We all want to keep our furbabies safe and healthy. Dogster Kristy Sweetland, furmom to Seva and Finlay, will be providing weekly tips and warnings from the Pet Poison HELPLINE to make that job easier. As a veterinary technician with the Pet Poison HELPLINE she’s going to help us all stay more on top of what’s dangerous for our furry family members.
Paintballs
Fun for humans, incredibly harmful for dogs, for whatever reason dogs find paintballs a delicacy! When we receive calls regarding paintball ingestions, they generally involve huge quantities.
Currently, we have no definitive information which allows us to determine an exact toxic dose, or even the reason for toxicity. What we do know is that we can expect vomiting and diarrhea, a staggered gait, tremor activity, increased heart rate, rapid respirations, increased body temperature, seizures, coma, and even death.
Often we are alerted to the fact that our dog has found the stash of paintballs because they conveniently vomit a large quantity of paint! That does not, however, always occur. If you find that your dog has consumed your supply of paintballs, consult your DVM immediately! Preventative measures will need to be initiated in order to prevent toxicity. If, by chance, signs are already present, take your dog immediately to your veterinary hospital. If they are not familiar with this toxicity, it is highly recommended that they contact a veterinary poison control center. A good prognosis can be expected with supportive veterinary care. Without it, the outlook may be grim.
