My dog ate too much flea and tick medication. What should I do?

It would be helpful to know what specific type of flea medication is was, since different brands have different active ingredients. But in general, if he only ate a single dose, I would not expect this to cause any serious problems - these medications typically have a wide margin of safety, even if they are ingested rather than applied topically. You may see some mild stomach upset, but I would not expect any serious toxicity issues. To be safe, you should monitor for any neurologic issues such as muscle tremors or seizures, and take Oscar to the vet right away if he is acting abnormal.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Isley. She will not likely experience toxicity if she has not already. However, I recommend contacting the manufacturer of the product that she consumed. They will be able to tell you if the product is expected to be poisonous or not. If the manufacturer is not available, you can call ASPCA Animal Poison Control. I hope this information helps!

An immediate check up is needed. This kind of toxicity can lead to severe side effects and treatment should be initiated as soon as possible. That would include IV fluids, gastric decontamination and medication to decrease gastrointestinal absorption. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Clive. I do get your concern, but luckily this is not a massive overdose and he should be just fine. I would not worry! I hope this helps!

In general, we do not want dogs to lick the ingredients in the topical flea products. Therefore, most products will contain a "bittering agent" which makes the liquid taste bad, so the dogs will not lick it. If they lick a small amount, they may drool a little due to the bad taste, but they will not lick enough to cause a problem. If you have any concerns about a particular product, I always recommend speaking to the company. I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It looks like Libby got about 5x the dose she would normally get. Luckily, the toxic dose is quite high for this medication. One study showed that dogs receiving 10x the dose for 14 days showed no outward effects. The lethal dose in rats is about 1000x the dose. Give this, I'd say Libby is rather safe from having a problem. Look for these signs as a warning for toxicity: Lethargy/depression, vomiting, itching, decreased appetite, diarrhea, hyperactivity, incoordination, trembling, seizures, panting, allergic reactions including hives, vocalization, salivation, fever, and nervousness. Please take Libby to the vet immediately if you see any of those signs. Also, if Libby ate the pill within 2 hours, you could take her to the vet and they can induce vomiting - just to be extra safe. If it's been after two hours, then there's no need to make her vomit, so just keep an eye on her. Overall, I think you have little to worry about.

Bravecto has a wide margin of safety and I don’t think there would be an issue. I would recommend calling the company at the number listed on the box - they should have people available to answer questions like this. If you aren’t able to reach someone then I’d recommend contacting the Pet Poison Helpline (www.petpoisonhelpline.com).