Keep drugs locked away!

A two fold post. Firstly to say lock your drugs up even better than they are. I am so careful not to leave anything out but my dogs still managed to open a latched door and find a bag of paracetamol etc at the back of a cupboard. I don't know if any have been eaten or just chewed but the two culprits were at the vets last night being induced to vomit and syringed charcoal. Now I have a week to wait and see if one has liver damage. They will have blood tests done tmrw. What a horrible wait. I'm a very careful owner but clearly not careful enough.

Secondly, does anybody have experience of symptoms of paracetamol overdose in dogs? I have a fantastic vet practice who have a plan of action for us. They have recommended feeding vitamin c rich foods to give the liver a helping hand in terms of what I can do at home. Obviously its straight to the vets if anything changes.

I am so sorry to hear this. One of my dogs found a strip of paracetamol which must have fallen out of the medicine cupboard in our utility room. I know that he only ate 1 1/2 tablets (I think it was that but it was some time ago now) and I phoned the vet immediately. Because I knew his exact weight and exactly what he'd eaten they said just to keep an eye on him. To watch out for sickness, lethargy and to check his gum colour frequently - which I did and he was fine.

Did the vet not tell you exactly what to watch out for or you are just double checking. Best of luck and hopefully because you took immediate action you dog will be fine.

Thanks for your reply jenny.g. The vet has listed symptoms of drooling, lethargy, disorientation, etc so I'm happy I know what tp look out for. I suppose I'm looking for words of encouragement and stories like yours. I know what the procedure is, I want the next week to be over!

It is so difficult keeping everything out of reach of dogs. My two will eat anything they find whether in the house or outside and it drives me mad

I might be wrong but if the vet was very worried about the dose your two had eaten, your dogs would have been keep in under observation and on drips etc. Such a worrying time for you but everything crossed they'll bounce back really quickly.

Whatever you do, don't blame yourself........dogs are adept at taking advantage of the tiniest slip.

You are going to be watching your dogs like a hawk for any sign of something going amiss, but hopefully all will be well and you will be able to heave a big sigh of relief before too long.

Good luck, and big cuddles for your dogs.

Oh dear what a worry! Fngers crossed they are fine. It's so easily done!

Thanks for your replies They are fine today, acting like hooligans like normal! Long may it continue! I'm so hopeful that they are ok.

I'm trying not to blame myself as I know how very careful I am with this sort of thing. It's tricky though tbh...

As above - if worse symptoms were present I am sure the vet would have had them in.

If it makes you feel any better, my tiny minpin (then 4.5kg) ate 2 Famous Names real alcohol liquers and one paracetamol last Xmas. She'd got into a spare room where a drunken guest was sleeping on a mattress on the floor and helped herself to the wrapped boozy choklit and one pill.

Only knew about it because she vomited the lot up onto the duvet (on top of the sleeping guest)

Wrappers could be unravelled to see what she'd had - port and whiskey as I recall and the pill was still 'whole' but sort of crumbly all over so I guess a little of it was ingested.

I phoned a vet but they said it sounded very much like it all came up more or less straight after it all went down and just to keep an eye on her. She was fine.

Don't blame yourself - after all who'd even imagine that they'd like the taste of them? Dogs! huh!

Hope yours will be just fine.

One of the culprits!

Not funny I know but maybe she ate the pill just in case the port and whiskey gave her a hangover!?