Common In-Home Dangers To Your Pet

There are many dangers in your home that you may not recognize as harmful to your pets. Here is a list of some of the more common poisons:

• Insect control products, including some over-the-counter flea and tick products, can be toxic and may cause tremors, seizures, hypersalivation, increased heart rate, vomiting, and diarrhea.

• Medications (prescription, over-the-counter, vitamins, and diet pills) should be kept in a high cabinet where pets cannot access the bottle. Dogs can chew through childproof caps. Be careful not to drop any medications. The type of reaction your pet may have will depend on the medication ingested.

• Ibuprofen (Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve), and other common pain control medications are highly toxic to your pets. If you are concerned your pet is in pain, contact a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and pain medications. Giving any medications at home without consulting a veterinarian may cause serious damage. It may also compromise the appropriate medication the vet would normally recommend.

• Mouse, Rat, and Mole Baits take out those pesky rodents but are also extremely harmful to your pet. Some cause your pet to have blood clotting issues, while others cause neurologic problems and even death.

• Cleaners such as bleach, oven cleaners, disinfectants, toilet bowl cleaners, and any other household cleaners should be kept where a pet cannot access them. Keep pets away while using these cleaners as it can irritate the respiratory tract if inhaled and gastrointestinal distress if ingested.

• Weed killers, fertilizers, and cocoa mulch can cause severe gastric upset and possible obstruction.

• Indoor and outdoor plants (including baby’s breath, daffodils, marijuana, and any type of lily) can be highly toxic and cause a number of problems depending on the plant.

For a complete list of toxic plants and other household items, visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control website.