E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular among people who formerly smoked cigarettes because of the belief that these devices, as well as vapes, are safer than cigarettes. There has been a lot of debate about the safety of battery-powered smoking devices, and now, that debate is extending to our pets. While it is true that these devices reduce health risks for people, that isn’t necessarily true for animals. VRC wants all pet owners to understand the risks that e-cigarettes pose to their pets.

Dangers of Nicotine to Pets

Nicotine toxicity is a major problem for pets in homes where there is any kind of smoking or nicotine products. Pets that are exposed to nicotine through cigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, nicotine patches, nicotine gums, and any insecticides that include nicotine are at risk for nicotine poisoning. However, e-cigarettes contain a lot more nicotine than most of the other products that contain the substance. This means that e-cigarettes can actually be more dangerous for pets than regular cigarettes.

Mild nicotine poisoning can lead to drooling, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, agitation, and increased heart rate. Severe poisoning may cause tremors, seizures, depression, lethargy, ataxia, coma, as well as elevated heart and respiratory rates. Without treatment, cardiac arrest and respiratory failure may occur, which can be deadly. Symptoms can appear within 15 to 60 minutes of ingestion of nicotine.

Dangers of E-Cigarettes

Nicotine in any amount can be dangerous, but nicotine gum, nicotine patches, cigarettes, and loose tobacco can cause severe nicotine poisoning. However, e-cigarettes contain liquid nicotine that can be absorbed through your pet’s digestive system as well as the skin and mucous membranes. When nicotine is absorbed through mucous membranes or skin, it doesn’t pass through the liver, so more nicotine enters the bloodstream, which increases the risk for nicotine poisoning.

The way e-cigarettes are packaged could also contribute to problems. The liquid nicotine cartridges carry between six and 24 milligrams of nicotine, which is equivalent to one or two traditional cigarettes. The cartridges are then sold in boxes of five to 100 cartridges. This means that your pet could potentially have access to a very large amount of nicotine. Further, consider the size of your pet. If you have a large pet who gets into one cartridge, there may not be much of a problem. If you have a small pet who gets into a whole pack, you are going to be looking at a severe poisoning. In fact, in very small pets, even one cartridge could lead to a serious illness.

Refilling these cartridges can further complicate matters. Some people purchase nicotine solutions where they can refill their own cartridges. This liquid is generally concentrated, and the user can dilute it as they see fit. That means that these refills could contain larger doses of nicotine. Additionally, if your pet gets into liquid before it has been diluted, there could be dire consequences for your pet. The large concentration of nicotine poses a much bigger threat to pets than a single cigarette or even a regular e-cigarette cartridge.

In addition, nicotine cartridges are often flavored which can be another dangerous aspect. The flavoring can make the liquid smell and taste desirable to pets, which might draw your pet toward investigating the liquid.

While nicotine is the biggest threat to your pet when it comes to e-cigarettes, there are other potential hazards as well. Pets are curious, and often use their mouths to explore. Your curious pet might bite or ingest the casing or battery of the e-cigarette. These materials can cause gastrointestinal blockages and irritations. The rechargeable batteries can cause burns due to the caustic substance found inside.

Second-hand smoke is a big problem for pets in smoking households, but not enough research has been conducted to know if e-cigarettes pose any similar problems for pets. It is always a good idea to stay away from your pets while you are smoking.

Treating Nicotine Poisoning

Treating nicotine poisoning can be successful, but seeing a veterinarian right away is necessary. A veterinarian will attempt to decontaminate your pet by inducing vomiting. Once decontamination has occurred, your pet will be given fluids to ensure that they are hydrated. Additional medications could include anti-vomiting, anti-seizure, blood pressure, heart, and sedation medications. Your dog or cat may also have heart and blood pressure monitoring.

Nicotine poisoning can be fatal for dogs and cats. Only nine to 12 milligrams of nicotine can be fatal to pets regardless of what the source of the nicotine is.

Preventing E-Cigarette Problems

The best way to protect your pet is to prevent ingestion of any part of an e-cigarette. To do this, you should keep e-cigarettes and nicotine cartridges away from your pets. To ensure your pet can’t get into anything harmful, consider placing these items in a drawer or cabinet that is inaccessible to your pet. If your pet is a skillful snooper, you might want to buy childproof locks for the cabinet or drawer. While you are at it, keep all products that contain nicotine in this spot.

Even a pet with the most diligent owner might find a way to get into something containing nicotine. If your pet starts displaying the symptoms of nicotine poisoning, you should seek veterinary care right away. If you are in the area, give VRC a call today at 610-647-2950 or stop by with your pet. Our emergency clinic is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide emergency medical care to pets no matter what time it is.

Batteries are used so frequently in our homes that we often don’t think much of them just lying around. However, batteries can be dangerous to leave around. Dogs and cats may notice a battery and think nothing of biting or eating it. At VRC, we are no strangers to battery poisoning, and we want pet owners to be aware of the dangers that could be present in your own home.

The acid inside the batteries can be extremely problematic for pets. Alkaline or acid can leak out of the battery when it is punctured or swallowed. This acid is corrosive and can cause corrosive injuries in and on your pet. The most common batteries to get chewed on or swallowed by pets are alkaline dry cell batteries and button/disc batteries. Disc-shaped batteries are often lithium batteries.

While the acid in batteries is obviously dangerous, there are other dangers with batteries. One of these dangers is an obstruction. A battery can easily become lodged in the throat or gastrointestinal tract and cause serious problems such as difficulty breathing, difficulty defecating, and more.

Disc-shaped batteries pose a special danger for pets. These batteries can allow electric current to pass into the tissues of the GI tract as the battery is passed, which can damage tissues to the point of necrosis or perforation. The most common areas of the body affected are the oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. Of all batteries, the lithium button batteries are the most dangerous, as even a 3-volt button battery can cause severe necrosis to the gastrointestinal tract or esophagus in only 15 to 30 minutes.

Symptoms of Battery Poisoning

If your pet has eaten a battery, you may notice the following signs:

• Drooling
• Oral pain
• Vomiting
• Lack of appetite
• Pawing at the mouth
• Difficulty swallowing
• Abdominal pain
• Fever
• Lack of defecation

All of these symptoms could point toward battery poisoning, but they could also be signs of other illnesses. Be mindful if you see any of these symptoms. Take precautions by taking your pet in to see a veterinarian right away.

Diagnosing and Treating Battery Poisoning

At- home care for dealing with battery poisoning would start with flushing the mouth with tepid water for 15 to 20 minutes. It is important that vomiting is NOT induced in pets that have ingested batteries as the corrosive liquid can rupture or cause other severe damage to the esophagus. Additionally, battery acid could be inhaled into the lungs during vomiting, which would cause even more problems for your pet. Once you have flushed your pet’s mouth, you will want to take them in for veterinary care immediately.

In some cases, diagnosing battery poisoning is as easy as an X-ray. Treating battery poisoning is a little tricky, however. In the case of ingestion, the battery will need to be removed right away. Endoscopy or surgery can be performed to get the battery out of your pet’s system.

Your pet is also going to need pain medication and antibiotics to prevent both pain and infection from the ulcers that pop up from the acid. You may also need to give your pet anti-ulcer medications, stomach protectants, and antacids. These medications are important to the healing of your dog or cat. If you are given any of these medications for your pet, be sure that you dole them out as prescribed to keep your pet healthy. During treatment, veterinarians will often recommend that you switch your dog to a bland or high-fiber diet.

Preventing Battery Poisoning

The only way to prevent battery poisoning is to prevent your pet from getting access to batteries. Unfortunately, batteries are in so many household objects that we don’t generally consider dangerous. While there are hundreds of items that could lead to battery poisoning, here is a list of a few that are very common:

• Toys
• Watches
• Hearing aids
• Remote controls
• Calculators
• Flashlights
• Cameras
• Wireless computer devices
• Garage door openers

Even the most well-intentioned pet owners may accidentally leave one of these items lying around. However, one simple thing you can do is make sure that you never leave batteries in an area where your pet can access them. If you happen to drop a battery, you should pick it up right away. Never leave drawers containing batteries open or batteries out in the open.

Always store batteries in a drawer or cabinet that your pet doesn’t have access to at any time. Some cats and dogs are smart enough to open drawers and cabinets, so you may need to purchase child-proof devices that will lock your pets out of these unwelcome areas.

While battery ingestion is scary, the most important thing you can do for your pet is to take them in to see a veterinarian right away. VRC is proud to offer high-quality emergency care for pets in the Malvern, Pennsylvania, area. If your pet has ingested a battery, you should either go to or call VRC right away at 610-647-2950. One of our ER veterinarians will help your pet throughout the diagnosis and treatment process. Our emergency clinic is open 24 hours, seven days a week.