Every home has items that when swallowed by your pet can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal. To help protect your dog or cat, here are some common household hazards you should be aware of. Among them:
- Food. Always keep garbage out of your pet’s reach. The rotting food contains mold and bacteria that could end up giving your four-legged friend food poisoning. In addition, many human foods can be extremely harmful to dogs and cats. Following are just some of the things that should never be on your pet’s menu: chocolate, avocado, onion, grapes/raisins, alcohol
- Cleaning products. You can use many cleaning products in your home safely around your pets, but you have to make sure to read the labels and use them properly. Cleaners containing bleach can cause stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, or severe burns if swallowed, so keep your pets away from any areas you’ve cleaned until they are dry.
- Medications. Human medications can make dogs and cats very sick. Always keep medicine bottles tightly closed and stored in a secure cabinet away from your pets. Some examples of medications that are harmful to pets include: Aspirin, Ibuprofen, prescription drugs, diet pills
How do you protect your dogs from these common household hazards? Has your dog accidentally swallowed anything she shouldn’t have? Share your tips and stories with everyone in the comments.
AKC's Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Director, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist
COINS!!! These are extremely dangerous if swallowed by a dog.
You’re exactly right. If the dog swallows coins, a dime can end up costing you
more than $1000…if you’re lucky. Because a vet bill and a dog that survives
is certainly better than the alternative.
It is always important to keep your trash can away from dogs when you are not home if it contains anything that attracts their attention. We have 4 Doberman Pinschers and some time when are playing the trash can get knocked over. I try to take a good look around to make sure nothing tempting is left within their reach and provide toys to occupy them.
I got a panic call from my friend who’s Jack Russel puppy ate a zyrtex, I had them check with a vet emergency to be sure everything was ok for her puppy.
I do my best to manage my dogs and keep tempting items out of their reach. They were never allowed to learn counter surfing and also learned a good strong “leave it” command. For those rare occassions when they eat a mushroom or god-knows-what outdoors I keep hydrogen peroxide on hand.
I work at a PetSmart and am constantly picking up rubber bands, strings, and packages of dessicant for fear that some silly puppy will pick them up and swallow.