ATLANTA — One of our viewers, James, says his dog chewed up the ash from some spent sparklers and died last week.
He says the dog could not walk and was acting oddly. He says the dog also began vomiting, so he took her to the vet.
The veterinarian ran tests and contacted a poison control center. The tests indicated there was a chemical in the sparklers that was causing the problems the dog was having.
After an attempt to pump the dog's stomach, the dog passed away from the toxins.
Sadly, this an all-too-common problem during the Independence Day holiday.
According to veterinary experts, a number of heavy metals are present in both spent and unspent fireworks and can cause significant toxicity problems for pets when they ingest them.
Dr. Charlotte Means, director of toxicology for the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center says that if a dog ingests gunpowder from guns and/or fireworks, they can become ill.
"In most cases, we see vomiting and diarrhea," Means said.
The potassium nitrate in gunpowder is what causes these abdominal issues.
The PetPoisonHelpline says that some fireworks include various types of heavy metals in order to produce the various colors we see, and while we may find them great to look at, they are not healthy for dogs.
The level of toxicity is generally mild to moderate, depending on how much is taken in.
When ingested, pets may develop gastrointestinal issues like vomiting, a painful abdomen and bloody diarrhea. The severity of the distress will depend on the type and amount of fireworks ingested.
Common signs to look out for include vomiting, abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, tremors, seizures, shallow breathing, jaundice and acute kidney failure. Also, exposure to lit fireworks can cause burns to the nose, face, lips or inside of the mouth, as well as eye irritation.
Many pets suffer anxiety from the loud noise of the fireworks and may be frightened to the point that they run off entirely. The ASPCA encourages owners to keep their pets safely leashed and to always have them with a tagged collar and a microchip in case they do run off.
Means suggests that in the days following the 4th of July, that you wipe your pet's paws down with a baby wipe or a wet rag following walking them in an area where fireworks have been set off, in order to remove any traces of potential gunpowder.
If you suspect your pet has ingested any fireworks, call your veterinarian immediately. The PetPoisonHelpline and ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center both have 24/7 emergency hotline phone numbers:
- PetPoisonHelpline: 855-764-7661
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: 888-426-4435
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