Hazards for Pet’s Who ‘Help Themselves’

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Lynne Hudlow

Late fall and winter bring the celebration of many holidays, giving us a chance to enjoy food, visitors, decorations and gifts! While most of us enjoy getting caught up in the spirit of the season, it’s important to remember to keep an eye on Pets that tend to €œhelp themselves€ to a little of this and a little of that. Many seasonal household items like chocolate, antifreeze, fertilizers, glass/plastic decorations, craft materials and glues become a hazard for our Pets

Dogs in particular are very curious and interested in checking out everything, and tend to like eating things that are hazardous to their health, especially when everyone is occupied with holiday activities. If an accident does occur and your dog does manage to get into something hazardous, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately.

Same goes for cats or other species that may ingest potentially dangerous substances. Since your veterinary hospital may need to contact poison control it is a good idea to bring in any packaging that may list the ingredients of the item(s) your Pet ate. Acting quickly to seek medical attention in these cases gives your Pet the best chance of a full recovery.

While there are many situations in which Pets ingest hazardous materials, here are a few examples of some I have seen in my past hospital experience:

  • A miniature pincher swallowed a heavy duty 3 pronged fish hook, which was a stressful surgery for everyone involved!
  • A Doberman who was a repeat offender for eating whole corn cobs and pumpkin stems–that poor dog had A LOT of surgeries to remove stuff!!
  • Numerous kitties that had eaten a needle or needle with thread, which is a very nasty and dangerous problem since both items can cut or puncture stomach/intestines.
  • And quite frequently, we treat Pets who have eaten an engagement ring accidentally.

Be sure to check with your veterinary hospital on tips for safe toys and suggestions on Pet-proofing the house, yard and car. In addition to your veterinarian some great resources for information on seasonal hazards can be found at:



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