Nicotine Toxins in Dogs
Whether getting into a batch of chewing tobacco or accidentally ingesting some cigarette butts casually found on the ground, the harmful effects of nicotine may affect dogs as well. Indeed, nicotine toxicity is a condition not unheard of in veterinary medicine, and one that can lead to serious illness and even death.
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Identification
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Nicotine derives from the tobacco plant. Nicotine is a poison derived from the tobacco plant. It is an alkaloid substance commonly found in a variety of products such as cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, nicotine and nicotine patches.
Toxicity
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The toxic dose of nicotine in dogs is 1/2 to one milligram of nicotine per pound of body weight. The lethal dose is four milligrams per pound of body weight, according to VeterinaryPartner.com.
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Considerations
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A cigarette may be enough to cause serious illness in your dog. A cigarette generally contains nine to 30 mg of nicotine, while a cigarette butt may contain as much as 25 percent of the nicotine contained in the original cigarette. A 40-pound dogs would therefore get very sick from eating one cigarette, and may die if it ingests about 11, according to Wendy C. Brooks, DVM.
Symptoms
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Symptoms suggesting nicotine toxicity can present as early as an hour following ingestion and are as follows: tremors, weakness, lack of coordination, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, hallucinations, trouble breathing, seizures, collapse and even death.
Treatment
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Supportive care is given after emptying the stomach. Initial treatment for nicotine poisoning consists of inducing vomiting or performing a gastric lavage followed by the administration of activated charcoal and fluids. Supportive care is given as needed to control seizures and help breathing.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit puppy image by Waseem Ghattas from Fotolia.com tobacco field image by OMKAR A.V from Fotolia.com Tobacco image by irfan intekhab from Fotolia.com dog image by Michal Tudek from Fotolia.com
