“Over-The-Counter” Drug Toxicities in Companion Animals

A truly astonishing variety of “over-the-counter” drugs not taken under the auspices of a physician or veterinarian and not regulated by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) are currently available to the American public. Many of these are widely advertised, readily available, remarkably inexpensive, and universally taken. Although most of the over-the-counter medications are fairly safe, the potential for toxic episodes exists due in large part simply on account of the amounts curious unsupervised animals may ingest. Another part of the problem is that since they are over the counter a large proportion of the public perceives them as totally harmless. In this article, we will investigate the most frequently seen non-prescription intoxications, their mechanism of action, clinical signs, diagnosis management, and prevention.