Firestarter Logs Poisoning in Dogs

Firestarter logs can cause problems in multiple ways, leading to a variety of symptoms. If your pet has eaten any part of a firestarter log and is exhibiting any of the following symptoms an immediate call to the veterinarian should be made, and depending on the severity of symptoms and the amount ingested, an emergency visit may also be required. 

• Abdominal pain
• Blood in stool or vomit
• Dehydration
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Drooling
• Gagging
• Inability to defecate
• Lethargy
• Loss of appetite
• Retching
• Vomiting

Types

There are fire starter type logs on the market that are made differently than the traditional “Duraflame” type fire starter log. These fire logs have some unique properties.

Pressed wood without glue

• These logs are made of sawdust
• They are compressed strictly by pressure, with no adhesives or glues

Pressed paper

• Made of newspaper, cardboard or other paper types
• There are numerous do-it-yourself tutorials online as well as places to purchase these commercially
• The adhesives and additives used can be quite variable in this type of fire starting log, although types of wax are common. 

Coffee log

• This type of log is an interesting alternative, but your pet should definitely not chew on or ingest this
• Coffee beans pressed this way has the same capability to cause blockage, as well as the added danger of caffeine poisoning if it is ingested

Blockage

• None of these products is designed to be digested and will cause gastrointestinal blockages when eaten in large enough amounts
• The amount that will cause a problem varies based on the size of the animal, the composition of the log and the amount of time since ingestion

Wood Toxicity

• Although the most common sawdust type used in these logs is pine, other woods are quite often added in
• There are several types of woods that can be quite toxic to canines

Other Additives

• Manufactured fire logs often have additives that can cause problems for our canines
• Metals can be added which can lead to metal toxicity, and the amount of petroleum or wax can cause gastrointestinal discomfort either with or without blockages present
• Shells of nuts and fruit pits are sometimes used in firelogs as well
• These do not cause a problem when burned, but fruit pits can be toxic and the shells are likely to be untested for molds that may be dangerous to your pet

Treatment will depend on how the manufactured fire log has affected your pet and how long it has been since ingestion. If ingested recently enough, your veterinarian may opt to encourage your dog to vomit to avoid future blockages or absorption of any toxins. If there was only a small amount ingested or if the symptoms are not severe your veterinarian may be able to give you home treatment instructions over the phone. These are likely to include an over the counter bulk-producing laxative to be included with meals for a few days. Several low-protein, low-fat, high-fiber meals per day are often suggested to speed healing with any sort of gastrointestinal injury and may be recommended in this case as well.

Supportive treatment will be given for any crisis symptoms. This could include IV fluids for dehydration and medications may be prescribed to alleviate specific symptoms. These medications may be given either by an intramuscular injection or intravenously and could include any combination of laxatives, anti-nausea, or pain management treatments.