ABSTRACT
Exposure to explosives and fireworks in dogs can result in variable severity of clinical signs depending on the presence of different chemicals and the amount. The risk can be lessened by proper education of dog handlers and owners about the seriousness of the intoxications. Most animals will recover within 24 to 72 hours with supportive care. Cyclonite, barium, and chlorate ingestion carries a risk of more severe clinical signs.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases/chemically induced , Explosive Agents/toxicity , Animals , Antidotes/therapeutic use , Dog Diseases/physiopathology , Dog Diseases/therapy , Dogs , Explosive Agents/administration & dosage , HumansABSTRACT
Intoxication with explosives or fireworks in dogs or cats is not common, but serious toxicosis can result from exposure to different types of explosives depending on the chemical class of explosive involved. This article will discuss the different types of materials/chemicals, clinical signs of toxicosis, and their treatment. Despite the complexities of explosives and plethora of different devices currently in use worldwide, the toxic potential is more easily explained by looking at the relatively short list of chemical classes used to produce these materials. This article combines structurally similar explosives into different groups and focuses on the toxicity of the most commonly available explosives.
