Shared Blog Post-Top Ten Deadliest Toxins for Pets in 2024

Top Ten Deadliest Toxins for Pets in 2024

(from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center)

By Don Hanson, PCBC-A, BFRAP

< Updated 2025-03-20 >

< A  link for this page – https://forcefreepets.com/shared-blog-post-top-ten-deadliest-toxins-for-pets-in-2024/ >

On October 3, 2024, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center listed the Top Ten Deadliest Toxins for Pets in 2024. They were:

  1. 5-Fluorouracil is usually found as an ointment or a lotion and is used in people to treat skin cancer.
  2. Amphetamines are medications commonly used for weight loss or ADHD treatment, and also included in illicit substances like methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy).
  3. Baclofen is a prescribed muscle relaxer for humans.
  4. Calcium channel blockers are common blood pressure medications.
  5. Lamotrigine is a prescription medication used to prevent or reduce the severity of seizures.
  6. 5-Hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP, is an over-the-counter supplement often used for sleep or mood moderation
  7. Hops (Humulus lupulus) should be a concern for home brewers. Hops are the flower from the Humulus lupulus plant and are commonly used in making beer.
  8. Metaldehyde is the active ingredient used in some slug and snail baits
  9. Blue-green algae (BGA) contains harmful toxins that cause either rapid seizures or liver failure.
  10. Methomyl is an active ingredient found in some fly baits.

One, two, three, four, five, and six are prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Seven is a natural ingredient used in the brewing of beer. Eight and ten are pesticides, and nine is a naturally occurring algae.

Read the entire article at – https://www.aspca.org/news/top-10-deadliest-pet-toxins

 

Don Hanson lives in Bangor, Maine, where he is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop (greenacreskennel.com) and the founder and owner of ForceFreePets.com, an online educational resource for people with dogs and cats. He is a Professional Canine Behavior Consultant (PCBC-A) accredited by the Pet Professional Accreditation Board (PPAB) and a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG), serving on the Board of Directors and the Steering Committee, and chairs the Advocacy Task Force and the Shock-Free Coalition. He writes and edits the blogs for both Green Acres Kennel Shop and ForceFreePets.

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