<!–
<!–
<!– <!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
A UK-based vet has revealed a list of poisons or toxins that pet owners really should know about – but often don’t.
Content creator @ben.the.vet shared the list in a video on TikTok, where he has more than 208,000 followers.
He captioned the video: “If your pet ingests any of these toxic substances, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible – treatment is much more likely to be successful with early intervention.”
Ben then listed things that can make pets extremely ill and even fatal.
Speaking in the video, he said: “The first one is the lilies. Now, if you have a cat, please never have a lily in your house.
UK-based TikTok veterinarian @ben.the.vet (pictured) has revealed a list of items that can be toxic to pets.
“I know it’s really hard if someone gives you a pretty bouquet of flowers only to throw them away, but it’s not worth the risk.
“I have seen several cats die from lily poisoning. They can cause kidney failure and this is often fatal. All parts of the lily are toxic, but pollen is often the cause.
“It falls onto the surfaces of their fur. Cats lick it, ingest it and poison themselves.
The second one he cited was human painkillers.
Ben said: “Please never medicate your pet. Again, these (ibuprofen and paracetamol) are particularly toxic to cats. Even small amounts can cause kidney failure, severe stomach ulcerations and gastrointestinal signs.
“Similarly, ibuprofen is also very toxic to dogs. Although paracetamol can be used as a pain reliever, it is very easy to overdose especially small dogs, so never give paracetamol to your dog without veterinary advice.
Moving on to his third item, he listed xylitol, an artificial sweetener.
According to the expert (pictured), he has seen cats die from lily poisoning, so it is important to throw away any bouquets containing flowers.
He said: “(It’s) safe for humans to eat, but can be very dangerous for dogs and cats, and is found in many products like chewing gum, mouthwash and some sweets like gummy bears.”
He added that it’s usually dogs that get sick after ingesting xylitol, explaining: “There’s some sort of problem in the system where the dog’s body recognizes xylitol as if it were sugar, releases insulin, which could cause blood sugar levels to drop to dangerously low levels, which can cause seizures, even coma and death.
Fourth, Ben noted that antifreeze is one of several automotive products, including windshield washer fluid, engine coolant and windshield de-icer, that contain ethylene glycol.
He said: “(It is) a substance which, when ingested by the dog or cat, can cause the formation of crystals in different organs such as the brain and kidneys.”
“This can lead to neurological signs and, again, kidney failure.” Interestingly, no joke, one of the treatment options for ethylene glycol toxicity is intravenous vodka.
Ibuprofen and other medications intended for humans can also be harmful or even fatal to animals, Ben reveals in the video.
And finally, he listed the fifth unexpected toxic element: moldy food.
“It’s usually more of a dog problem than a cat problem,” he said.
“I once saw a little terrier that had severe tremors.
“Initially we didn’t know what the cause was. It wasn’t until the owners looked in their garden and discovered their dog had gotten into their compost bin that we realized it was because of Exposure to mold toxins that…interfere…with nerve function and can even cause seizures.
“This dog was very poorly but fortunately he made a full recovery.”