4 Household Toxins All Pet Owners Need to Know About
March is Pet Poison Prevention Month, and the team at Animal Medical Care wants to this list of common household toxins. Chances are, you have these four items around your home:
- Drugs. Have a headache? Pop a Tylenol. But if your pet accidentally gets into some of your human medication, including aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, you could be facing a severe pet health emergency. Other human medicines to keep away from pets include cold medicines, antidepressants, vitamins, diet pills, and drugs that fight cancer.
- Strings. We don’t like when strings are attached, but your pet will dislike it even more because stringy items, including yarn, rubber bands, dental floss, and the like can be easily swallowed by your pet, causing intestinal blockages or even strangulation, both of which can be fatal.
- Repellents. Some insect control products, including many over-the-counter flea and tick preventives, could be toxic to your furry pal. Prescription products are always safest, but even a prescription medication meant for a dog could be deadly if used on a cat. Always ask us which flea and tick products are best for your pets.
- Cooking spray. No one wins when dinner sticks to the pan (unless you’d rather not eat mom’s cooking anyway), but if you have a pet bird, beware of the fumes from nonstick cooking surfaces and self-cleaning ovens. They’ll keep things cleaner for you, but they can be deadly to your feathered friend.
There are many household and garden items that are dangerous for your pets. Also, watch for poisonous plants, toys with small parts, rawhide chews, human foods (chocolate, artificial sweeteners, chicken bones, alcohol, onions, and grapes, just to name a few), and holiday décor.
If you think your furry friend has gotten into something they shouldn’t have, contact us immediately for help. You can also call the Pet Poison Helpline 24 hours per day, seven days per week.