If you have ever considered giving Tylenol or its generic equivalent (acetaminophen) to a sick or injured pet, take our advice: Don’t do it.
Dogs and cats are not little people in fur coats. Their physiology is significantly different from ours, such that our medicine cabinet staples can be poisonous to them.
Tylenol (also known as acetaminophen) is deadly to dogs and cats. Even one tablet is too much for a cat. Acetaminophen causes severe liver damage, as well as damage to oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
Signs of Tylenol poisoning include:
- vomiting
- breathing difficulty
- lethargy
- weakness
- drooling
- brown-colored gums
The second stage of poisoning includes:
- swelling of the face, lips and legs
- loss of coordination
- convulsions
- coma
If a pet survives stage 2, it will go into stage 3 and exhibit jaundice due to liver failure; belly pain and an altered mental state.
Tylenol poisoning must always be treated as an emergency.
Take your pet directly to the 24-hour emergency hospital (Blue Pearl Veterinary Emergency Hospital at 364 South Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach.) Pets that recover may need to be on medications and specialized diets to compensate for reduced liver function, for life.
In short, there is no acceptable case in which to give Tylenol or acetaminophen to your pet!
Resources:
http://petplace.com/dogs/acetaminophen-toxicity-in-dogs/page1.aspx
http://petplace.com/cats/acetaminophen-toxicity-in-cats/page1.aspx
Helpful Phone Numbers
Blue Pearl Veterinary Emergency Hospital…….…………757-499-5463
Pet Poison Helpline ($49 fee)…………………1-855-764-7661
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center ($65 fee)…………1-888-426-4435
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This post originally appeared on January 4, 2011.
