Seasonal changes, holidays and other celebrations increase you Pet’s chance of being exposed to seemingly harmless but potentially dangerous toxins. But It’s just as important to keep an eye out for year-round dangers, too. Human foods, seasonal plants, and human medications are just a few things that deserve special attention.
Chocolate, a holiday favorite, is a “people treat” that can be toxic to dogs, even in small quantities. It also happens to be one of the most common edible items that Pets cannot tolerate. If ingested a dog’s problems can range from no adverse effect to death in some Pets. Check out the Humane Society’s list of foods that are toxic, including onions, grapes and raisins – just a few that might be surprising. Even artificial sweeteners are suspected of causing health problems with your Pets. So, play it safe and avoid sharing any people food.
As we know, plants have their toxic issues too. The Humane Society also provides a list of plants your Pet should avoid. Day lily happens to be one plant that is toxic to cats. Fall is a great time for planting flower bulbs for spring color-but be sure you are aware of the risks posed by the ingestion of bulbs.
We certainly cannot forget man-made chemical hazards including insecticides, pesticides and antifreeze, which is potentially fatal even in small doses. Just like with children and adults these are a danger if exposure occurs with out proper protection. For more information, HealthyPet.com has a great article on poison prevention.
Medications such as Tylenol (containing acetaminophen) are highly toxic to cats as well as dogs. Since dogs and cats may metabolize things differently than people some human medication can be fatal to a Pet. Another problem is that Pets are so much smaller than people, it is much easier to overdose a Pet with an adult strength medication. Consider all human medicine toxic to your Pet (unless your veterinarian specifically prescribes for your Pet) and keep them out of their reach. Contact a veterinarian immediately if you know or suspect your Pet has swallowed or been exposed to your prescription medication. This allows early treatment to ensure the best possible outcome.
With a little precaution you can help ensure a healthy, happy holiday season for your entire family.
I read the blog pretty regularly, but was a little disappointed to find that the link to the list of toxic foods is inaccessable from our hospital. This list and others like it would certainly be a helpful handout that we, as a hospital, would have liked to give to clients at this time of year.
December 26th, 2008 at 12:04 pm