Luckily the majority of animals that are sprayed will be fine except for having a potent smell for days to over a week. After being sprayed most pets will act as if they are blinded and will have increased tear production and often a generalized red color to the eyes. Often you will see your pet pawing at its face and nose.
Common Pet Dangers
PODCAST: Mushroom Toxicity
Mushroom Toxicity! The ground is soggy, and mushrooms are growing wild! Are They toxic? What should you do if your pet eats a mushroom? Tune into Dr. Tripp Stewart for all the answers!
Tremorgenic Mycotoxin Toxicity: The Moldy Shakes
The compost pile, a seemingly innocuous feature of your outside garden, can seem like a great idea, for a variety of reasons. Unfortunately, this kind of eco-friendly heap of decomposing organic matter can also look like a free meal to your dog. As food in a compost pile starts to decay, a variety of molds can grow on it — molds that won’t always deter a dog from wanting to enjoy an outside feast. Many of these molds (at least 20 varieties are known to inhabit compost piles) produce mycotoxins that can have negative health effects. Ingesting even a small amount of mold can cause small muscle tremors and ataxia (which will cause your pet to look like he/she is drunk or having trouble walking) for a period of hours or days. A large amount of mold exposure can cause severe tremors, seizures and even death.
PODCAST: Tremorgenic Mycotoxins
Tremorgenic mycotoxins produced by molds on foods are a relatively common — and possibly under-diagnosed — cause of tremors and seizures in pet animals. Because of their relatively indiscriminate appetites, dogs tend to be most commonly exposed to tremorgens. These toxins are produced by a variety of fungi, but tremorgens produced by Penicillium spp. are the most commonly encountered. The molds grow on practically any food, including dairy products, grains, nuts and legumes, and compost piles may also provide a source of tremorgens. Tremorgens have a several different mechanisms of action: some alter nerve action potentials, some affect neurotransmitter action, and others change neurotransmitter levels. The overall result is the development of muscle tremors and seizures.
PODCAST: Canine Distemper — Make Sure Your Dog is Vaccinated!
Canine distemper is a very serious, contagious virus found in dogs that attacks the immune system, making them more susceptible to other infections, including bacterial and parasitic infections. Sneezing, coughing, pneumonia, anorexia, fever, vomiting and diarrhea are all potential signs of this disease.
PODCAST: Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus
In this installment of Vet Tips, Dr. Tripp Stewart discusses Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus in detail.
Nicotine Toxicity in Pets
It was not until the next morning when the owner was smoking, that she noticed several of her cigarette butts in the pile by her house were missing.
Maggots: A Nasty Problem in Pets
One of the least favorite times of year for most emergency staff is what we in the veterinary community like to refer to as “maggot season.” While most people only think of maggots growing in spoiled food or on things that are no longer alive, maggots can also be a problem in our live pets.
PODCAST: Pets and Snake Bites — Act Quickly!
During the warm-weather months, our slithery, venomous snake friends become more active. And snake bites are a very common problem in the summertime. Our pets are very curious creatures and tend to lead with their noses and their front limbs, so that’s where we see the most bites (on the face and front legs). These bites often cause extreme pain, swelling and bruising, and that’s typically what you as an owner will notice first, if you don’t happen to see the snake itself. You may also see puncture marks that may be bleeding or oozing.