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| Dr. Ronald Biese |
He was
suffering from rat poisoning which caused him to bleed into his spinal
cord. This presentation was extremely
unusual and rare, but very real. We
started Vitamin K as the antidote to the chemical in rat poison and he made
a full recovery.
Dogs and
even cats will eat almost anything! There are literally thousands of toxins in
this world that are not an issue unless consumed. Every year many pets die or become seriously
ill from consuming something they shouldn’t have eaten. So, as their care giver, the owner has to
remain vigilant on the access they have to toxins.
To keep our
pets safe we must be mindful of what may harm our beloved furry friends:
1. Know what products can be used on your
pet. There are certain flea products,
for instance, that can only be used on dogs and if put on a cat have serious
consequences.
2. Do NOT give a medication to your pet
that hasn’t been prescribed by your veterinarian until you know it is safe and
have the correct dosage. Contact your
veterinary clinic before giving any medication.
In that same vein, make sure all human medications are out of reach of
your pets. Make sure your pet doesn’t
eat a human drug that may be dropped on the floor. If you drop pills often, you may want to keep
your pet out of the room until you are done taking your medication.
3. My advice on rat poison is DON’T
USE IT, period! There are so many times
a pet owner will place rat poison in a “hidden” place. The owner is so confident that their pet can’t
get at it and they end up finding it and eating it. What isn’t commonly known is mice will move
the rat poison to their nesting place for food later in the winter. The place they move it to is often very
accessible to their pet. Rat poison
kills!! Don’t use it!
4. Plants tend to beautify a home. It is wonderful to display plants in a house;
however, many are toxic to pets. Please
contact your veterinarian or visit a reputable website to find which plants are
toxic to your cat or dog. Then simply
don’t have those plants in your home.
5. There are plenty of every day foods
that are toxic to a dog and/or cat.
Chocolate is the most known toxic food, but there are plenty of others
that can do great harm to your pet. The
short list of most toxic foods includes chocolate, grapes/raisins, macadamia
nuts, onions, garlic, any candy with xylitol (gums, breath fresheners, peanut
butter, etc.), rhubarb leaves, mushrooms and others. Avoid giving these foods to your pet, and
don’t leave them accessible in any way.
6. Chemicals such as household cleaners
and antifreeze can be very toxic to your pet.
Keep all of them in a cabinet that can’t be “broken into”. If your car leaks antifreeze, clean it up
immediately. It doesn’t take much
antifreeze to kill a dog within 24 hours.
7. Non-food household items can pose a
problem if your pet eats them. For
instance, yarn or string can get stuck in your cat’s intestines and cause
serious problems. Coins and jewelry are
often eaten by dogs, because they have alluring oils from human hands. Moth balls smell terrible, but dogs have been
known to eat them and they are very toxic to animals. It is amazing what a dog will eat that would
seem impossible for them to even get into their mouths and swallow!
With the
above list, it may sound daunting to keep all of the toxic things in this world
away from your beloved four-legged friend, but with some common sense and being
familiar with what may harm them, you can keep your pet safe. As always, contact your veterinarian if you
have any questions about anything you think may be toxic to your pet.
Pet Poison Help iPhone App Fox Valley Animal Referral Center
Toxic Plant Guide
For more information click on the links below
Pet Poison Help iPhone App Fox Valley Animal Referral Center
Toxic Plant Guide
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