NEWS RELEASE - March Is National Poison Control Month
North Shore Animal League America
Port Washington, NY 11050
Rubenstein Associates, Inc.
Contact: Martta Rose (212) 843-8020

Received 03-06-01

North Shore Animal League America and Prosar Team Up to Promote Awareness About Pets and Toxins

March 1, 2001 [Port Washington, NY] - March is National Poison Control Month and North Shore Animal League America and PROSAR International Animal Poison Center have teamed up to educate pet owners -- and veterinarians -- about what to do when pets ingest toxic substances or chemicals.

The Animal Poison Hotline (APH) sponsored by NSAL America and PROSAR is the nation's only private 24/7 call center staffed by veterinary and toxicology professionals. The toll-free number is 888-232-8870.

Dr. Lynn Hovda, director of veterinary toxicology at the Animal Poison Hotline, says that when it comes to animals ingesting poison, it's often a matter of minutes between life and death. "If you discover that your pet has ingested something toxic and you are not sure what to do, it is imperative that you call your veterinarian as soon as possible," she says. "Since experts at the Animal Poison Hotline are available around the clock, it's reassuring to know that help is only a phone call away at any time."

Linda Holt of Haymarket, VA, had a bit of a scare when she gave her 20-pound cat, Caesar, her dog's medication, Elavil, an anti-depressant, by accident. "Caesar had a urinary tract infection and I got the pills mixed up by accident," she says. "I immediately called my vet who suggested that I call the Animal Poison Hotline. APH took down my information and told me to take the cat to the vet. They called ahead to the vet, explained the problem and they were able to take Caesar right away." After having his stomach pumped, Caesar was fine. "I can't say enough about North Shore Animal League America and APH," Holt says. "My cat is alive because of this wonderful service they provide."

The service is trusted not only by pet owners but veterinarians as well, who have given it rave reviews. Dr. Mary Brown, a veterinarian at the Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, is very impressed with the service she received from APH. One of her clients had brought in a dog that had eaten prescription medicine, a very common cause of poisoning in animals. "The people who handled my call were very thorough in their assessment of the situation and had a number of experts on hand to answer my questions," she says.

The subject at hand was an 11-month-old, male Jack Russell Terrier that had ingested an unknown amount of the drug adderal, an anti-depressant that is used to treat children suffering from attention deficit disorder (ADD). "Adderal is an especially potent drug in that it is actually a combination of five anti-depressants," she says. "Being that the dog only weighed about 15 pounds, we had to act fast."

The terrier was experiencing neurological symptoms, was hyperactive and walking around in circles. There had also been some seizure activity. "I was told that the drug has a half-life of 10 to 30 hours, which means that with the unknown amount ingested, it could be another 10 hours before it started to wear off," she says.

The referring vet at the Animal Poison Hotline told Dr. Brown to immediately give the dog Valium, with plenty of fluids, and to start him on Phenobarbital for a few days. The next day, he was back to normal. "It was miraculous," Dr. Brown says. "As far as we can see, the dog appears to be perfectly fine and suffered little or no long-lasting effects. I would definitely recommend this service."

Other common toxins include automobile anti-freeze and sidewalk de-icers. Another vet, Dr. Franczesca Kondek of County Animal Hospital in Yonkers, NY, had been brought a 10-pound, 5-year-old Chihuahua that had ingested sidewalk de-icer containing calcium carbonate and/or other calcium salts, which are known gastrointestinal irritants. The dogs' owner reported that the animal had vomited five times in a two-hour period.

"We knew it was a calcium-based product although the owner was not sure if there were any other ingredients mixed into it," Dr. Kondek says. "The big danger here was gastrointestinal hemorrhaging, which lab testing proved negative." Based on the advice from APH, the dog was given fluids to rehydrate it and pulled through fine.

"The Animal Poison Hotline was extremely helpful and provided me with a case number to call if I had any further concerns," she says. "I would not hesitate to recommend this service to anyone, pet owner or veterinarian."

There is a $35 incident fee for this service.

North Shore Animal League America, located in Port Washington, NY, is the largest, no-kill pet adoption organization in the world. Founded in 1944, NSAL America is dedicated to finding the best possible home for each animal in its care. Its programs are supported entirely by voluntary contributions. To date, NSAL America has placed more than 800,000 formerly homeless dogs, cats, puppies and kittens into loving homes.

PROSAR provides health and safety information services to individuals and corporations. Located in St. Paul, MN, PROSAR offers a 24-hour Consumer Health and Safety Call Center to manage adverse exposure, medical incidents and general health and safety calls for both human and animal cases.
For additional information, contact NSAL America at (516) 883-7900, ext. 309 or visit the web site at www.nsalamerica.org.

###