Pets and Poisons

Common Household Items Can Be Poisonous To Pets If your pet has come into contact with a potential toxin... call your veterinarian immediately!  
Or call the ANIMAL POISON CONTROL CENTER
888-4ANI-HELP 888-426-4435  $45 fee may be applied to credit card*

 


Thousands of dogs and cats needlessly suffer and many die each year by accidental ingestion of household poisons, including pesticides, popular houseplants, medications and common foods.  The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, the only animal poison control center in North America offers advice to pet owners about the many household products that can be dangerous and even deadly to their four-legged family member.


Mothballs, potpourri oils, coffee grounds, homemade play dough, fabric softener sheets, dishwashing detergent, batteries, cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, pennies and hand and foot warmers could be dangerous for your pet. Keep all prescription and over-the-counter medications out of your pets' reach, preferably in closed/locked cabinets above the counter. Painkillers, cold medicines, antidepressants, vitamins and diet pills can be lethal to animals, even in small doses.


Read all of the information on the label before using a product on your pet or in your home.  If a product is for use only on dogs, it should never be used on cats and vice versa.  Be aware of the plants you have in your home and yard. The ingestion of azalea, oleander, sago palm or yew plant material by your pet can be fatal.  Easter lily, day lily, tiger lily and some other lily species can cause kidney failure in cats.  


Make sure your pets do not go on lawns or in gardens treated with fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides until they have dried completely. Always store such products in areas that are inaccessible to your pets. If you are uncertain about the usage of any product, ask the manufacturer and/or your veterinarian for instructions.  

 

 

Be alert for antifreeze/coolant leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste and ingesting just a small amount can cause an animal's death.  Consider using animal-friendly products that use propylene glycol rather than those containing ethylene glycol.


When using rat, mouse, snail or slug baits, or ant or roach traps, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your pet. Bait contains sweet smelling inert ingredients, such as jelly, peanut butter or sugar that can attract your pets. And if your dog eats a critter that ingested these poisons they can become critically ill or worse, die. 


For rodents, we strongly encourage the use ONLY of snap traps placed out of reach of dogs. For insects, we strongly recommend natural predators.  

Poisonous Foods for Dogs


·        Chocolate (contains Theobromine)
·        Candy (particularly chocolate, which is toxic to dogs, cats, and ferrets, and any candy containing the sweetener Xylitol)
·        Onions, onion powder & garlic
·        Pear pits, the kernels/seeds of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pits (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning), cherry pits
·        Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
·        Rhubarb leaves
·        Moldy/spoiled foods
·        Macadamia Nuts/Walnuts
·        Alcohol (of any type)
·        Yeast dough
·        Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
·        Hops (used in home brewing)
·        Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
·        Broccoli (in large amounts)
·        Raisins and grapes (damages the kidneys)
·        Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars
·        Nutmeg, salt, Mustard seeds
·        Raw Potatoes, potato leaves and stems (green parts)
·        Turkey skin
·        Voltarin (in arthritis medication)-Very Fatal
·        Baby Food (can contain onion powder)
·        Citrus oil
·        Fat trimmings (Can cause pancreatitis).
·        Human vitamins containing iron (can damage the lining of the digestive system)
·        Large amounts of liver
·        Mushrooms
·        Rhubarb leaves
·        Raw fish

 

 

 

Pets and common household poisons.

This article has been posted courtesy of Diamond MK Weimaraners

*Often, the Human Poison Control hotline can offer assistance with your pet (there is no fee for calling them & if they can't help, then call the Animal Poison Control Hotline).

Human Poison Control:

  • Find your local Poison Control Center: location-map
  • West Michigan - Blodgett Regional Poison Control Center: 800-764-7661

Animal Poison Control:

  • 888-4ANI-HELP 888-426-4435 (there may be a $45 fee for using this service)

See the Poison List: Poisonous Foods for Dogs

 

Other articles posted courtesy of DMK Weimaraners: