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Keeping Your Pet Safe
Keeping Your Pet Safe
Learn about the plants and items around your home that
present a danger to your dog.
by Rachel Webb
June 15, 2004
Pets need to be safe in their environment. But you cannot
always remove every potential hazard from your pets reach.
Start by teaching them what is offlimits with a sharp "No"
or "Aughk" noise to show your displeasure. If you are consistent
and certain behaviors persist try commercial products that
can be sprayed into your pets mouth. "Bitter Apple" is one
of these products. It will not harm your pet but after a few
sprays your pet will discontinue hazardous behavior simply
by seeing you show them the bottle!
House and Yard Plants
Not only are a majority of houseplants poisonous to pets,
they can be easily ruined by animals shredding the leaves
or knocking them over. Look for ivy leaves, cyclamen, lily
of the valley, rhododendrons, tulip bulbs, azalea, wisteria,
daffodils, delphiniums, rhubarb leaves and poinsettias are
all dangerous.
Start by hanging as many of your plants as you can. Keep
the plants on the floor in heavy containers and cover the
exposed soil with decorative rocks to discourage cats from
using plants as a litter box. You can cover most plant leaves
with hot Tabasco sauce or diluted cologne to discourage pets
too.
Ask your family vet what plants found in your area are poisonous
to your pets. Oleander flowers, leaves and bark is hazardous
to both children and pets. Even the smoke is dangerous if
you burn dead plants. Nightshade, Larkspur, Water Hemlock,
Pokeweed, jimson weed, foxglove and Yew can also be dangerous
if ingested.
Even chewing on grass can be harmful if the grass has been
recently sprayed with pesticides.
Cleaning Products
Many household cleaning products are also unsafe for pets.
Never assume that if the product is safe for humans it is
also safe for pets. Even if you pet does not eat the product,
they could unknowingly walk through it and lick their paw.
Another danger is when the chemicals release fumes that cause
skin or eye irritations. Quaternary disinfectants which have
a ammonium chloride base is safer to use around animals than
phenol or carbolic acid bases which can be lethal.
The best disinfectant is called Chlorasan, it can be purchased
from vets and will kill most viruses and bacteria safely.
Household Dangers
Keep gasoline, solvents, weed killers, antifreeze, rat poisons,
boric acid, mothballs varnish removers, acetone and other
common everyday items out of your pets reach. Think of your
pet as a curious child and protect them by taking the precautionary
measures to prevent potential hazards.
My curious dog played with the dried worm on a fishing pole
and got the hook stuck deeply in his tongue. This could have
easily been avoided had I been on top of potential dangers.
Dogs can also suffer nicotine poisoning by consuming ashtray
contents.
Remove pins and nails they could step on and make sure plastic
bags are not left on the floor as a suffocation hazard.
Pets could also chew on live electrical cords that could
burn their mouth or lead to death.
Dangerous Animals and Insects
The common Black Widow spider is said to possess venom over
15 times as toxic as many rattlesnakes. Check your property
and animals sleeping areas often.
Bufo marinus, or giant toad, can secrete a dangerous toxin
that could kill dogs if ingested.
Part of being a responsible pet owner is to vaccinate your
pet, create a safe environment for them and familiarize yourself
with potential dangers.
- Rachel Webb
Author Rachel Webb is a former dog trainer who manufactures
Magnetic Fridge Calendars that are 100% Magnetic & easy
to write-on/wipe-off for use year after year. 5 styles available
visit: http://www.Note-Ables.com.
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