Still, cigarettes have plenty of nicotine and even a small cigarette butt can mean serious illness or even death for a small pet.

The toxic dose for nicotine in pets is 0.5 to one mg per pound of pet body weight while the lethal dose is four mg per pound of pet body weight. So how does this translate to nicotine-containing products?  A cigarette contains between 9 & 30 mg of nicotine depending on the type of cigarette. When the cigarette is smoked, the nicotine concentrates down in the oral end meaning that a small nub of a cigarette butt will retain 25% of the nicotine contained in the original cigarette. Smoking a cigarette yields 0.5-2.0 mg of nicotine to the smoker but eating the cigarette (or other nicotine product) is a whole different ballgame as all of the nicotine becomes available for absorption into the body. Consider that a 2-lb dog would only need 10 mg of nicotine to become poisoned and a 40-lb dog would need only 1cc (less than a quarter teaspoon) of e-juice.

• Cigarettes: 9-30 mg of nicotine
• Cigarette butts: 2-8 mg of nicotine
• Cigars: up to 40 mg of nicotine
• Chewing tobacco: 6-8 mg of nicotine per gram
• Nicotine gum: 2-4 mg of nicotine per piece
• Nicotine patches: 8.3-114 mg of nicotine
• E-cigarette cartridges: 6-36 mg of nicotine
• E-juice/E-fluid (to refill E-cigarettes): up to 36 mg of nicotine per ml

Symptoms of Nicotine Poisoning

Signs begin as quickly as one hour post-ingestion. Symptoms include:

1. Tremors
2. Constricted pupils
3. Drooling
4. Auditory and visual hallucinations
5. Excitement
6. Vomiting and diarrhea
7. Twitching, possibly progressing to seizures
8. Racing heart rate but slow heart rate with small doses
9. High blood pressure but at higher doses, there is a circulatory collapse

It is easy to confuse nicotine poisoning with other poisonings such as strychnine, chocolate, organophosphate insecticides, and certain molds. Hopefully, there will be cigarette materials in the vomit to give away the diagnosis. It is also worth mentioning that some nicotine gums contain xylitol as a sweetener. This material is toxic to dogs and can add an entirely new dimension to nicotine poisoning.

Treatment

If not too much time (an hour or so) has passed since consumption of the nicotine product, vomiting can be induced. Washing out the stomach to get rid of any remaining cigarette materials is helpful but is likely to require sedation as well as activated charcoal to bind the nicotine and prevent it from entering the body. Obviously, this would be performed at the veterinarian’s office.

Treatment is basically supportive after that. Intravenous fluids support circulation while the body gets rid of the nicotine. If seizures or tremors are occurring, medications will be needed to suppress them.  If the pet survives the first four hours, the prognosis is felt to be good. Nicotine is inactivated by a healthy liver and its metabolites are excreted in the urine. After 16 hours, the nicotine ingested should be gone.

The ASPCA National Animal Poison Control is available 24 hours a day at 888-426-4435. Expect an initial consultation fee of around $100.00 and additional follow-up is at no charge. You will be assigned a case number your veterinarian can use to communicate with a toxicology specialist before beginning treatment.

Diarrhea is the frequent evacuation of watery stools. Vomiting is the forceful expulsion of stomach contents through the mouth. 

What to Do

1. Remove all food and water. 
2. Check for signs of dehydration. 
3. If diarrhea and/or vomiting continues or the pet acts ill, seek veterinary attention. 
4. If no vomiting occurs for 6 to 8 hours, begin to frequently give small amounts of clear liquids (water, Gatorade, Pedialyte, or other electrolyte solution).
   • A rule of thumb is to give 1 teaspoon per pound of body weight every 2 or 3 hours throughout the day and night. 
   • If your pet does not vomit the fluid, the following day offer small frequent meals of boiled hamburger and rice or boiled chicken and rice.
5. If your pet does not want to eat, starts to vomit, or continues to have diarrhea, see a veterinarian right away.
6. Isolate the sick pet from other pets.

Diarrhea and vomiting can quickly lead to serious fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance, especially in very young or old animals, and those with certain health issues.  Severely dehydrated animals may need to be hospitalized and receive IV fluids to recover.

What NOT to Do

• Do not administer any over-the-counter or prescription medications to your pet without talking to a veterinarian first.  
• Do not allow the pet to eat or drink anything until there has been no vomiting for 6 to 8 hours.

Most infections that cause diarrhea and vomiting are contagious, so it is wise to assume that other pets might be vulnerable if they are exposed. 

If your pet is not feeling well and has vomiting and/or diarrhea, see a veterinarian.