NARCOTICS

[Charley]

My Charlotte got into my purse and my mediations. From what I can tell, there are 3 Prilosec capsules bitten, 1 small bite taken out of an Ambien, 1 Restoril capsule bitten, 1 small bite taken out of a Mirapex which is used for treating Restless Leg Syndrome. I've been keeping a close eye on her she's just relaxing. I'm hoping that the minute she determined that the pills tasted horrible she stopped eating them. What should I do??

[SammysMom]

Flush with fluids immediately. How long ago did she ingest them?

[Rhapsody]

Flush with fluids immediately. How long ago did she ingest them?

YES!! --By All Means FLUSH that BODY OUT!!

:Drink :Drink :Drink :Drink :Drink :Drink :gun2

[farrelli]

If less than 2-3 hours ago, I'd get activated charcoal from the drug store in addition to flushing.

[Rhapsody]

If less than 2-3 hours ago, I'd get activated charcoal from the drug store in addition to flushing.
And --please note if activated charcoal cannot be found, scrapings from burnt toast will do the truck as well.

:thumbsup :thumbsup

[TubeDriver]

My Charlotte got into my purse and my mediations. From what I can tell, there are 3 Prilosec capsules bitten, 1 small bite taken out of an Ambien, 1 Restoril capsule bitten, 1 small bite taken out of a Mirapex which is used for treating Restless Leg Syndrome. I've been keeping a close eye on her she's just relaxing. I'm hoping that the minute she determined that the pills tasted horrible she stopped eating them. What should I do??

If she only ate a very small amounts, I would just watch her carefully and hydrate frequently for the next 48 hours. If you have a vet and are in a legal state, I would call and let them know.

In general, all of those medications listed need large doses to be dangerous. I am not a vet but looked up LD50 For rodents for these drugs. LD50 doses for rodents are large (grams/kg) so a tiny nibble will not be enough to cause permanent harm. However, it is hard to predict what interactions these drugs may have together in a squirrel so as would watch her carefully. Based on the drugs involved, I would want to make sure her breathing is consistent (and does not slow down too much) and that she remains alert and responsive.

[Nancy in New York]

And --please note if activated charcoal cannot be found, scrapings from burnt toast will do the truck as well.

:thumbsup :thumbsup

Rhapsody, sorry to disagree with you about burnt toast.
I too have seen it posted several times on our board, but NOT true.

I found this article and this seems to be an "old wives tale" .

In the future we shouldn't recommend burnt toast.
In the case of toast, you'll need to be concerned about acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic chemical.

Acrylamide in Toast


In the case of charred toast, more serious concerns exist than adding a few extra calories to Scruffy's diet. Some foods cooked to high temperatures produce dangerous compounds. In the case of toast, you'll need to be concerned about acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic chemical. You should toast your bread to a light brown color to reduce the amount of acrylamide, and avoid serving very brown areas, according to the Food and Drug Administration.



Not a Charcoal Substitute


A folk remedy calls for burnt toast as a substitute for activated charcoal for dogs who ingested toxins; but burnt toast is not charcoal, and it's a far cry from the powerful activated charcoal used in hospitals for food poisoning. Charcoal is obtained from burning wood and then exposing it to steam or air at elevated temperatures to increase its absorptive power, whereas burnt toast consists of charred proteins, fats, carbohydrates and mineral salts. Burnt toast is also inert and as such is ineffective; so it shouldn't be used as a substitute for activated charcoal, according to Julie Ann Lutz, a veterinarian of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Johanna Heseltine, a veterinarian and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine at Oklahoma State University.


Further Risks


The burnt toast remedy and many other home remedies such as giving milk, salt or vegetable oil may cause you to delay treatment or fail to give him inappropriate first aid. Many types of toxins require immediate treatment from a veterinarian. Also, every type of toxin requires a precise course of action. Consult with your veterinarian or poison control to determine if the product ingested was a poison to begin with, what antidote to use, and whether inducing vomiting is medically indicated. If burnt toast was indeed so effective and a cure-all for all types of toxins, then ambulances and veterinarian hospitals would certainly store stacks of Wonder Bread toast rather than boxes of activated charcoal.

http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/giving-dog-burnt-toast-3060.html

http://jesusisiam.com/activatedcharcoal.html

[ALittleNutty]

Rhapsody, sorry to disagree with you about burnt toast.
I too have seen it posted several times on our board, but NOT true.

I found this article and this seems to be an "old wives tale" . :eekin

In the future we shouldn't recommend burnt toast.
In the case of toast, you'll need to be concerned about acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic chemical.

Acrylamide in Toast


In the case of charred toast, more serious concerns exist than adding a few extra calories to Scruffy's diet. Some foods cooked to high temperatures produce dangerous compounds. In the case of toast, you'll need to be concerned about acrylamide, a potentially carcinogenic chemical. You should toast your bread to a light brown color to reduce the amount of acrylamide, and avoid serving very brown areas, according to the Food and Drug Administration.



Not a Charcoal Substitute


A folk remedy calls for burnt toast as a substitute for activated charcoal for dogs who ingested toxins; but burnt toast is not charcoal, and it's a far cry from the powerful activated charcoal used in hospitals for food poisoning. Charcoal is obtained from burning wood and then exposing it to steam or air at elevated temperatures to increase its absorptive power, whereas burnt toast consists of charred proteins, fats, carbohydrates and mineral salts. Burnt toast is also inert and as such is ineffective; so it shouldn't be used as a substitute for activated charcoal, according to Julie Ann Lutz, a veterinarian of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and Johanna Heseltine, a veterinarian and Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine at Oklahoma State University.


Further Risks


The burnt toast remedy and many other home remedies such as giving milk, salt or vegetable oil may cause you to delay treatment or fail to give him inappropriate first aid. Many types of toxins require immediate treatment from a veterinarian. Also, every type of toxin requires a precise course of action. Consult with your veterinarian or poison control to determine if the product ingested was a poison to begin with, what antidote to use, and whether inducing vomiting is medically indicated. If burnt toast was indeed so effective and a cure-all for all types of toxins, then ambulances and veterinarian hospitals would certainly store stacks of Wonder Bread toast rather than boxes of activated charcoal.

http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/giving-dog-burnt-toast-3060.html

:goodpost

[Rhapsody]

If this is were the board wants to stand on the subject them I will abide by it even though I do not agree with it.
I go with exp and history over one article found online. (((hugs)))

:tilt

[farrelli]

It's isn't just something found online. Chemically, physically, activated charcoal is very different than just some random carbon source from something burnt. Activated charcoal is effectively engineered to have a million and one nooks and crannies on the nano scale to trap (absorb) another substance. Some random carbon source is not so engineered and will, at best, have a small amount of absorbent ability.

242689

[Rhapsody]

It's isn't just something found online. Chemically, physically, activated charcoal is very different than just some random carbon source from something burnt. Activated charcoal is effectively engineered to have a million and one nooks and crannies on the nano scale to trap (absorb) another substance. Some random carbon source is not so engineered and will, at best, have a small amount of absorbent ability.I understand all the scientific terms in this, and I still believe burnt toast to work wonders in small animals (not larger ones) when AC cannot be found...... so please lets leave it at that and I will respect what Nancy has asked of me. Thank you.

[Mountain Mama]

I understand all the scientific terms in this, and I still believe burnt toast to work wonders in small animals (not larger ones) when AC cannot be found...... so please lets leave it at that and I will respect what Nancy has asked of me. Thank you.


I do not want to offend anyone by dragging this back up, but I have very strong convictions about setting the record straight.

Mountain Daddy and I are both medical professionals, and we've prescribed and administered literally gallons of activated charcoal in our careers. I assure y'all, activated charcoal is NOT the same thing as burned toast...not even close. Any animal that got better by consuming burned toast was going to get better anyway. It's not safe to assume it is a viable substitute. Please don't take the chance and try this!

No offense intended! :peace

[TubeDriver]

Any updates on the squirrel? How is she doing?