Safety First Whether you let your pet roam freely or they happen to escape, your home and the outside world can be a dangerous place. We recommend meeting your pets’ basic needs with appropriate food, to fulfill their nutritional needs; fun, safe toys to satisfy their behavioural needs of chewing and playing; safe collars, leashes and tie-outs keeping their environmental needs in check and appropriate grooming tools, for their safety and yours. Like small children, pets are curious and will put almost anything in their mouths. This is exactly why you must prepare your home for your new pet’s arrival. For the most part, anything that’s poisonous to us needs to be out of reach to them. There are also common household items, some of which can be deadly, that every pet owner needs to be aware of. Food, Drink and Indigestible Although most are harmless to us, these items can be potentially lethal to your pet: Alcoholic beverages, avocado (skin & pit), caffeine (coffee, tea, soda), chocolate, cigarette smoke and tobacco products, moldy or spoiled foods, mushrooms, raw meat, eggs, bones, onions, garlic, chives, raw peanuts in shell, macadamia nuts, fruit seeds, salty foods, grapes and raisins. Chemicals and Toxins Fumes from certain chemicals and toxins are harmful to all pets, but especially to birds. The following is a list of the most common chemicals to watch out for:

Aerosols
Ammonia
Antifreeze
Bleach
Cleansers (floor, drain, oven, etc.)
Deodorants
Detergents
Felt tip markers
Flea bombs
Floor/furniture polish
Gasoline
Glues
Hair sprays & hair dyes
Hand & body lotion
Insecticides
Iodine
lead
Lighter fluid
Nail polish & remover
Matches
Mothballs
Over-heated non-stick cookware (Teflon®)
Paint & paint related products
Perfumes
Propane
Scented candles, incense
Smoke (including cigarette smoke)
Spray starch
Suntan oil & lotion

Toxic Plants Many common household and outdoor plants are toxic to pets. If eaten, these can cause serious illness and even death. We recommend taking some precautions:

Hanging indoor plants out of pets’ reach
Use commercially-prepared, pet-safe repellents
Use safe adverse tactics, such as clean water bottle sprayed, or motion-sensitive devices
provide safe cat grass to chew

Plants that ARE harmful to your pets: Amaryllis, azalea, bird of paradise, bulb flowers (iris, daffodil, etc.), calla lily (leaves), cherry tree (all parts but fruit), chrysanthemum, crab-apple (leaves only), eggplant (all parts but fruit), elderberry, English ivy, eucalyptus, foxglove, holly, marijuana, honeysuckle (leaves and berries), juniper, lily of the valley, morning glory, mistletoe, mushrooms, oleander, philodendron, poinsettia, poison ivy/oak/sumac, rhododendron, rhubarb, skunk cabbage, sweet pea, tulip/narcissus bulb, yew Outdoor plants that are NOT harmful to your pets: bamboo, beech (American & European), blueberry, dogwood, grape vine, hibiscus, marigolds, raspberry, pyracantha, rose, willow Indoor plants that are NOT harmful to your pets: African violet, aloe, Boston fern, Danish ivy, fig plant, grape vine, rose Is Your Home Pet Proof? Unfortunately, you cannot remove all potential pet dangers. You can however make sure your pet is safe from the following hazards: All Pets

Common household hazards: Cleaning supplies (glass cleaners, disinfectants, floor and furniture polishes), open washer and dryers, open toilets (keep lids closed), hot pots and pans with non-stick coating releases fumes that can be toxic, candles, filled bathtubs and sinks (especially hot water), open doors and windows
Medications, including: vitamins, pain killers, cold medication, diet pills, incorrect use of veterinarian medication
Chocolate (contains theobromine, which in large quantities can be fatal)
Swimming pools left unattended
Hot electric/gas/wood stoves
Frayed electrical wiring
Warm weather hazards: extreme heat (heatstroke very common and can be deadly), swimming pools, treatment supplies, citronella candles, outdoor plants and bulbs, garden products, including insecticides, misuse of flea and tick products
Cold weather hazards: Anti-freeze, ice melting products, rat and mouse bait, hyperthermia (must provide clean, dry shelter)
Fighting from other pets
Holiday hazards: Christmas tree water, ribbons or tinsel, batteries

Signs of Trouble It is not always easy to tell if a pet has been exposed to or ingested toxic material. In some cases it is instantaneous, but in other cases, it can take days or even weeks. Here are some common signs to look for:

Drooling
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Convulsions
Apathy or depression
Loss of consciousness
Bloody feces
Excessive coughing and sneezing
Impaired motor coordination
Rapid, shallow breathing
Skin irritations
Weakness

What To Do It is always better to be safe than sorry. If you think your pet has ingested or been in contact with any toxic items, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Tag Archives: Household Hazards

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