Snooping Pooch Sneaks a Snack of Eczema Cream

Toxic Exposure Results in Potentially Fatal Overdose

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pets often have a favorite spot in the house. Whenever the Clark family is looking for their dog Ruby, they know exactly where to check.

"Ruby loves to go into my daughter Madilyn's room," Meg Clark explained. "We put up a temporary gate to keep her from going in, but she's very persistent. My daughter has psoriasis, and she keeps her medicated cream in her room. One day we had left the gate open, and my daughter found that Ruby had eaten almost an entire container of the cream, tube and all. Ruby then pushed the chewed-up tube under a nightstand."

Initially Clark "wasn't too concerned" since Ruby had previously ingested other items including mascara and lip gloss. It wasn't until that night she noticed the start of some serious symptoms.

"A few hours later her eyes were really droopy," Clark said. "I was cooking dinner, and she was just staring up at me with these droopy lids. At first, I thought she might have had a stroke, but then my daughter reminded me that Ruby had gotten into her medication. At that point, I called our veterinarian, who advised us to take her to an emergency clinic. I also called Pet Poison Helpline."

Ruby was taken to BluePearl Pet Hospital in Phoenix. There, the medical team worked with the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline to develop a treatment plan.

"We get thousands of calls each year regarding pets ingesting human and animal medications that weren't prescribed to them," said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist and director of Veterinary Medicine at Pet Poison Helpline. "The main ingredient in the psoriasis and eczema medication Ruby ingested is ruxolitinib, which is in a class of medication called JAK inhibitors."

There is limited information available regarding animal poisonings from JAK inhibitors. As leaders in veterinary toxicology, Pet Poison Helpline has published the first retrospective paper in the Journal of Medical Toxicology on overdose concerns with a similar medication after a thorough review of information on patients assisted by Pet Poison Helpline.

"There are similar medications approved for use in dogs with allergies and are generally safe when used as directed," Dr. Schmid added. "They can result in life-threatening complications, however, when a large overdose is ingested or the drug is given to pets who weren't prescribed the medication."

When Ruby arrived at the veterinary hospital, she was lethargic, had been experiencing loose stools and drooping eyes, and had severe tachycardia (elevated heart rate). The toxicology team at Pet Poison Helpline and the hospital veterinarian discussed additional reactions that may occur due to the amount of medication Ruby ingested. This included liver and kidney damage, a decrease in tear production, as well as possible white blood cell changes.

To help with cardiovascular support, Ruby was placed on IV fluids and given medication to help lower her heart rate. She was also given an anti-emetic for possible stomach upset. The medical team at BluePearl provided aggressive care for Ruby that not only prevented worsening of her symptoms but minimized her risk of negative effects from the symptoms she had developed.

"In addition to her droopy eyes and diarrhea, the big worry was her heartrate was too high," Clark added. "They had her connected to an EKG machine to monitor her, and they also kept checking her liver and kidney numbers."

Once Ruby was released from the hospital, the Clarks administered liver-protectant medication for a month, and they had to return to the hospital several times for additional tests to ensure no liver, kidney, or white blood cell damage had occurred.

"Fortunately, Ruby is out of the worry time now," Clark shared. "We're very grateful to the team at Pet Poison Helpline for helping save her life. This wasn't our first time calling them, as our previous dog Lola had gotten into our son's medication. Knowing they're there gives us great peace of mind, but we've also installed a permanent gate so hopefully we don't have to call them again."

"Ruby's experience is a great reminder for all pet lovers," Dr. Schmid added. "Keep all medications, supplements and anything else potentially toxic safely stored away from your pets and small children. Medications may be safe when used in the amount and manner they are approved for, but life-threatening concerns can occur when different species are exposed, or different amounts are ingested. While we're here to help 24/7, stopping an exposure before it happens is always the best outcome."

About Pet Poison Helpline

Pet Poison Helpline®, your trusted source for toxicology and pet health advice in times of potential emergency, is available 24 hours, seven days a week for pet owners and veterinary professionals who require assistance treating a potentially poisoned pet. Per incident and subscription service options are available. We are an independent, nationally recognized animal poison control center triple licensed by the Boards of Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Pharmacy providing unmatched professional leadership and expertise. Our veterinarians and board-certified toxicologists provide treatment advice for all species, including dogs, cats, birds, small mammals, large animals and exotic species. As the most cost-effective option for animal poison control care, Pet Poison Helpline's fee of $89 per incident includes follow-up consultations for the duration of the case. The company also offers pethelpline^(SM) and pethelplinePRO^(SM) subscription services directly to pet lovers. Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.

Contact: Curtis Steinhoff 

Pet Poison Helpline®

(602) 300-8466

[email protected]

SOURCE Pet Poison Helpline