emergency advise please!

[sands]

Can anyone give advice as to what you should do if a small dog swallows a paracetamol tablet. Only one thankfully!  My friend has just posted on face book that her 11 month old dog has eaten one and folk are saying its ok not to worry but I'm sure I've read they are dangerous for dogs

Any advice would be great.

[ebony girl]

i would call the emergency vet and ask......i wouldnt give a small child a paracetamol and they weigh more than a small dog....

[coopersmum]

How heavy is the dog? Have just looked in my pharmacology book to check and it says that dogs don't USUALLY show signs of toxicity unless the dose is higher than 100mg/kg. Paracetamol tabs are usually 500mg tabs so I'm hoping the dog is heavier than 5kg. Its cats that paracetamol is lethal to as they don't have the enzymes to degrade the toxic metabolites but it can definitely be toxic to dogs in higher doses.

[Ian Wright]

i also would phone the vet.

[coopersmum]

Sorry, pushed send before I was done Phoning the vet's prob the best bet as signs of toxicity can take a while to show up.

[cfordham2710]

Phone the emergency vets

[siam]

I think it's ibuprofen that dogs shouldn't get, but would double check with the vet.

[Countrygirl]

My neighbour was giving her cocker ibuprofen every day for arthritis for quite a while before I told her not to. 

 

[elaine.e]

I've just been looking at a vet surgery website where it states that one 500mg Paracetamol tablet can be fatal in very small dog breeds.

I think your friend should phone the emergency vet.

[sands]

Hi all

Sorry to have taken so long with an update but was babysitting tonight 

Last I heard was 7 hours ago and that wasn't great news    My friend has chosen to ignore the advice to take her pupster to/contact the vet 

How stupid can people be 

Can only hope that the little darling has suffered no ill effects and will be ok 

Thanks again everyone and I'll keep you updated 

[HeatherandBenjy]

Sorry, pushed send before I was done Phoning the vet's prob the best bet as signs of toxicity can take a while to show up.

Just wondering how your friend's dog is? I've only just seen this, but as Coopersmum said, the problem with paracetamol is that toxicity takes a long time to show up and by the time the problems do show up, it can often be too late to stop the damage. 

I don't want to alarm you, but paracetamol overdoses are lethal, your friend should phone the vet.

[sands]

Heather I am soooo angry 

My so called friend choose NOT to follow the advice I gave her regarding taking Poppy to the vet and having her checked over 

She hasn't contacted me at all today so I don't know how things are with the pupster I'm afraid.  Also as she is a work friend I will now not see her for 2 weeks as we are on holiday so I can't even ask at work 

I cannot beleive an intelligent human being could be so silly as to ignore all the great advice she was given.  I'm afraid I have lost any respect I once had for her too as I think it selfish not to have the little one checked over.

Obviously if I hear anything I will add an update - hopefully with good news 

Thanks again 

[Petepreston]

If it is a serious risk (dose/weight combination) then the problem may be the same as a with human overdose: paracetamol overdoses cause a long slow death by organ failure. The key part is that the symptoms come on gradually. With most poisons we expect to see rapid onset of symptoms, but I think that is not the case with paracetamol.

I really hope your friend has actually made some enquiries of their own.

[coopersmum]

It works the same way in dogs. Somehow the body has to get rid of all the products created after the drug's been metabolised and this is done mostly through the liver. The toxic metabolites can end up causing liver failure with all the knock on effects that stem from that:( The silly thing is that if it's caught early then there are drugs that can be given to counter the effects of the toxins but once the liver is badly affected its too late. Apparently signs of hepatic problems should show up within 48 hours though...

[sands]

Morning all 

I have PM'd my friend on her FB and told her the facts you have all posted in the hope that she will see sense and take poppy to the vet in the hope that its not too late 

I'm leaving for a few days break in an hour or so and will probably not be online much the rest of the week but I want to thank you all for the support and advice once again. I have said it before I am sure but this is one of the best, most  constructive, supportive and knowledgeable forums I have been on and I really do appreciate it 

Obviously if I hear anything about Poppy I will update the thread.

Thanks again