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As a dedicated and responsible pet owner, you take special care to make sure your furry companion stays safe and out of trouble. March is Pet Poison Awareness Month. We’d like to take this opportunity to remind you of the trouble your pets could get into with the right combination of curiosity, boredom, and easy access to potential toxins in and around your home.
Pet poisoning prevention isn’t complicated, but it does take an understanding of what constitutes a danger to your pet, and what you can do to avert a tragedy.
Common Pet Poisons
Many items commonly found in our homes, garages, and backyards can pose a serious health risk to our four-legged family members. Some of the most common culprits for pet poisoning include:
- People food, including chocolate, alcohol, anything containing the artificial sweetener Xylitol, grapes/raisins, macadamia nuts, onions, coffee grounds, and fatty meats
- Garbage, food scraps, and compost
- Human and pet medications
- Household cleaners and other chemicals
- Personal care products
- House and landscaping plants
- Pesticides, rodenticides, and insecticides
- Antifreeze and other automotive fluids
- Bone meal, blood meal, and other soil amenders
- Cocoa hull mulch
Pet Poisoning Prevention
Pet owners are aware of their pet’s propensity to sniff, lick, and chew on a wide variety of objects. Some pets seem almost indifferent to what they put in their mouths! Regardless of your pet’s past behavior, however, it’s important to realize that an accidental pet poisoning can happen anytime, anywhere.
Our pet poisoning prevention tips are easy to implement in and around your home:
- Take a good look around your home and garage and remove or securely store any potential pet toxins.
- Clean up antifreeze spills immediately, and store unused portions in a tightly sealed container out of your pet’s reach.
- Always supervise your pet while outdoors, and don’t allow them to investigate alleys, puddles, or garbage.
- Don’t feed table scraps to your pet.
- Remove and store leftover food promptly, and keep garbage bins covered to prevent curious pets from investigating.
- Make it a household rule that all backpacks, purses, and coats must be hung up out of pets’ reach, as these items often contain leftover food, medications, and other potential pet hazards.
- Before bringing any plants into your home, or planting any outdoors, check out the ASPCA’s comprehensive list of toxic plants.
If you know or suspect your pet has ingested something they shouldn’t have, time is of the essence. Give us a call right away, or contact Garden State Veterinary Specialists for after hours emergency care. Keep the Pet Poison Helpline number in your phone, and always have your pet’s medical records in an easily accessible location.