Poison Helpline shared the case of a Siberian husky from Oregon. The canine was accidentally administered multiple doses of Ozempic by a pet sitter instead of her insulin. The pet was lethargic and vomiting when the owner returned and was brought to a local hospital. Once at the hospital, she was treated for hypoglycemia before the team made the realization that she had been received multiple doses of Ozempic instead of insulin. The patient remained at the hospital for 2 days for both hypoglycemia and supportive care before making a full recovery.
A similar scenario happened to a cat named Mario, who was being cared for by a family member. When Mario’s owner returned home, the cat was "nearly comatose" and they discovered that earlier in the week he had been administered at least one dose of Ozempic instead of insulin, but could have received more. He was brought to an emergency clinic and was severely hypoglycemic and dehydrated. He was treated with dextrose, IV fluids, and aggressive nursing care.
"Many people worry about leaving their pet when they go on vacation," explained Schmid.1 "If you're planning to leave your pet with a person who does not normally care for that particular pet, it is critical that you carefully go through all of your pet's medications with them, and thoroughly explain how they are administered. That includes any special food or treats. It is also ideal to move human medication out of sight, so it is not mistaken for the pet's medication."
According to the release,1 not all exposures are accidental injections with pets finding these administration pens and chewing on them, which leads to them ingesting some of its content. Schmid warns pet owners to never leave any medications where pets, or small children, can find them. She also recommends pet owners keep their medications separate from their pet’s medication to prevent any accidental ingestions, on both ends.
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