Pet Poison Prevention Reminders

   March is Poison Prevention Awareness Month and a great time to make sure your house and yard is safe for your best friends. 

Kitchen Catastrophes 

   The kitchen is favorite place for our pets. After all, it is where the food is kept! Make sure not to let your guard down when it comes to the following items:

*Chocolate ~ most of us know chocolate can be toxic to our dogs. That doesn’t stop them from trying to get a piece every chance they get. Dark chocolate and cooking chocolate rank highest in terms of toxicity. Always keep any type of chocolate where your dog can’t reach it. 

*Coffee ~ the caffeine in coffee is highly toxic to dogs. It can cause seizures and death.

*Grapes ~ grapes and raisins are no-no’s as they can cause renal failure in dogs.

*Macadamia nuts ~ these are one of the most dangerous nuts for dogs. You may love them in delicious cookies but do not share even a small bite with your pup.

*Onions ~ besides making us cry, onions kill canine blood cells. Even onion powder in food can cause anemia.

*Alcohol ~ I am not sure why some people think giving their dog alcohol is funny. Alcohol can cause severe damage to their liver and kidneys. It can also cause acidosis and cardiac arrest.  

*Chicken Bones ~ many bones can be great for your dog and their teeth. Chicken bones do NOT fall into that category. They splinter and can cause all sorts of trouble to your dog. Be sure to get the bones out of the house so your best friend is not tempted to raid the garbage can!

Garden Gremlins

   Springtime has arrived and with it comes the urge to dress up our yards. We roll up our sleeves and dig in the dirt planting flowers and shrubs. Did you know that the prettiest of gardens can be dangerous to your dogs?

* Flowers ~ think twice about planting tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, crocuses and lily of the valley in your gardens if the pups hang out or dig in them. While these blooms are stunningly beautiful, if your dog ingests them, they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding.

*Blood Meal ~ dried, ground, and flash-frozen blood is like crack to dogs! They find it hard to resist. It is great for our plants but not for our pets. It contains 12% nitrogen and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can also cause severe pancreatitis. Mine also love to try and roll in it. 

*Bone Meal ~ this is just what its name implies. It is made up of defatted, dried and flash-frozen animal bones. When ingested, it can form a big cement-like bone ball in your dog’s tummy. This can lead to an expensive emergency surgery to remove the obstruction.

*Fertilizers ~ Fertilizers that contain disulfoton are extremely toxic. If eaten, one teaspoon of 1% disulfoton can kill a 55 lb. dog.  

   If you believe that your dog has ingested a poison, time is of the utmost importance. Do not induce vomiting unless advised to do so by your veterinarian. 

   The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, and 365 days a year. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card. 

Remember Prevention is No Accident!

Sources:

Rover.com

Pet Poison Helpline

Toxipedia

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