If you are a pet owner, you need to know the alarming signs of pet toxicity to get help on time. If you notice any of the warning signs or symptoms, you must contact your vet at once. The severity of poisoning will, however, depend on the kind of toxin involved and the extent of spreading it the pet’s body. Some toxins may take a while to indicate danger, and the early signs of poisoning may remain undetected. In other cases, the reaction can be instantaneous when the dog starts to show visible signs of distress.

Here are the top alarming signs of pet toxicity to look out for:

Appetite Loss
This is one of the most commonly alarming signs of pet toxicity. While a change of your pet’s eating habits can get you worried, the concern becomes amplified when they start to refuse their favorite treats or kibble. Skipping a single meal once in a while is no cause for concern, but you must inform your vet if they start skipping meals.

Excessive Drooling
Drooling in dogs can be a sign of nausea, and when there is an excess of drooling, there may be some level of toxicity involved. The dog may even start to foam at its mouth if the drooling continues.

Frequent Vomiting
Another sign of poisoning in pets is frequent vomiting. This may or may not be accompanied by blood. Rat poison, for instance, can cause internal bleeding, and when ingested by dogs, this may cause bleeding in them. If you take a sample to your vet, he/she can tell you which poison your dog has ingested.

Diarrhea
Diarrhea occurs with or without any bleeding because often the bleeding can be internal. In that case, you will find that the color of its stool has become green or black. Diarrhea is caused because the body tries to flush out the poison by drinking lots of water.

Rashes and Irritation
These are a common warning sign when toxins have entered the bloodstream through the skin. For instance, if your pet pup has come into contact with poison ivy, it is likely that he will have rashes at the places where his body has touched the plant. Common symptoms and signs of poisoning include fluid-filled blisters, rash swelling, red skin, and continuous itching.

Lethargic
If your pet is unusually lethargic it may be a cause for concern because toxicity often induces this behavior. When the toxin begins to affect its cardiac muscles, your pet may start feeling unusually tired. It will not even get up for its daily walk. If this extreme lethargy is there for almost 24 hours and other worrying symptoms emerge, you should contact your vet.

Loss in Motor Skills
Lack of balance or coordination in pets is a clear sign that a toxin has affected the brain. You will probably find your pet dog or cat bumping into objects, vomiting, or falling down suddenly. It experiences dizziness from a loss of coordination.

Tremors and Seizures
These are also warning signs that a toxin may have invaded the brain. During sudden seizures, the dog may become unconscious, convulse, defecate, and urinate profusely.