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  • Jennifer Misfeldt, MABTR

Albuterol Toxicity in dogs



Dogs get into things they shouldn’t, which can include medications like Albuterol inhalers that are used by many of us to treat acute asthma. The devices look sturdy but a determined dog attracted by the unusual smell can be subjected to a massive dose if they puncture the cylinder.


Symptoms:

Albuterol elevates your dog’s heart rate to dangerous levels and reduces the potassium levels in the blood. Fortunately, if you obtain timely veterinarian help, recovery is usually rapid, but if help is not received your dog can become extremely ill and the result can be lethal. If you have it, take the inhaler in question as this can help with the diagnostic process.

Depending on the amount consumed, symptoms can occur within minutes of ingestion and include:

  • Vomiting

  • Anxiety

  • Muscle tremors

  • Weakness

  • Dilated Pupils

  • Drooling

  • Lethargy

  • Agitation

  • Hyperactivity

  • Rapid heart rate

  • Rapid Breathing

 

Your vet will do a physical examination including checking the heart rate and blood pressure as well as blood tests to determine potassium levels.


Treatment:

Once diagnosed, treatment is mainly of a symptomatic and supportive nature. Treatment options include:

  • IV fluid therapy

  • Hospitalization and monitoring

  • Medications to address arrhythmia such as propranolol or lidocaine

  • Benzodiazepines: used to manage tremors

 

Once treated, the animal's health condition must be closely monitored to reduce the risk of cardiac symptoms and seizures worsening.

With prompt and proper treatment and subsequent monitoring, dogs suffering from asthma inhaler toxicosis generally carry a good prognosis. Animals that develop severe tachycardia carry a guarded to poor prognosis.

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