What to Do With Dog Poisoning From Permethrin?

Permethrin is an insecticide that is used to kill fleas, ticks and other insects. It is used in some topical, collar, dip, spray and shampoo flea repellents for dogs, but cannot be used on cats. Permethrin works by paralyzing the insect and killing it by interfering with its nervous system. Permethrin can interfere with the dog's nervous system if overdose occurs. Symptoms of permethrin overdose or poisoning in dogs include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, seizures and changes in body temperature. The likelihood of overdose is greater in small dogs.

  1. First Aid

    • If overdose occurs through the skin, bathe your dog in a dish washing detergent and rinse him. Never use a flea shampoo for bathing a dog in this situation--only a mild dish detergent. The bath should be in lukewarm water. Using hot water will cause the blood vessels in the skin to dilate, allowing more of the permethrin to be absorbed into your dog's body.

      If the overdose occurs orally, induce vomiting--as long as the product through which the overdose happened didn't contain petroleum distillates. Take your dog to a veterinarian or an emergency veterinarian clinic immediately following the bath.

    Veterinarian

    • At the veterinary clinic, the veterinarian will bathe your dog again and rinse, while monitoring her for further symptoms of permethrin poisoning. If the product was ingested, the veterinarian will likely continue to induce vomiting in your dog. Flushing of the stomach, using a procedure known as gastric lavage, may be performed, and activated charcoal may be administered.

    Follow-Up

    • After emergency steps are taken, the veterinarian will monitor your dog's body temperature--especially if the dog's overdose of permethrin was topical and bathing was required. If your dog were to become hypothermic, the toxicity of the permethrin could be greater. The veterinarian might also administer anti-convulsant medications or muscle relaxants if your dog is having seizures. Your dog will also be placed in an environment where he is less likely to injure himself as a result of symptoms such as lack of coordination and disorientation. Your dog will likely be administered fluids as well.

    Recovery

    • If your dog receives immediate attention after an overdose of permethrin, recovery usually takes place within 48 hours--though it can take longer. The prognosis for dogs with permethrin poisoning is usually considered to be fair to good with appropriate treatment.