What happens if you accidentally drop one of your prescribed medications on the floor? Do you look for it? If you have a dog (or even small children) this would be the best thing to do. The reason is that dogs can find things in places we usually can’t even reach!
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When a dog finds a pill under the table, they don’t know it’s medicine! In fact, the dog may think it’s a tasty snack and quickly snarf it up!
Dogs may also find pill bottles or packaging something interesting and fun to play with. As they chew up the packaging, they may accidentally swallow the pills inside.
The danger is that many of the medications we take can be poisonous for dogs, including Abilify.
What is Abilify?
Abilify, also called aripiprazole, is a medication that’s used to psychological and mood disorders. These include Tourette’s syndrome, schizophrenia, depression, and more.
Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic medication that works to create a balance of chemicals in the brain.
How Does Abilify Poison Dogs?
When a dog ingests Abilify pills, they can quickly become affected by the medication. They may show these symptoms after swallowing the pills:
- Hyperthermia
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Seizures
- Changes in heart rate and blood pressure
If you dog has swallowed Abilify, then call the vet immediately. This is a life-threatening medical emergency. If at all possible, take the medication packaging with you to the vet’s or make sure to note the dosage of the pills. This information will be helpful to the vet.
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Ask a Vet Live NowTreatment of Abilify Poisoning in Dogs
After a physical exam and lab tests, the vet will begin treating your dog. This may include inducing vomiting, using activated charcoal, IV fluids, and more. The vet will also treat any other symptoms your dog may be experiencing.
Chances are that your fur baby will need to stay in the hospital for a few days. This will give the vet time to monitor his symptoms and take care of any issues as they arise. When your canine companion is stable and feeling better, then he’ll be able to come back home again.
The prognosis depends on how quickly your dog receives medical treatment, and the amount of medication he ate. Most dogs will go on to a full recovery with no lasting effects.
The key here is to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. The next important step is to make sure that all your medications are kept out of reach from your dog (and small kids). Prevention is definitely the best medicine in these cases.
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Julie
Julie is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, where she studied Animal science. Though contrary to the opinion of her parents she was meant to study pharmacy, but she was in love with animals especially cats. Julie currently works in an animal research institute (NGO) in California and loves spending quality time with her little cat. She has the passion for making research about animals, how they survive, their way of life among others and publishes it. Julie is also happily married with two kids.
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