Do you use Visine? This is a very common OTC eye drop medication used by many around the world. It’s so common that you probably have a bottle in your medicine cabinet. While this is an effective treatment for some eye problems, can it make your dog sick? Is Visine toxic to dogs?
Imidazoline decongestants are topical vasoconstrictors (constricts blood vessels). Imidazolines (like oxymetazoline and tetrahydrozoline) are commonly found in over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays. When a bottle of product containing imidazolines is chewed, it can result in severe poisoning in pets – even death, when untreated. Even a small ingestion can cause clinical signs of vomiting, lethargy/depression or agitation, ataxia (incoordination), hypotension, and a life-threatening low heart rate. Immediate veterinary attention should be sought following ingestion. Please contact your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline for life-saving advice if your pet has ingested one of these common eye drops or nasal sprays.
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Treatment of Imidazoline Poisoning in Dogs
Trying to get your dog to vomit is pointless since imidazoline is too quickly absorbed and might actually do more harm than good. If your pet is not showing any symptoms of toxicity yet, the veterinarian may give activated charcoal to prevent the absorption of the medication. Your dog will then be put on fluids to correct any metabolic abnormality and to treat and/or prevent dehydration. Depending on how the heart is doing, if needed, medications to help heart rate may be administered. In addition to this, supportive medications to control the shaking and nervousness may or may not be given. Yohimbine can also be administered to cancel out the effect of the antihistamine; it may need to be administered multiple times due to it having a shorter half-life than the imidazoline. Your dog will need to stay with the veterinarian until all signs of toxicity have disappeared and lab work comes back normal.
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FAQ
Will Visine hurt a dog if ingested?
What happens if my dog ingested eye drops?
When a bottle of product containing imidazolines is chewed, it can result in severe poisoning in pets – even death, when untreated. Even a small ingestion can cause clinical signs of vomiting, lethargy/depression or agitation, ataxia (incoordination), hypotension, and a life-threatening low heart rate.
Can Visine make a dog sick?
Can dogs have Visine?
