How To Tell If Your Dog Has Food Poisoning

How To Tell If Your Dog Has Food Poisoning

Generally, when dogs experience illness or upset stomach, it’s usually because they have food poisoning. This is very common for dogs, and usually, it’s a result of them eating things they should not, like raw meat or fish, or moldy cheese that have bacteria such as E.coli, staphylococcus, and salmonella.

This condition is not usually lethal, and most dogs recover from food poisoning relatively quickly once they have the proper care. Here’s how you can tell if your dog is suffering from food poisoning and what you should do as a parent.

Signs of food poisoning

It doesn’t take long after eating contaminated food for your dog to exhibit signs and symptoms of food poisoning. Of course, this depends on the amount of food eaten, and the type of bad bacteria consumed.

The most telltale signs and symptoms include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Dehydration or extreme thirst
  • Excessive peeing
  • Excessive salivation and panting
  • Dizziness and poor coordination
  • Upset stomach and cramps
  • Hyperactivity

The most severe symptoms include:

  • Rapid heartbeat and heart palpitations
  • Tremors
  • Seizures

What You Should Do

The first thing you should do if you suspect your dog has eaten something bad is to contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center emergency services at (888) 426-4435. They are available all through the year, 24 hours a day. They will give you on-the-spot advice and will likely give you at-home treatment advice. If the symptoms are severe, you will be put in touch with the nearest available animal hospital.

Your next move is to call your regular vet to let him/her know what’s going on.

Preventing animal poisoning

Though common, there are ways you can prevent your dog from having to go through this painful and difficult experience. For instance, you should keep your trash cans and waste bins covered so they can’t access old or tossed food. Even then, you should never leave your dog unsupervised for too long.

Ensure you check your dog’s food for the expiry date, and check the news for pet food recalls. Wash your hands after handling raw meat and eggs, and toss old food out of your fridge. This way, you can keep everyone safe.

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