Toxicology experts push back on one-size-fits-all ingestion care

dvm360 used Pet Poison Prevention Month to spotlight a practical message for frontline teams: not every toxic ingestion needs the same workup, hospitalization plan, or diagnostics. In a March 3, 2026 Vet Blast Podcast episode, Renee Schmid, DVM, DABT, DABVT, senior veterinary toxicologist and director of veterinary medicine at Pet Poison Helpline, said toxicology cases are often treated too algorithmically. Her central point was to “treat the patient, not the toxin,” noting that decisions about emesis, activated charcoal, laboratory testing, IV fluids, and hospitalization should depend on the exposure, timing, expected clinical effects, and the patient in front of you, not a one-size-fits-all protocol. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the discussion lands squarely in the spectrum-of-care conversation. Schmid specifically called out common misconceptions that all toxin cases need lab work or inpatient care, using examples such as amphetamine exposures, where routine lab changes may not be expected, and anticoagulant rodenticide ingestions, where clotting tests done just hours after exposure may add cost and stress without improving care. That message comes as poison experts continue to handle high case volume: Pet Poison Helpline says it has managed more than 3 million poisoning and exposure cases, and its 2025 report card highlighted chocolate as its most common food-related call, rising concern about accidental Apoquel overdoses, and baclofen as a frequent high-risk medication exposure. (dvm360.com)

What to watch: Expect more emphasis on triage education, client communication, and seasonally targeted poison-prevention outreach as clinics head deeper into spring toxin season. (aaha.org)