Monday Medical Holiday Toxins: Mistletoe

Mistletoe in a hackberry tree on my sister's land in Texas

About this time last year I was in a van, driving through west Texas back country with a camera crew.  Suddenly, I saw something very familiar to me. Since we were on our way to film a Christmas special, it seemed all too appropriate.

"Look! Mistletoe!" I pointed out the window of the van.
No one believed me.

But having grown up with the stuff dripping from the oak trees on my parents' land in central Texas, I knew what I was talking about. It was mistletoe, and I won the Trivia round that day with the crew.

Oddly for a wintertime holiday plant, a large number of mistletoe varieties are tropical or sub-tropical. Mistletoe is also a partial parasite, and it grows in clumps in trees like oak, walnut and hackberry.

And since mistletoe is a known toxin to both humans and pets, it makes a good Medical Monday topic for December.

One of the earliest mentions of mistletoe is in Greek mythology around the first century BCE, in Virgil's The Aeneid. It also makes an appearance in thirteenth century Norse mythology. Mistletoe didn't really become a part of Christmas tradition until the 18th century.

1900's postcard, public domain

Back in the first century, mistletoe was actually considered to be an antidote to poisons. That's sadly ironic, since mistletoe is toxic to humans and pets alike.

It was also considered to be a cure for infertility in animals. Pliny the Elder documented a Celtic ritual in his "Natural History" series where mistletoe was mixed in a drink and served to animals to increase fertility. One wonders how many farm animals survived this practice.

There are two main species of mistletoe, the European variety and the American variety. The European variety is considered the more poisonous of the two. Both varieties are harvested commercially for Christmas decorations.

If you suspect your pet may have turned your décor into a menu item, look for symptoms to begin to show up in 2 to 24 hours. As with all toxins, the symptoms may vary with the amount ingested.

If you think it was just a berry or two that got eaten, or maybe a few leaves nibbled on, then look for things that might indicate you have inflammation in the stomach or intestines – stuff like drooling, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting.

If your mistletoe is completely gone and you suspect Fido might have chowed down on it, that’s a bit more dangerous. In large doses, mistletoe can affect the cardiovascular system – especially if it’s of the Eurpopean variety.

You risk low blood pressure, abnormal heart rate, seizures, or a condition known as ataxia (or “walking drunk”). This can even be fatal, so seek medical help immediately.

And remember, if you ever suspect your pet may have eaten something he shouldn’t, call your veterinarian immediately. There is also a Global Crisis Solution Center that has a poison emergency page that includes animals. On it you can find a link to Poison Control Center phone lines in over 70 countries.

Wishing you a safe and enjoyable holiday season - for you and your pets!
_____________
Sources:

Images of American & Eurpoean Mistletoe
Mistletoe species are partial parasites
If your pets eat mistletoe, what should you expect? FDA.gov
Pet Poison Helpline
Mistletoe commentary by Pliny the Elder

Monday Medical: Mushrooms and your pet

By Plowboylifestyle at en.wikipedia [Public domain]

Are mushrooms toxic to dogs and cats?

The varieties you find in the grocery store aren't. But wild mushrooms can be very poisonous - both to humans and animals.

And since it's hard even for expert mycologists (biologists who specialize in fungi such as mushrooms) to eyeball the difference between a wild mushroom that's safe to eat and one that's not... it's safest to avoid them!


My Dog Ate a Mushroom
Growing in my Yard...
What Do I Do?

According to the website AmericanMushroom.com, most varieties of mushroom that pops up in your yard aren't poisonous, though they may be mildly to moderately toxic and cause stomach distress.

The best thing to do is to harvest and destroy any mushrooms you find in your yard before your pet gets to them!

And because mushrooms are so hard even for experts to identify at a glance, it's best to err on the side of caution if you see your pet has eaten one.

If you know your yard is home to mushrooms and you find your pet suddenly developing symptoms such as tremors, seizures, diarrhea or vomiting, be sure to tell your vet about the mushrooms.

It will be helpful to secure a sample of the mushroom, as well. If it turns out your pet is suffering from mushroom poisoning, this is an important step in identifying the correct antidote to administer.

There is one mushroom known to be especially deadly, both to humans and animals. Its name is death cap (okay it's got a fancy biology name too, but we digress).  Although native to Europe, it has occasionally been found in the United States.

Good News for Pets
and Humans

Up until a few weeks ago, if your pet ingested a death cap mushroom, there wasn't much hope. (Actually, the same is true for humans as well. One half of a mushroom cap - about an ounce in size - is enough to kill a human.)

Kasey (image via Oakland Tribune)

But recently, when a dog named Kasey ingested one, his veterinarian happened to know about a nationwide clinical trial led by a man named Dr. Todd Mitchell. This trial is investigating a new drug as a potential antidote for mushroom poisoning in humans. So Kasey's vet contacted Dr. Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchell told him to try an experimental treatment that involved inserting a long needle into the gall bladder and siphoning out the toxic bile.

It worked.

And now a miniature Australian shepherd from Richmond, California is the vanguard for what may well become the new standard of treatment in animals suffering from mushroom poisoning.

And, though not yet tried on humans, the procedure shows promise as an application in "people medicine" as well!

***

Next week: Are onions all that dangerous?

__________________
sources:

http://americanmushrooms.com/lawnandgarden.htm
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/2011/09/things-in-your-yard-that-are-poisonous-to-dogs-cats/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_phalloides#Distribution_and_habitat
http://www.insidebayarea.com/daily-review/ci_21087720/berkeley-dog-poisoned-by-death-cap-mushrooms-saved

WARNING: Fake Flea Treatments can be DEADLY

Last week, VPI pet insurance reported on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announcement that counterfeit flea prevention products are being illegally imported into the USA.

Peeps, our mom is researching these treatments for an upcoming Monday Medical Issues post and let us tell you, this is extremely dangerous - and can be deadly.

These phony medications are posing as "Frontline" and "Advantage" products. These brands are sold in many pet retail outlets and online stores.

Some of these counterfeit products substitute ingredients that can be deadly, especially for cats.

According to the EPA, the only way you can tell if a package is legit is to physically examine the applicator tubes.

Look for revealing differences which are listed in the EPA's fact sheet.

You can download this fact sheet as a PDF file from the EPA's page on counterfeit pet pesticides by clicking on the image below.

click this image to be redirected to the EPA's info site on fake pet products

If you'd like to read the full story as VPI pet insurance reported it, you can click here - they also list how you can learn to identify the real from the fake.

Monday Medical issues: Antifreeze

Yesterday I went outside to find my husband tackling a radiator. Jury’s out on who won that round – him or the radiator – but in the act of replacing it, copious amounts of antifreeze were unloaded into a big round pan.

And I’d just let Allie out to help me dig holes in the garden! EEK!

I scooped that pan up so fast (okay, not so fast that any of it sloshed out!) and stuck it high up on a shelf where no cat or dog could access it.

The reason for my panic is that antifreeze is deadly to pets. If a cat were to simply walk through it and lick the antifreeze off its paws – that’s enough to kill. And a mere 5 tablespoons of the stuff is fatal to a medium sized dog.

Sadly, both dogs and cats – and children, too! – appear to be drawn to antifreeze. I’m not sure what makes it seem so tasty to them, but if allowed, they’ll drink it.

Antifreeze contains Ethylene (or Diethylene) Glycol, which breaks down into toxic substances once processed through the liver. These toxic substances will then cause kidney failure if not treated immediately – or faster than that! – since absorption can occur so quickly.

Once Ethylene Glycol is ingested, it is rapidly absorbed into the liver from the intestines, and you can begin to see symptoms as soon as 30 minutes after your pet has been exposed. If you suspect your dog or cat has ingested antifreeze, urgently seek emergency help.

If caught quickly enough a vet can administer a drug that temporarily suspends liver function, allowing the antifreeze to pass through the system without breaking down into its toxic components.

They will most probably induce vomiting to expel any remaining antifreeze in the stomach before it hits the intestines, as well as feeding your pet charcoal to bind to any remaining antifreeze.

The charcoal will prevent the intestines from absorbing the antifreeze and sending it on to the liver.

The odds that all antifreeze will be caught before metabolizing are very slim, though, but an emergency vet can also place your pet on dialysis to flush the kidneys and help mitigate the damaging effects of the antifreeze. Hopefully with swift action, the kidneys will be hit with a small enough amount of poison and they will be able to repair themselves.

The best thing you can do, though, is to practice prevention.

Please don’t underestimate the extreme hazard of this substance – to dogs, cats and children. Keep such harmful toxins stored safely out of reach – and if spills occur, immediately saturate the surface with water to dilute and disperse.

Monday Medical Issues: Sunburn

Mondays this April are dedicated to a miniseries on medical issues. We missed Pet Poison Prevention Week (March 18 -24), so today's post is our belated submission.


As many of us know, pets can get sunburns too. Light colored and hairless breeds may be more susceptible, but any pink nose or eartip is susceptible to the sun's rays. I was surprised to learn that commercial sunscreens are toxic to cats!

 The active ingredient in sunscreen - the thing that chemically blocks harmful UV rays - is Octyl Salicylate (or variants of it such as Homosalate and Ethylhexyl Salicylate). When ingested, it breaks down into salycilic acid, also known as aspirin.

 Aspirin is very toxic to a cat. Even one extra-strength aspirin can have fatal consequences!

That's because cats can't metabolize them. And the reason why they can't is because the are obligate carnivores, or "hypercarnivores," meaning that at least 70% of their diet comes from meat. So what's a sun-loving kitty to do if he wants to catch some outdoor time on the deck?

 There are some products on the market that are marketed as "physical" sunblocks (as opposed to the chemical ones we mentioned above). These contain Titanium Dioxide which physically coat a surface and block out most of the sun's rays. There is probably not much risk in using a product with Titanium Dioxide as the main ingredient because not that much is going to be absorbed through the skin, and it's inert if ingested.

But... be sure to read the label carefully because sunscreens with Titanium Dioxide are often paired with substances that are toxic to cats, such as PABA and Propylene Glycol and Zinc Oxide. PABA is only mildly toxic and will most likely only cause stomach irritation.

But Propylene Glycol is the additive in the "safer" anti-freeze and can cause liver or kidney dysfunction if ingested. There are a surprising number of sunscreens marketed for pets that contain these ingredients, so please be cautious when buying! Often it's safer to look toward baby products than pet products in cases like this.

Or you could always make up your own. Here's a recipe posted by Teri T, the blogger at Curlz & Swirlz:

Recipe for cat safe sunscreen lotion:
6 tbsp. almond oil or (3 tbsp. avocado oil and 3 tbsp. almond oil)
3 tbsp shea butter or (1 tbsp. shea butter and 2 tbsp. cocoa butter)
1 tsp. beeswax
1 tsp. soya-lecithin
2 tbsp. aloevera gel
2 tbsp. rose water
3-5 drops coconut oil (optional, for fragrance)

Melt the oils, butters and beeswax in a double boiler over low heat only until melted. Add the soya-lecithin, then stir till mixed. Remove from heat. Warm the aloe-vera gel and rose water.

While still warm, put water mix over ice, then drizzle in the oil mixture while stirring rapidly with a small whisk. It should creme quickly. Add coconut fragrance oil if desired.

Mix well. Store in a clean, airtight jar.

Here's to many safe and sunny summer snoozes!

(P.S. Did you know some skim milks contain Titanium Dioxide? They do it to make the milk look more 'milky white". I think I'm sticking with 2 percent. Ick! source: Journal of Dairy Science Vol. 80, No. 11, 199 )