Home, A Dangerous Place for Pets
Home … such a good place to be as the snow goes and the wind blows. Or is it? There are more pet dangers around the house than you might think. Don’t want to scare you; just want to prepare you to protect your pets. And, unintentional toxin ingestion can lead to a very sick pet with, on average, a veterinary bill of $500 or more for treatment.
From Dr. Stephen Sheldon, a veterinarian in Gypsum, Colorado, comes a wonderful warning against a not-new but growing home toxicity issue for pets in our state, “Let me give you a word of advice: stash your stash, guard your Ganja and hide your hemp. Store it high and out of reach.” With the growing trend of legalization of medical marijuana and Colorado’s passage in favor of recreational marijuana dispensaries, the pet population – particularly dogs – is much more at risk of marijuana ingestion than ever before.
The Pet Poison Hotline, one of the largest pet hotlines, reported a 200 percent increase in the number of marijuana-associated calls over the past five years, and area veterinary emergency hospitals all report similar case increases. The introduction of a huge variety of edible products makes it ever easier for an accidental ingestion.
Aside from pot, other drugs and medications are also common causes of pet poisonings. The number one reported cause of reported cases from ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center annually is always human medications. The list is long, but all of the following should be out of reach for pets: ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, cold and flu medications, antidepressants, vitamins, diet pills, anti-cancer drugs, tobacco products, detergents, insecticides, disinfectants, bleach, rodent bait, liquid potpourri and paint thinners. And, if your pet ingests a known or unknown medication, don’t hesitate to call your vet or one of the pet poison hotlines for assistance.
Also lurking around the house are numerous objects that can be swallowed by pets, but then not passed – leading to the need for surgical removal. A few things that we’ve removed from recent patients, both canine and feline, included a plastic Polly Pocket doll dress, socks, underwear, a baby bottle nipple and the filling of a dog bed. Other easy-to-eat items include balls, buttons, coins, batteries, rubber bands, yarn, dental floss and plastic wrap.
A home-cooked meal or treat is wonderful, but some ingredients can cause significant issues for a pet if eaten. Keep the following away from your pets: chocolate, macadamia nuts, avocados, tea leaves, and raw yeast dough. And, while we all show our pets love with food treats, avoid rich, fatty tastes to avoid problems from either end.
March is Pet Poisoning Prevention month. So as you are spring cleaning, put all those dangerous items up and out of reach of your special friends. While not a replacement for speaking with your veterinarian or a poison control service, consider visiting your app store today for the new Red Cross Pet First Aid App – it could be the best 99 cents you ever spent on your pet or pets with information on poisoning, first aid and some general health care pointers.
Dr. Margot can be reached at parkhillvet.com
Resources
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control – 888.426.4435 ($65 consultation fee may be applied)
• Pet Poison Helpline – 800.213.6680 ($39 incident fee)
• Red Cross Pet First Aid App – $0.99, available in both iTunes and Android for mobile devices. For more information, visit www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/pet-first-aid-app