ASPCA's Top Pet Toxins of 2014

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC)Every year the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) receives over 100,000 calls regarding pets that have been exposed to potentially harmful or poisonous substances.


By call volume, here is the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's list of the 10 most common pet toxins of 2014:

 

1. Prescription Medications
For the seventh year in a row, human prescription medications sit at the top of the list.

2. Over the Counter Drugs/Medications
Including everything from natural and herbal supplements to traditional OTC drugs, calls falling into this category have become more prevalent during recent years. It is also worth noting that this is one of the broadest categories.

3. Insecticides
Falling from second place to third this year, insecticides accounted for nearly 10% of calls (15,000 cases).

4. Household Products/Items
Most commonly as cleaning products and paints, this category accounted for nearly 14,000 cases.

5. Human Foods
More commonly an issue with dogs rather than cats, more than 13,000 cases were related to pets that had ingested human food.

6. Veterinary Medications
Accounting for 7% of all cases in 2014, pet owners should be sure to keep chewable and (to them) tasty medications out of pets' reach. 

7. Chocolate
Accounting for 6% of total call volume, and on average more than 30 calls each day, chocolate ingestion remains one of the most common pet toxins. 

8. Plants
Jumping up one place since 2013, and accounting for about 5% of all calls, most incidents that fall into this category have to do with cats ingesting house plants.

9. Rodenticides
Pesticides intended to kill rats and mice can be incredibly harmful to pets if ingested. In 2014 the APCC handled over 7,500 rodenticide related calls.

10. Garden and Lawn Products
Responsible for approximately 2.7% of all calls, many of these incidents resulted from pet owners failing to store lawn/garden supplies out of pets reach.

You can also find the Top Ten list for 2013 here, and the Top Ten List for 2012 here.
In general, the ASPCA Blog is a fantastic resource for any pet owner.

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  • "Many pet foods contain corn as the main ingredient. Dogs and cats are not “cornivores’….they are carnivores!"
  • "If I can’t eat the food, I won’t give it to my pets either."
  • "Our pets are the only ones in our family who give us unconditional love."
  • "The animals are our children. They deserve the same quality food as our two-legged children."
  • "Your pets are members of the family so treat them like members of the family."
  • "I can help your pets live longer, healthier lives."
  • "Feed your pets what your grandfather fed his pets."
  • "Would you eat what you are feeding your pet? No? Then don’t feed it."
  • "Cats are obligate carnivores, not herbivores."
  • "Animals are my children."
  • "You have never in your life been to a doctor or veterinarian who taught you how to prevent disease (or who taught you about nutrition.)"
  • "Developed with Passion by a practicing veterinarian."
  • "If your human children died at 25 instead of 75 that would get your attention as to what is going on with pets."
  • "I am abolishing disease in my practice."
  • "1 out of 5 children in the average American family walks on all fours."
  • "Tell your pet every day that you love them."
  • "You can communicate with your pet, just listen."
  • "Would you feed your other children pet food?"
  • "Think about which members of your family give you unconditional love. Then treat them the same."
  • "We don’t make pet food, we make food for pets"
  • "Give them a “mouse-full”"
  • "Read the ingredients, would you eat that?"
  • "Does your pet deserve any less?"
  • "Where else do you get unconditional love?"
  • "Who is always happy to see you?"
  • "Who never complains about their day?"
  • "Give back to your pets the unconditional love that they give you."
  • "I put unconditional love into my food, my products, my patients, my practice."
  • "These blessed creatures are giving you unconditional love. Feeding them healthy, pure organic food is not much to ask in return."
  • "Let an animal in your heart and experience unconditional love."
  • "Unconditional love is when you love with all that you have."
  • "Unconditional love is giving without taking."
  • "Unconditional love is above all the gift of one’s self."
  • "Unconditional love is above all the gift of life."
  • "Unconditional love is the deepest essence of life."
  • "Unconditional love is always available for the asking."
  • "There is nothing more exhilarating than animal love."
  • "We all need to ask ourselves, “What are we giving to the world?”"
  • "Pursue your passion. I did."
  • "I make pet food the way Mother Nature intended."
  • "You were told your whole life not to feed your pet off the table. That turned out to be a lie to help sell pet food."

- Doc -