Last Tuesday Robin and I were giving a presentation to the staff at a Doggie Day Care in Cumming. Our presentation focused on topics that included behavioral dog training, canine safety, and environmental socialization. One of their clients had just dropped their dog off for the day and overheard our presentation. She came over, raised her hand, and said that she had a question. We love questions, so we were happy to respond. The question that she posed was very important.
“Our family is very active and rather messy. Because of that, we often leave stuff laying around the house. Our dog will often get the stuff we leave out and play with it. He thinks they are toys or treats. We want to keep our dog safe, so are there things I should watch out for and make a concerted effort to keep away from him? I really don’t want to do anything that would hurt him or make him sick…”
I told her that all dogs, whether they are puppies or senior doggie-citizens, are very inquisitive creatures. It is critical for all dog owners to be keenly aware and constantly vigilant when it comes to potential poisons in and around the home. On top of this, they must be able to spot warning signs that would indicate that their dog has come into contact or ingested something that might be poisonous to the dog. The one thing that most dog owners do not realize is that items that are safe and fully edible for humans can be quite deadly for their dog.
We then proceeded to provide her with some tips and guidelines regarding poisons around the house and her dog:
- Do not allow your pets to come into contact with your common household cleaners (even the fumes can be noxious for your pet) and heavy metals (such as lead) that are often found in paint chips and linoleum.
- Many common foods that are easily found in family homes are dangerous and can act as a poison to dogs. Some, but not all of these foods include chocolate, avocado, raisins, grapes, garlic, alcoholic and caffeinated drinks, onions, and some sweeteners.
- There are many “bad things for dogs” in the garage. Keep your pets away from items such as antifreeze/coolant. Even though something may say “animal friendly”, do not take the chance that your dog may even “lick up” a spill on the garage floor. Always clean up any antifreeze leaks or spills. Dogs gravitate towards the “sweet smell” of these products and will often die from kidney failure if they ingest even a small amount of these substances.
- Keep all things like ant poisons, mosquito pellets, etc. in places not accessible to your dog. Just like antifreeze, some of these items used to eliminate insects and small rodents use a sweet smell to attract “their prey”. This same smell may attract your dog and their ingestion of the substance often causes severe internal bleeding.
- Give your vet a call before you give your dog any vitamin or medication they have not prescribed. Even though the man on the TV says it is a great medication or vitamin that you can easily order over the internet, it does not mean it is good for your dog. Place all medicines well out of your dog’s reach.
- Many household and backyard plants are poisonous to pets. Educate yourself regarding the types of toxic plants that may grow in your home and immediate vicinity (both cultivated and wild). If you find anything that is poisonous or questionably harmful to your dog, remove it or keep your dog away from it.
- Do not allow your dog to be on lawns or in gardens that have been treated with fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides. If your dog has walked on treated lawns, wash and clean his feet as soon as possible.
- Your veterinarian probably has a detailed list of all potentially poisonous items, substances and plants found around your home. Ask him for a copy. You can also check out Pet Poisons.
Symptoms You Will Probably Observe if Your Pet has been Poisoned:
- Constant Vomiting
- Shortness of Breath
- Loss of Motor Functions including Stumbling or Staggering
- High Temperature
- Signs of being Sluggish or Lethargic
- High Level of Thirst and Demand for Water
- Seizures and Shaking
- Passing Out / Loss of Consciousness
- High Propensity to Drool
- Elevated or Decreased Heart Rate
- Dilated Pupils
If your dog seems listless, out of sorts, or you observe him displaying any of the symptoms enumerated above, call your vet immediately. Always have the name, phone number, and address of the local 24-hour vet handy and available for all family members.
Our experience has been that almost all “medical dog emergencies” happen when our normal vet hospital is closed. That is why you need to have the contact information for the 24-hour vet. If they tell you to come in, be sure to take along the packaging of the suspected substance or a sample of the plant you think your dog may have eaten.
Please call or text us at (770) 718-7704 if you need any dog training help. You can also email us at [email protected]. We are blessed to have been your local dog training experts for over eighteen years. We have trained over 6,000 wonderful dogs and excellent families and are ready to help you.
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