Playful, curious puppies get into everything, and no matter how well you think you may have hidden the d-Con container, your puppy might find it and eat it. Knowing what to do if that happens — and doing it quickly — may save your puppy's life.
Signs That Your Puppy May Have Eaten d-Con
If you don't catch your puppy in the act of eating the d-Con or find the chewed up d-Con box, it may take 12-24 hours for symptoms to appear. Watch for blood in the stool, bleeding gums, or bleeding from the eyes. Unfortunately, by the time these symptoms appear, it might be too late to save your pet, so if you even suspect your pet might have eaten d-Con, call your vet.
Steps to Save Your Puppy from d-Con Poisoning
Three main things are recommended to treat puppies for d-Con poisoning.
- First, as soon as you discover that your puppy has eaten d-Con, call your vet. S/he will probably tell you to induce vomiting, but it is always best to get expert advice.
- If your vet tells you to induce vomiting (or if you are positive that your puppy has eaten d-Con and not some other chemical or poison), you need to get your puppy to vomit up the d-Con. You can do this by forcing the puppy to drink hydrogen peroxide. This probably will not be easy to do: hydrogen peroxide does not taste good and will make your puppy feel sick, so get help doing this if you can. Pour the hydrogen peroxide into the puppy's mouth, and hold the mouth closed to force the puppy to swallow, if you need to. Keep doing this until the puppy begins to vomit. Repeat, if needed, to get the puppy to vomit up the entire contents of its stomach.
- Once the puppy has vomited up everything in its stomach, get the puppy to the vet to get it started on a vitamin K treatment and to be checked over. The vet can assess the damage and possibly recommend other treatments. After the initial vitamin K injections administered by the vet, you may need to continue a vitamin K treatment for 30 days. Your vet will instruct you on the course of treatment needed; continue the treatment for as long as the vet recommends to be sure you repair damage that may occur over time.
Successful Recovery
Unfortunately, even if you act quickly, get your puppy to vomit, and get it started on vitamin K treatments, there is no guarantee that your puppy will survive. How much d-Con was eaten, the size and weight of your puppy, and your puppy's overall health will all affect its chances of recovery.
For More Information
If you have questions, your best source of information is your vet. You will also find a toll-free number on the d-Con box that will connect you to someone specially trained to assist with accidental pet poisonings.
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