Symptoms of Firework Toxicity in Dogs
Call your veterinarian immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms in your dog or if you know your dog has ingested fireworks. The severity of symptoms from poisoning will depend on exactly what type of firework your dog ate, if it was lit or unlit, how much was eaten, and when the dog ate it.
Your dog may have external burns on its face, specifically on its nose, lips, and eyes if it was exposed to gunpowder and other toxins in fireworks. Or your dog may have internal burns in its mouth or further down in its esophagus if it has ingested gunpowder or other parts of a hot or lit firework.
Brown Gums and/or Urine
If you notice your dog’s gums or urine are brown, this could be a sign that methemoglobinemia has started. Methemoglobinemia is a blood disorder that impairs the hemoglobin in the red blood cells from properly circulating oxygen in your dogs body. The lack of circulating oxygenated blood can cause discoloration in your dogs gums and urine.
Your dog may experience pain in its abdomen along with bloody vomit and diarrhea. In addition, your dog may exhibit excessive salivation as a reaction to methemoglobinemia.
In more severe cases, your dogs skin may become discolored yellow, which is a sign of jaundice signaling kidney failure.
Seizures and tremors are indications that your dog has a large number of toxins in its system.
Shallow breathing is another result of your dogs system trying to manage a large number of toxins in its system.
What is Firework Toxicity?
Firework toxicity is the damage your dog can suffer from a chemical substance or substance mixture that is harmful to animals. If these ingredients are ingested, different reactions can occur that will make your dog ill.