Forum Animal Health, makers of Apometic, an emetic for dogs, has launched a campaign to raise awareness among vets about the dangers of human foods to dogs, particularly over the festive period.

According to the PDSA, almost half a million dog owners are still giving them chocolate treats intended for human consumption¹ despite the fact that 85%² of consumers know chocolate is poisonous to dogs,.

Chocolate is, of course, not the only human food that is dangerous to dogs. Other treats such as mince pies and Christmas cake (containing raisins or sultanas), as well as food containing onions and leeks, plus sweeteners and human medication, are all potentially lethal if not treated as soon as possible.

The company is also stressing the importance of dog owners presenting their pets at the vets as soon as possible after eating something potentially harmful. Tim Gooders, UK Companion Animal Product Manager at Forum Animal Health said: “During the festive season clients often don’t recognise what is poisonous and don’t know what to do if there is a problem. Their instinctive response is to wait and see, however, animals need to be treated quickly before they have metabolised what they have eaten.” He added that Apometic is most effective if the animal is presented early, pre poisoning.

In order to help raise awareness and alert owners about the importance of acting promptly, the company has created a range of posters which can also be downloaded and printed out from its website.

References

1. Forum Animal Health data on file

2. PDSA PAW report 2013 press release April 2014

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