Every year, hundreds of thousands of pets are exposed to toxic substances, many of which are included in everyday household products. Ann Gaynor Zapun, of Sturbridge (MA) Pet Services, suggests that you keep pets away from the following:
Human/veterinary medications
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements; also heartworm preventatives, de-wormers and antibiotics.
People Foods
Chocolate; coffee; alcoholic beverages; grapes and raisins; avocado and certain citrus fruit; macadamia nuts; candy containing the sweetener Xylitol; onions; apple seeds; walnuts; yeast dough; moldy foods; tea; apricot and cherry pits; and tomato leaves.
Insecticides, Fertilizers, Pest Control Substances
Any of the above in any quantity is highly toxic.
Household plants
Lilly of the valley, oleander, rhododendron, azalea; sago palm; kalanchoe; schefflera; yew and fox glove; rhubarb leaves and some types of lilies; mushrooms and cycads; mistletoe; geraniums; and poinsettias.
Chemical hazards
Anti-freeze; de-icing compounds; paint thinner; drain cleaners; and pool/spa chemicals.
Cleaners
Bleaches; detergents; disinfectants. These products, when inhaled, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.
Heavy metals
Zinc and mercury. Lead is e specially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.
If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poison, call the ASPCA animal poison control center, 1-888-426-4435. There is a consultation fee of $60 payable by credit card for each instance.
reprinted from an ASPCA Newsletter
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1 comment:
Thanks for spreading the word on pet toxicities on your blog - so important for pet owners to be aware of the lurking household poisons in (and outside of) their house! As an ER specialist, I see so many toxicities that owners bring in too late (making it more expensive to treat, with a worse prognosis!). When in doubt, it's so important to call a Poison Control for peace of mind!
I wanted to make you aware of another important resource out there also - Pet Poison Helpline is an additional Animal Poison Control Center, and it's one of the most cost-effective animal poison ($35/case vs. ASPCA's new $60/case) controls out there nowadays. Unfortunately, because animal poison controls are not federal- or state-funded, there is a fee to allow the service to be run 24-7. We provide a similar service, but have the added benefit of veterinary specialists (in internal medicine and emergency and critical care) as part of our staff. You can always call 1-800-213-6680 if you ever have a problem. Thanks for spreading the word!
Dr. Justine Lee, DVM, DACVECC
Associate Director of Veterinary Services
www.petpoisonhelpline.com
www.drjustinelee.com
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