Is someone POISONING our pets?!?!?!?!

[Sunny Side Up]

Oh good grief!!! I am so very very sorry about these latest troubles of yours, I pray that you'll find the cause & the cure for your poor pets' ailments. I wonder if Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control would have any good advice for you, as to what steps you should take to learn for certain if your pets are indeed being poisoned by an irate neighbor. Certainly you should begin documenting everything, dates of onset of illnesses, times the animals were outdoors, symptoms, etc.

Also, contact the County Extension Office to see if there could be some poisonous plant that is causing their intestinal upset.

Lord, please help & protect these animals & these people!

 

[Wifezilla]

"There are tests specifically for ethylene glycol. An "in-house" test kit is available to veterinarians and local hospitals are often willing to test for this toxin on an emergency basis when exposure is suspected. Examination of the urine reveals crystals that are highly suspicious of ethylene glycol exposure about six hours after the toxin is ingested but waiting for these to show up places the pet at risk. Looking for crystals when the timing of exposure is unknown can give good prognostic information, though.

Treatment for this condition is best done with 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP, or fomepizole (Antizol-Vet(TM)), which was recently approved for use in dogs. This medication competes for the liver enzymes that break down ethylene glycol and slow its metabolism down, keeping the serum levels of the toxic metabolites down and allowing them to be excreted safely when used early enough. If 4-MP is not available treatment consists of using ethanol, usually intravenously. Ethanol also competes for the same enzymes and inhibits breakdown of the ethylene glycol. The problem is that ethanol itself causes severe central nervous system depression at the dosages necessary and this can have an additive effect with the ethylene glycol. It is still much better to treat when exposure is know to have occurred or is documented by lab work, though.

Antifreeze poisoning causes a terrible death and it is inexcusable for a human being to inflict that kind of suffering on a pet intentionally. I can not begin to understand why people would do such a thing but have personally dealt with at least one case of antifreeze toxicity in which a dog was intentionally poisoned.

Read more: Toxins that Affect Dogs - Veterinary Information"
http://www.vetinfo.com/dtoxin.html

 

[DragonEggs]

Okay, just to clarify a few details of the questions people have asked....

We live in a duplex. The houses attach at the garages with a driveway in between. Our backyard is partially fenced but it too small for our dogs so we have a tether in the front yard for them (since the front yard is not fenced). However, in Palm Beach County it is illegal to tether a dog outdoors between certain hours so we just take the dogs out individually for a few minutes at a time each while we watch them do their buisness then bring them back in. The only time the dogs are not watched is early in the morning before the time limit sets in while we are getting ready for work. We put the dogs out on the chain for a few minutes at a time each then bring them back in (theres only one chain so we alternate between the dogs, starting with the puppy and the oldest dog goes last).

It has been raining ALOT here lately so I would hope that anything that was run off would have washed away by now. Ive searched the yard carefully, there are no signs of any poisonous toads or insects and no plants within the dog's reach. I carefully checked the ones out of reach for signs of being chewed and found nothing. My Saint Bernard has never been a digger before (only on command since that was part of his SAR traning) but has been frantically digging CRATERS in the front for the past couple of days. I have carefully searched the holes and the areas around the holes with no results.

I climbed a ladder today and checked the roof in case there was any run off of something. Nothing.

Their outside water source has been removed.

Other than the vomit and diarrhea the dogs are energetic and have a healthy appetite and show no other symptoms of either rat or antifreeze poisoning.

Sadly the cat was put down earlier today. She just didn't have the energy to go on.

 

[Oven Ready]

If it's poison, could it possibly be Paracetamol. Very toxic to cats, quite toxic to dogs and very easy to obtain and deliver to your animals.

Another possibility is Xylitol, an artificial sweetener. It also causes liver failure and is again easy to get and deliver. Just a few pieces of gum can be enough.

Hope you find out the problem.

 

[justbugged]

I would check with the health department about your soil. If the dogs are digging fresh holes, then I would begin to suspect soil contamination. The health Dept. should be able to tell you who can test the soil for contaminates. The cats will find the freshly dug soil interesting also.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
x2.. the dog needs to be tested NOW.... not after its out of his system. Blood work is a must...

 

[Rammy]

I would get a video camera or some sort of surveillance camera so you can see whats going on when you cant watch your pets or when your not home. I was wondering with the digging, maybe the dog was trying to get to moles? And maybe the moles were poisoned and he ate one? If I thought my dog was poisoned, I wouldnt be waiting for a paycheck to take him. The longer you wait, the more damage and possibly irreversable. I would go in begging, bring my big screen tv, the title to my car, my ring, whatever is of value for them to put in thier safe< trust me, they have one> to hold until I could pay them for the treatment of my animals if I thought one of them was poisoned. Then, my neighbors would be in a legal H from me because I would prosecute them until they wished they'd never messed with my animals. Anyone who would intentionally do that to an animal has no regard for any life. TAKE YOUR PET TO THE VET NOW!!

Rammy

 

[dntd]

I think some neighbour has tried to poison our plants/animals and throw ant bait in our yard, needless to say it only contained borax.... stupid people!

 

[DragonEggs]

Everyone please understand I haven't taken my dog to the vet not because of money (I've already got 3 grand on a care credit account from his last vet visit when he was hit by a car) but because that is the soonest any vet could see him. Many of the vets here are all about the money and charge outrageous amounts for pretty much nothing (some charge you extra if you want to be in the room when they euthanize your pet!) and just don't really care bout the animal at all. I wish I was still in TX where my reliable family vet is... he would have seen the animals immediatly with no appointment..... (Anyone in the panhandle of TX I HIGHLY reccommend Dr Ron Easly of Easly Animal Hospital outside of Pampa, TX). The only other vet who has experience with my dog is 6 hours away. We just moved here and haven't had a change to develop a relationship with a trusted vet just yet. Places like Bainfield or whatever in Petco and Petsmart have a quota to fill each month and dont hesitate to overcharge you to meet that quota and their staff are not very knowledgable about the animals.

Like I said I have already ruined my credit for my dog, I wouldn't hesitate to put down the title for my car if it would save his life. It's not me it's THEM and the way they do buisness....

Luckily, the place I DID manage to get him in at is a not for profit vet that does everything AT COST and most of the staff is volunteer. This place is all about the animals. I have heard all good things about them.




Also, as a side note, I DO have good news! WE'VE BEEN EVICTED!!!! The certified letters started coming yesterday. As a personal rule I don't sign for certified letters unless I'm expecting something. Im not stupid, I know what it ws (why else would my landlord send me certified mail when he lives on the next block but hasn't bothered to come by for almost 2 weeks when he use to be here every other day). Oh, that wasn't the good news (well, not all of it) I think we've found a place a little further north in St. Lucie county on 1 acre modular home. Horse ranch behind us and chickens on either side. Once I build a proper coop they'll be able to free range! Just HOPE we get this place!

 

[ellend]

Dogs dig holes to escape heat.

I would NEVER hurt an animal, but I have taken in (to our home) and would consider taking a cat to a no-kill shelter if my neighbors let theirs roam. I have four (two from the neighborhood) cats, and they are NEVER on anybody else's property, and I don't want other cats here after my pet bantams.

Same with barking dogs--sounds like you are a very good pet owner, and I can't imagine you let yours bark outdoors and drive the neighbors crazy.

Outdoor cats can easily find antifreeze puddles--it's very appealing to them, and very deadly from organ failure.

Dogs--everything from parvo to giardia causes diarrhea--also other more common parasites. Have you had a stool sample run for parasites and giardia?

Good luck with the dogs--maybe keep the next cat indoors? That will also prevent leukemia, FIV, sickos with gasoline and a lighter, etc..