Urgent warning to Aussie pet owners: Rapid antigen test ingredient is POISONOUS to dogs

As millions of rapid antigen tests are being bought by Aussie households one charity has sent out an urgent warning to pet owners. 

The Animal Poisons Helpline revealed one of the ingredients in the self-test kits is extremely poisonous to dogs – specifically the test buffer solution. 

The helpline said they had noticed an uptick in calls from frantic pet owners who said their pets had ingested the chemicals.

The Animal Poisons Helpline revealed one of the ingredients in rapid antigen tests is extremely poisonous to dogs – specifically the test buffer solution (stock image of an Australian kelpie)

The urgent warning was issued through a post to the charity’s Facebook page that asked the message be spread to owners in both Australia and New Zealand. 

‘As millions of these tests are now being dispersed, we anticipate that calls to the Helpline regarding pets ingesting them will continue to rise,’ the post read. 

The helpline explained the buffer solution contained a small amount of a chemical called sodium azide, added as a preservative. 

As the amount is very low, the ingestion of the solution is unlikely to cause a significant risk of illness in majority of canines. 

‘The actual risk of poisoning in any individual case will depend on the amount of sodium azide ingested and the weight of the animal involved,’ the post stated. 

‘Very small animals, or those animals that ingest a number of vials of buffer solution could possibly be at risk of poisoning.’

The charity encouraged pet owners who suspected their dog had ingested something they should not have to call the helpline. 

‘We can assess your pet’s exposure and determine if they will be at risk of poisoning and if they require urgent veterinary assessment,’ they said. 

More to come.