Saved by the Animal Poison Control Center

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is a 24 x 7 x 365 phone hotline (888-426-4435) staffed by veterinary toxicologists to answer animal poisoning questions. The Animal Poison Control Center is a fee-for-service hotline that costs $60 for a phone consultation and unlimited follow-up calls from you or your veterinarian.

This morning, the Animal Poison Control Center saved our dog Nixon.

Nixon On a Non-Poisoned Day this Winter

Family and shop dog Nixon thought it would be funny to steal a plastic prescription bottle when we weren't looking. We were not yet caffeinated. Before we became fully aware of her mischief, Nixon had chewed off the safety cap and downed the rest of the pills.

To put it mildly, we totally freaked out! OK, well, um, maybe it was just me hyperventilating. Nixon is a Lab, nothing freaks her except for the garbage man. Kim is a former veterinary technician and had a game plan.

We immediately called our vet who advised us to call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. The toxicologist told us that the medicine that Nixon ingested was not fatal. We needed to induce vomiting as quickly as possible to get it out. If we couldn't induce quickly - off to the emergency vet clinic we would go. The toxicologist taught us how to induce vomiting in our dog using hydrogen peroxide. Nixon took a long time to vomit - far longer than the instructions said to expect. In fact, we were about 2 blocks from the emergency animal hospital when she finally threw up in our car.

I have never been so happy to clean up dog vomit in my life!

It is now about six hours post-poisoning and Nixon is doing fine. She's a bit lethargic, but no more than expected after being made to drink peroxide and run around in the front yard (to speed up the vomiting).

Thanks to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435), for providing a lifesaving service for pet owners.