People often discuss how things such as chocolate can poison dogs; however, many people are not aware that dogs can also be poisoned by items that have zinc in them. Here is what you need to understand about the risk of zinc to your dog.
What Zinc Can Do To Your Dog
When your dog is exposed to zinc, there are a variety of consequences that your dog can experience. Your dog can experience both short and long term consequences. In the short term, there are numerous consequences that come with being exposed to zinc.
To start with, after being exposed to zinc, your dog may start to salivate and foam at the mouth and your dog's gums may also get pale as well. Your dog may not be interested in eating anything either. Your dog may not have the same energy that they usually have and may not even be able to get up or move at all. Your dog may also start to vomiting or experience diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration in the long-term. Even more seriously, your dog could experience a coma or seizure.
In the long term, your dog could suffer from damage to both their circulatory systems and digestive system as well.
What Items Contain Zinc
You can prevent your dog from experiencing zinc poisoning simply by making sure that your dog does not chew on, eat, or try to consume any items that are made out of zinc or contain zinc. There are numerous household items that contain zinc, such as pennies, batteries, metal toys, die-cast toys, dermatology creams, cosmetics, and ointments. Make sure that you keep all of these items away from your dog.
If you ever notice your dog chewing on any of the items listed above, you need to take these items away from the dog right away. Then you need to take your dog over to your vet. Your vet can run a blood test on your dog to confirm if your dog has zinc poisoning and take appropriate action.
If your dog swallowed whole an item that contains zinc, such as a penny or a battery, your vet may try to get your dog to vomit it out or may try to remove the item through surgery. In order to get the zinc out of your dog's system, they may need to get blood and fluids as well through an intravenous drip.
You can protect your dog from zinc poisoning by keeping all toys and cosmetic items off your floor where your dog can easily access them and by providing your dog with appropriate toys to play with. For more information, contact a veterinary clinic like Stewartstown Vet Services.
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