For Pets' Sake
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Pet Health Alert: Paintball's No Fun For Dogs
In today’s active society, outdoor games are growing increasingly popular. That includes paintball, a sport similar to “Capture the Flag” in which participants shoot opposing team members with pellets of paint. But did you know that these paint-filled pellets can be harmful to dogs if ingested?
The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) has seen an increase in the number of paintball-related cases every year since 2001. In 2004 alone, APCC experts handled more than a hundred. “Paintballs typically consist of ingredients such as polyethylene or dipropylene glycol, glycerin, sorbitol, mineral oil, dye, water and ground pig skin, and can come in packages of 1,500 or more,” explains Dr. Steven Hansen, APCC Senior Vice President. “It is not uncommon to see ingestions involving large quantities of pellets.”
While it is not clear why dogs eat so many, or just how many can produce illness, clinical signs have occurred in dogs consuming as few as ten pellets. The most common signs include vomiting, diarrhea and muscle tremors, as well as weakness, fever, elevated heart rate, blindness, seizures and, in severe cases, death. In one case, a ten-month-old, 45-pound boxer died after eating more than 350 paintballs.
“Companion animals should be aware of the potential risks,” says Hansen, “and take precautions. Do not allow your pets to accompany you during paintball games, and store pellets in areas where animals cannot reach them.”
For more pet poison information, please visit the ASPCA online.
