pune cases of poisoning of dogs and cats are frequently seen in practice many substances in the environment in which animals are kept are potentially toxic a poison or toxin can be defined as a substance which can destroy life or harm health some circumstantial evidence is needed before the possibility of poison can be considered materials or samples like vomit faeces and urine should be collected for laboratory analysis at the earliest for example paraguat is a poison which can be eliminated from the body very rapidly although it is prolonged by symptoms and death often follows poisons produce symptoms depending on their mode and site of action there are a number of poisonous substances amongst them are domestic poisons fumes can be very dangerous products of the incomplete combustion of methane this could come from gasfired central heating boilers and the resulting carbonmonoxide production car exhaust fumes have proved fatal to caged birds overheated fat produces acrolein which can produce respiratory symptoms collapse and death in cats and dogs unable to escape from the kitchen when a pan of fat has caught fire ethylene glycol used as antifreeze in a cars radiator can be poisonous its sweet taste has proved attractive to dogs having access to water drained from cars initially there is depression vomiting and weakness subsequently there is haematuria blood in the urine or lack of urine production as crystals are deposited in the kidneys death may occur treatment within four hours may be successful ethanol and soldium bicarbonate should be injected every six hours for two to three days convulsions may be controlled with pentobaribitone and further absorption prevented with charcoal by mouth lead is a common poison for dogs and includes red lead the primer for metal prior to painting putty linoleum metallic lead objects and old flaking paints modern paint is leadfree all of which may be chewed the symptoms are variable nervous signs include excitement or depression convulsions paralysis or blindness older dogs may show abdominal pain loss of appetite and vomiting fits are sometimes caused treatment is specifically available to combat lead using sodium calcium edetate administered intravenously in a solution of saline or dextrose convulsions can be controlled by using pento barbitone swans are also poisoned by lead when they pick up lead shot used by anglers to make their fishing lines sink phenolic compounds contained in the rubber from which some toys are made have caused poisoning in cats symptoms are ataxia the inability to stand hyperaesthesia and photophobia inability to stand light drugs the general public often does not appreciate the difference between man and animal hence aspirin and particularly paracetamol considered to be very safe in humans if administered to dogs and cats at human dosages can sometimes prove fatal aspirin can cause gastric ulceration paracetamol produces methemoglobinemia a chemical combination with heamoglobin in red blood cells reducing the oxygen carrying capacity which in turn causes the gums to become a muddy brown colour there is also