National Poison Prevention Week is March 20 – 26 and it’s a reminder to be aware of
potential household dangers to not just children but to your pets as well. Experts urge
pet owners to remain vigilant and aware of potential pet toxins lurking in their homes,
especially the remaining items on the top toxin list, which made up more than 79% of
total cases in 2021.

Human prescription medications came in at No. 2 with antidepressants, cardiac and
ADHD medications being the main concern. Both over-the-counter and prescription
medications can lead to gastrointestinal upset and kidney failure in severe cases.
Food products remain near the top of the list at No. 3, making up 14% of APCC cases
last year. The most common food product cases include ingestion of protein bars and
shakes, xylitol, garlic and onions, and grapes and raisins.

Remaining in the fourth spot for several years is chocolate. APCC averages more than
103 cases of chocolate ingestion per day, which results in more than one case every
15 minutes.

As pandemic hobbies such as gardening continued to be popular in 2021, indoor and
outdoor plants remained in the top five. APCC received more than 7,500 more calls
related to plant ingestion when compared to 2020.

The last five items on the top toxin list include household items such as cleaning
products and paint; veterinary products, including calming chews and joint
medications; rodenticides and insecticides; and gardening products, such as
fertilizers.

For more information about household dangers contact the ASPCA Animal Poison
Control Center at www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control. If you think your pet
may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call 888-426-4435 or contact
your local veterinarian as soon as possible.

Jeffery Ritter is Director of Development at Flagler Humane Society and can be
reached at jritter@flaglerhumanesociety.org. Flagler Humane Society is a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 with the mission of taking in and caring for
lost and homeless animals and finding them life-long matches in forever homes. For
more information go to www.flaglerhumanesociety.org.