Did you know you’re probably already harboring potential pet poisons inside your home? Luckily, accidents can be prevented with a few simple precautions. Learn more below from a Cumberland County veterinary professional.
Human Foods
Our kitchens are replete with toxic foods that pets should avoid. The list includes chocolate, candy and gum, avocado, onions, garlic, chives, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, caffeinated food and beverages, salty items, fatty foods, and alcohol. Never leave these items out on a table or countertop where a pet could swipe them, and store them properly in a cabinet or the refrigerator.
Cleaning Products
Any typical supply closet harbors many chemical solutions that could seriously harm a pet that ingests them. Be careful to store all cleaners, bleaches, ammonia, solvents, or other harmful chemicals in a safe place. Use caution when putting these products to use—you may want to confine your pet to another room until the fumes have dissipated.
Houseplants & Flowers
The list of hazardous houseplants and flowers is quite long: azalea, oleander, tulips, daffodils, lilies, chrysanthemum, rubber plants, the sago palm, and poinsettias are only a few examples. Ask your veterinarian for a complete list, and see if any poisonous plants are common in your area.
Human Medications
Did you know that pain relievers like aspirin, over-the-counter medicine, prescription pills, and antidepressants can all be lethal to pets? Don’t leave any pill bottles within a pet’s reach; a determined pet can chew right through plastic bottle caps. Also be sure to store your pet’s meds away from your own, because mixing them up can prove quite dangerous.
Pesticides
Pesticides are often used in homes to combat insects and small rodents that intrude. The trouble is, they’re poisonous not only to the pests they’re designed to kill, but to our pets as well! Place pesticides with extreme caution.
Keep your Cumberland County veterinarian’s phone number on hand at all times. This way, if and when an emergency does strike, you’ll only be a phone call away from quality care!
