Warnings & Health Tips

If you own a Boxer, you know how curious our Boxers can get.
Keep the Animal Poison Control Center number handy:

It is handled out of the University of Illinois Vet School
through the ASPCA. The web site is:

"The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is a unique, emergency hotline
providing 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week telephone assistance
to veterinarians and animal owners.
The Center's hotline veterinarians can quickly answer questions about toxic substances
found in our everyday surroundings that can be dangerous to animals.
There is a $50 consultation fee paid by the animal owner, veterinarian or product manufacturer."

1. ACEPROMAZINE

Boxer owners should avoid the use of the drug Acepromazine for their boxers, especially if the dog will be unattended and/or unable to receive emergency medical care if it is needed. It is also a drug commonly used in anesthetic protocols and it should not be used in the Boxers.

This drug is the most commonly prescribed tranquilizer by veterinarians either for air or car travel. This drug is a tranquilizer, often used as a pre-anesthetic agent.

In the Boxer, it may cause a problem called first-degree heart block, a potentially serious arrhythmia of the heart. It may also cause a profound hypo tension (severe lowering of the blood pressure) on the Boxers.

“Recently, on the Veterinary Information Network, a computer network for practicing veterinarians, an announcement was placed in the cardiology section entitled "Acepromazine and Boxers." This described several adverse reactions to the drug in a very short time span at a veterinary teaching hospital. All the adverse reactions were in Boxers. The reactions included collapse, respiratory arrest, and profound bradycardia (slow heart rate, less than 60 beats per minute). The announcement suggested that Acepromazine should not be used in dogs of the Boxer breed because of a breed related sensitivity to the drug.” (Wendy Wallner, DVM, July, 1997)

Christa Cook states:

“ If your vet needs more than your word that you do NOT want your dog treated with this drug, tell your vet to get out their "Handbook of Veterinary Drugs". Every vet has one. Tell them to go to the section on ACEPROMAZINE. In this section (1993ed) there is this section:

"Prolonged effects of the drug may be seen in older animals. Giant breeds, as well as greyhounds, appear quite sensitive to the clinical effects of the drug, yet terrier breeds appear more resistant. Boxer dogs, on the other hand, are predisposed to hypotensive and bradycardic effects of the drug."

Discuss this with your vet now, if you have not done so. Do not wait for an emergency situation to occur because you may forget then. Some vets are still unaware of the very possible fatal effects of the use of Acepromazine in Boxers.”

When opening a new file at your veterinarian, you should always ask that a warning be posted in the file of your dog for Allergic reaction to Acepromazine. Better be safe than sorry.

                                    2. Holiday Decorations or other foreign small objects
                                                                                         &
                                                                       Cotton Ball Remedy

“What do you do if your puppy (or mischievous older dog) gets into your holiday decorations and eats some of the glass ornaments? This potentially lethal mishap can darken even the brightest holiday season.

1) Go to a pharmacy and buy a box of cotton balls. Be sure that you get COTTON balls...not the cosmetic puffs that are made from man-made fibers.

Defrost the half-and-half and pour some in a bowl. Dip cotton balls into the cream and feed them to your dog. Dogs under 10 lbs should eat 2 balls which you have first torn into smaller pieces. Dogs 10-50 lbs should eat 3-5 balls and larger dogs should eat 5-7. You may feed larger dogs an entire cotton ball at once. Dogs seem to really like these strange treats and eat them readily.

As the cotton works its way through the digestive tract it will find all the glass pieces and wrap itself around them. Even the teeniest shards of glass will be caught and wrapped in the cotton fibers and the cotton will protect the intestines from damage by the glass. Your dog’s stools will be really weird for a few days and you will have to be careful to check for fresh blood or a tarry appearance to the stool. If either of the latter symptoms appears, you should rush your dog to the vet for a checkup but, in most cases, the dogs will be just fine.

I can personally vouch for the cotton ball treatment. While I was at the vet waiting for him to return from lunch a terrified woman ran in with a litter of puppies who had demolished a wooden crate along with large open staples. The young vet had taken x-rays, which did show each of the puppies had swallowed several open staples. He was preparing them for surgery when my wonderful vet came in and said no surgery. I watched him wet several cotton balls, squeeze out the water and pop them down their throats. Within 24 hours every staple was accounted for.

This was a lesson I learned in the mid-1960s and have had to use several times on my brats. I wet the cotton balls and smear on some liverwurst and they bolt it down and ask for more. The cotton always comes out with the object safely embedded. ”

3. Chocolate Poisoning

Most dogs enjoy the taste of chocolate, but ingestion can be dangerous. Chocolate contains methylxanthines (caffeine and theobromine), which is toxic to dogs, and the effects can be lethal.

Ø 3 ounces of baking chocolate or baking cocoa could be fatal to a 25-pound dog.

Ø ½ pound of semisweet or 1 ½ pound of milk chocolate would bring a seriously toxic level in a 25-pound dog.

Signs of toxicity usually occur within hours after ingestion of chocolate. They are: vomiting, hyper excitability, frequent urination, muscle tremors, diarrhea, weakness, rapid breathing, increased heartbeat, seizure and coma.

The only treatment for chocolate toxicity is to induce vomiting (see at the bottom of the page) as soon as possible. Call your veterinarian and try to find out the amount and type of chocolate ingested by the dog.

4. Grapes & Raisins Toxicity

Another thing that most dogs enjoy is fruits, like apples, bananas, even oranges. These fruits are a good treat to give to dogs, especially if you have to avoid cookies for weight management reasons.

Unfortunately, dogs also love grapes and raisins, but their ingestion is deadly. They are toxic to dogs, and the effects can be lethal. On small breeds of dogs, as less as 2 grapes or raisins can kill them and on larger breeds it can take only 7 to produce the same results.

What is even more dangerous for dogs is that raisins and grapes are often given to children as snacks, and these little ones are either eager to share their snack with their best friends or start to play and leave the little boxes of raisins on the floor or the grapes to the reach of the dogs. And what about the leftovers of Turkey or geese stuffing in which there is raisins? Same deadly results.

We heard about this a few years ago, and it slipped out of our mind when we first built this page, even if no grapes or raisins have been given to our dogs since we heard about a small breed dog dying after eating raisins. We did not knew exactly which organ the raisins or grapes were affecting. Now we know because lately we received the same message from at least 5 persons. Grapes or raisins cause acute renal failure. If you are still skeptical, we are sure that it will change after reading the above mentioned message:

"This is a relatively new finding, and veterinarians are not certain yet as to exactly what the process/chemistry is that is causing the problem. Please read below and pass on to others with dogs:

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56 pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix who ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM. I had heard somewhere about raisins and grapes causing acute renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately. In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me---had heard something about it, but....Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give I V fluids at 1 1/2 times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours. The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an I V catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids. At this point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care. He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given Lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220! . He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize."

Thanks to the persons who shared this sad story with us. Please share this information with friends and family to avoid the lost of any dog, Boxer or other.

5. Onions

A small amount of onions ingested by dogs is not harmful. But consumption of large amount can be highly toxic. The toxin in onions is called n-propyl disulfide. It does affect the red blood cells, by the formation of Heinz bodies, which ultimately leads to a form of hemolytic anemia, which can be fatal.

Diarrhea, vomiting, depression, elevated temperature and production of a dark-colored urine. The two first symptoms may be immediate but the remaining signs may take 1 to 4 days before appearing.

6. Antifreeze Poisoning

Most dogs enjoy the taste of sweet. Antifreeze has a sweet taste and smell, and is very appealing for dogs. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol.

Depending on the dose ingested by the dog, the following signs may occur between half an hour to 12 hours later: Depression, vomiting, uncoordinated gait (Like a drunk) and seizure. Still depending on the amount ingested by the dog, coma and death may occur in a matter of hours. If the dog had an acute intoxication he can develop kidney failure within one to three days. If treated at an early stage, may not cause fatal kidney damage.

If you suspect that your dog has lapped even a small amount of antifreeze, immediately induce vomiting (see at the bottom of the page) and rush him to your veterinarian. If the clinic where you intend to take your dog is located at a certain distance and that because of that the treatment will be delayed, administer activated charcoal (see at the bottom of the page) to prevent further absorption of the antifreeze.

4-Methylpyrazole is an antidote available to treat poisoning, but should be given shortly after ingestion to be more effective.

Ø Keep all the containers of antifreeze stored out of reach of your dog and make sure that they are tightly closed.

Ø Be careful of where you walk your dog, avoiding stains or puddles of antifreeze in parking lots. If your dogs walk in it by accident, make sure that you wash thoroughly their feet before he/she has a chance to lick it.

Ø You can use a new antifreeze on the market that contains propylene glycol instead of ethylene glycol, which is safer for your dog.

7. Rodent Poisons & Poison Baits

There is many type of rodent poisons or poison baits: Hypercalcemic agents, anticoagulants, strychnine, sodium fluoroacetate, metaldehyde, phosphorus, zinc phosphide, etc.

Before going to the veterinarian with your dog, try to quickly find the original package containing the rodent poison or poison baits. You will need to be able to identify the type of poison ingested by your dog for your vet to be able to provide the appropriate treatment. Different types of these poisons require different veterinary treatment.

Ø In case of poisoning by products containing phosphorus, do not give milk or egg white because instead of preventing the further absorption of the product, it would promote it.

                                                  8.   Household products (corrosive or caustic)
                                                                                &
                                                               Petroleum products

Household products such as household cleaners, alkaline batteries, toilet bowl cleaners, dishwasher detergents, drain declogger, commercial solvents, anti-rust compounds, etc.

Corrosive or caustic household products may cause burns of the mouth and when ingested burns to the oesophagus and stomach while the ingestion of petroleum products can cause pneumonia either by aspiration or inhalation. Severe case of household products ingestion may result in perforation of the stomach while a severe case of exposure to petroleum products may result in death by respiratory failure.

Ø Rinse the mouth of the dog immediately and rush him/her to the nearest veterinary clinic.

Ø If you can’t get quickly to a veterinary clinic, give him/her water or milk, 30 ml per 6 pounds of body weight, with a plastic seringe to dilute the product ingested. Then proceed to the nearest veterinary clinic.

Ø If possible bring the container of the product ingested by your dog to the veterinarian to expedite the treatment of your dog.

All household and petroleum products should be stored in a secure place, inaccessible to dogs.

Aspirin, ibuprofen such as Advil, acetaminophen such as Tylenol, antihistamines, sleeping pills, diet pills, heart and blood pressure pills, etc.

Ø Call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for further assistance. Specific antidote may be available depending on the drug ingested.

Ø Before using a human drug for your dog, consult your veterinarian to find out if it is a drug safe for dogs and the dosage recommended.

Many plants and shrubs can be harmful to your dog. Some cause skin reaction while others cause mouth swelling, respiratory problems, gastrointestinal problems or difficulty swallowing. Some others cause vomiting, abdominal cramps, tremors, heart, respiratory or kidney problems. Some can even cause hallucinations or convultions.

Amaryllis

Arrowhead Vine

Azalea

Bird-of-Paradise

Caladium

Chrysanthemum

Creeping Charlie

Crown of Thorns

Devil’s lily (Pothos)

Dieffenbachia (Dumb cane)

Elephant’s Ear

Emerald Duke

Fern (Asparagus fern, Sprangeri fern)

Fig (Creeping fig, Weeping fig)

Ivies (Boston Ivy, Parlor Ivy, Ripple Ivy

or Nephthytis Ivy)

Jac- in-the-Pulpit

Jerusalem cherry

Lily (Calla lily, Peace lily)

MajestyMalanga

Marble Queen

Mother-in-Law Plant

Mum (Pot mum or Spider mum)

Nightshade

Philodendron (Heart leaf, Saddle leaf or

split leaf)

Poinsettia

Red Princess

Tuberous Begonia

Umbrella Plant

Angel’s trumpet

Bean (Castor Bean, Mescal Bean)

Buttercup

China Berry

Coriaria

Daffodil

Delphinium

Dologeton

Dutchman’s Breeches

Foxglove

Ground Cherry

Hemlock (Poison Hemlock, Water

Hemlock)

Indiam Tobacco

Indian Turnip

Jasmine

Jimsonweed

Larkspur Woody

Locoweed

Lupine

May Apple

Moon weed

Morning Glory

Mushrooms

Nightshades

Marijuana

Nutmeg

Nux vomica

Periwinkle

Peyote

Pigweed

Poke weed

Poppies

Rhubarb

Spinach

Skunk Cabbage

Soapberry

Sunburned Potatoes

Vine (Matrimony vine, Tomato vine)

Wisteria

Apricot

Almond

Azalea (Rhododendron)

Balsam Pear

Bird-of-Paradise Bush

Buckeye

Cherry & Wild Cherry

English Holly

Horse Chestnut

Japanese Plum

Mock Orange

Monkey Pod

Peach

Privet

Rain Tree

Yew (American Yew, English Yew, Western

Black Locust Yew)

Ø If you suspect that your dog ingested some of the above-mentioned plants, induce vomiting.

Ø Call your veterinarian or an emergency clinic for further assistance. Specific antidote may be available depending on the plant ingested.

Ø Determine which plants are toxic in your home and either dispose of them or place them out of reach of your dog;

Ø Before planning your garden consult the list of hazardous plants for your dog and avoid purchasing them or planting them where your dog will be exercise or have access.

Ø If you already have some of the above-mentioned plants in your garden, either dispose of them or relocate them in a safer location for your dog.

11. Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is an emergency situation that requires your immediate attention otherwise it is deadly.

Ø Dogs with short muzzle such as the Boxer, Bulldog, Pug or Pekinese have more tendency to suffer from heat stroke because of their physiology.

In mild case of heat stroke (rectal temperature around 103 degrees Fahrenheit): Move the dog in an air-conditioned area and take the temperature every 5 to 10 minutes.

If the rectal temperature of the dog is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or above: Cool the dog rapidly by hosing him/her down with a garden hose or immersing him/her in a tub of cold water for up to 2 minutes even before rushing him/her to your veterinarian. Then, the wet dog can be placed in front of an electric fan. Monitor the rectal temperature closely as you do not want the body temperature to drop too fast. Continue the cooling process till the body temperature reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit. Then towel dry the dog. Over cooling the dog may induce hypothermia and shock.

Take your dog to your veterinarian or an emergency center even if you succeeded to lower his/her body temperature as he may require more care that you cannot provide.

Ø Never leave your dog in the car, even for just a few minutes, and even if your car is parked in the shade.

Ø During the summer, when the level of humidity is high as well as the heat, keep your dog inside; if they need to go outside, leave them out only for a short period of time. Restrict their exercise or do it at night time, when the temperature drop. Make sure that when your dog is outside, he/she has plenty of shade and cool water.

Ø Dogs with breathing problems should be kept inside as much as you can during the hot summer days.

12. Bloat

The Boxer being a large-breed dog and having a deep chest is predisposed to bloat. It is a life-threatening situation. Contact your veterinarian or an emergency center at the first signs and follow their instructions. The sooner you react, the better chance your dog has to survive.

The first being the gastric dilatation and the second is volvulus or gastric torsion. Bloat can be identify by the following signs:

The abdominal area of your dog looks like it is blowing up rapidly, as if air would be blown down his throat and has no place to escape and gets all in his/her abdomen. The skin is stretch to its maximum and the dog becomes very restless. Breathing is heavy and the dog may even cry in pain. Pacing, salivation and the dog attempting to vomit but unsuccessfully can be other signs accompanying the above-mentioned ones.

                                                               13. Inducing Vomiting
                                                                                         &
                                                            Administration of Activated charcoal

Ø The dog has swallowed an acid, alkali, cleaning solution, household chemical or petroleum product;

Ø The dog has swallowed a sharp object that could lodge in the oesophagus or perforate the stomach;

IN CASE OF DOUBT call the National Animal Poison Control Center at 1-800-548-2423
or 1-888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435)

Give 1 teaspoon of 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide per 10 pounds of body weight.

Once the poison has been vomit, you should give the activated charcoal to bind the remaining of the poison in your dog’s stomach and therefore preventing any further absorption of the poison.

Give one 5-gram tablet of compressed activated charcoal per 10 pounds of body weight.

If charcoal is not available, coat the intestine with the following mixture of egg white and milk: ¼ cup of egg white mixed with ¼ cup of milk per 10 pounds of body weight. The best way to administer the mixture is with a plastic seringe from the side of the mouth of the dog (behind the canine).

Even if you did all of the above, intensive care provided at your veterinary clinic or emergency veterinary hospital will improve greatly the survival chances of your dog if he/she was poisoned.

The support of the circulation, the treatment of shock and the protection of the kidney can only be achieved by intravenous fluids. Your dog may also need anti-inflammatory. If in coma, tracheal intubation or artificial ventilation may be the determined factor between life and death.

A report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has just shown a link between the sugar substitute Xylitol, and illnesses in dogs. In fact, it is so bad, possibly causing acute liver failure that out of eight dogs found to have ingested xylitol, 5 died or had to be euthanized.

Xylitol is a commonly used sweetner used in sugar-free gums, nicotine gums, candies, toothpaste and even baked goods. So keep an eye on the ingredients when feeding your dog human treats.

Xylitol can kill dogs that eat it, and the frequency of cases seems to be growing. Animal poison specialists alerted veterinarians and pet owners Saturday that cases of accidental dog poisonings are apt to be more frequent as xylitol is added to more and more human products.

A dog that consumes as little as a few sticks of chewing gum sweetened with xylitol should be taken to a veterinarian immediately, said Eric Dunayer and Sharon Gwaltney-Brant in an article in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. The two specialists at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' poison control center in Urbana, Ill., say they had three cases of xylitol poisoning in 2003, followed in 2004 by 82 cases, 193 cases last year and, during the first half of this year, 140 cases.

Few veterinarians elsewhere appeared to know about the dangers of xylitol � or had not encountered cases in which dogs had been eaten it. Dogs that consume the product can exhibit symptoms of depression and "drunk walking." They can eventually collapse and go into seizures.

"Clinicians should treat xylitol ingestion aggressively to avoid possible life-threatening consequences," wrote Dunayer and Gwaltney-Brant in the veterinary medicine journal. "Delaying treatment, even in a dog with no clinical signs, may increase the risk of fatal hepatic necrosis (liver damage)."

References

For more details on the subjects above-mentioned, first aid procedures, CPR and all other kind of emergencies, consult:

Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook by James M. Giffin, MD & Liisa D. Carlson, DVM, Howell Book House.

The Dog, Its Behavior, Nutrition & Health by Linda P. Case, Iowa State University Press/Ames.

"Far more than by his bark a dog communicates through his eyes
-- from a soulful half raised eyebrow
when denied a special treat
to the wide and sparkling "Yippee! We're going for a walk !"

1. Acepromazine

2. Holiday decorations or other foreign small objects & Cotton Ball Remedy

3. Chocolate Poisoning

4. Grapes & Raisins Toxicity

References

1. ACEPROMAZINE

2. Holiday Decorations or other foreign small objects
                                                                                         &
                                                                       Cotton Ball Remedy

3. Chocolate Poisoning

4. Grapes & Raisins Toxicity

5. Onions

6. Antifreeze Poisoning

7. Rodent Poisons & Poison Baits

8.   Household products (corrosive or caustic)
                                                                                &
                                                               Petroleum products

11. Heat Stroke

12. Bloat

13. Inducing Vomiting
                                                                                         &
                                                            Administration of Activated charcoal

References

1. Acepromazine

2. Holiday decorations or other foreign small objects & Cotton Ball Remedy

3. Chocolate Poisoning

4. Grapes & Raisins Toxicity

References

1. ACEPROMAZINE

2. Holiday Decorations or other foreign small objects & Cotton Ball Remedy

3. Chocolate Poisoning

4. Grapes & Raisins Toxicity

5. Onions

6. Antifreeze Poisoning

7. Rodent Poisons & Poison Baits

8. Household products (corrosive or caustic) & Petroleum products

11. Heat Stroke

12. Bloat

13. Inducing Vomiting & Administration of Activated charcoal

References

2. Holiday Decorations or other foreign small objects
&
Cotton Ball Remedy

8. Household products (corrosive or caustic)
&
Petroleum products

13. Inducing Vomiting
&
Administration of Activated charcoal