Epidemiological study (2006–2012) on the poisoning of small animals by human and veterinary drugs

Abstract

A retrospective study was conducted on the exposure of dogs and cats to drugs, reported to the Poison Control Centre of Milan (Centro Antiveleni di Milano (CAV)) between January 2006 and December 2012. Calls related to drugs for human use and veterinary drugs accounted for 23.7 per cent of total inquiries (1415) received by CAV and mostly involved dogs (70 per cent of enquiries). Exposure to drugs for human use accounted for 79 per cent of cases involving dogs, whereas veterinary drugs were the main culprit (77 per cent) in the case of cats. The most common class of drugs for human use proved to be CNS drugs (26.8 per cent), followed by NSAIDs (19.6 per cent) and cardiovascular and endocrine drugs (12.9 per cent each). The majority of calls (95.2 per cent) related to veterinary drugs involved dogs and cats exposed to parasiticides. The outcome was reported in only 58.2 per cent of cases, and fatal poisoning accounted for 8.7 per cent of these cases. Epidemiological data from this Italian survey provide useful information on animal exposure to drugs. The knowledge of agents involved in poisoning episodes can help veterinarians make the correct diagnosis and institute preventive measures to possibly reduce animal exposure to drugs.

Poisoning of dogs and cats by drugs intended for human use

“…Similar proportions have also been reported from Europe (Curti et al, 2009;Caloni et al, 2014). Central nervous system (CNS) drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most common causes of poisoning (Curti et al, 2009;Berny et al, 2010;Gwaltney-Brant, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014). The present review focuses on classes of drugs intended for human use most frequently involved in the poisoning of small animals and provides an overview of poisoning episodes reported in the literature.…”

“…Drugs intended for human use have accounted for~30% of reported pet poisoning in the USA McLean and Hansen, 2012;Mahdi and Van der Merwe, 2013). Similar proportions have also been reported from Europe (Curti et al, 2009;Caloni et al, 2014). Central nervous system (CNS) drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most common causes of poisoning (Curti et al, 2009;Berny et al, 2010;Gwaltney-Brant, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014).…”

“…The Veterinary Poison Information Service (VPIS) in London, United Kingdom, was most frequently contacted about ibuprofen above other drugs (Campbell and Chapman, 2000). Ibuprofen was the NSAID most frequently involved in pet poisoning recorded by the Poison Control Centre of Milan (CAV), in Italy (Caloni et al, 2014). Other NSAIDs that feature regularly in enquiries made to VPIS and CAV are diclofenac and naproxen (Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Caloni et al, 2014).…”

“…Ibuprofen was the NSAID most frequently involved in pet poisoning recorded by the Poison Control Centre of Milan (CAV), in Italy (Caloni et al, 2014). Other NSAIDs that feature regularly in enquiries made to VPIS and CAV are diclofenac and naproxen (Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Caloni et al, 2014). The NSAIDs most frequently involved in accidental pet poisoning are listed in Table 1.…”

“…Chemical structure References Acetyl salicylic acid Salycilates Jones et al, 1992;Giuliano Albo and Nebbia, 2004;Cope et al, 2006;Berny et al, 2010;Khan and McLean, 2012;Mahdi and Van der Merwe, 2013;Caloni et al, 2014 Diclofenac Phenylacetic acids Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Khan and McLean, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014 Ibuprofen Proprionic acids Spyridakis et al, 1986;Jones et al, 1992;Poortinga and Hungerford, 1998;Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Giuliano Albo and Nebbia, 2004;Cope et al, 2006;Monaghan and Sutton, 2008;Berny et al, 2010;Khan and McLean, 2012;Mahdi and Van der Merwe, 2013;Bolfer et al, 2014;Caloni et al, 2014 Indomethacin Indole acetic acids Jones et al, 1992;Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Khan and McLean, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014 Meloxicam Oxicams Khan and McLean, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014 Naproxen Proprionic acids Campbell and Chapman, 2000;Cope et al, 2006;Khan and McLean, 2012;Caloni et al, 2014Nimesulide Sulphonamides Borku et al, 2008Caloni et al, 2014 Table 2 Cases of paracetamol (acetaminophen) ingestion reported in dogs and cats. Schlesinger, 1995;Richardson, 2000;Mariani and Fulton, 2001;…”