The American Animal Hospital Association supports the dedication of many pet parents to maintaining the health and safety of their pets. But busy lifestyles and demanding schedules may not allow you to keep an eye on your pets all the time. Because of this, it is important to pet-proof your home and keep toxic substances out of their reach. You must know the common types of poisoning in pets to prevent them. Here are the details.
Medication Poisoning
This type of poisoning involves prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and prescription veterinary medications. Prescription medications include heart medications, antibiotics, or antidepressants. Your pet will suffer severe side effects from consuming these medications. Preventing this type of poisoning involves keeping all medications in your cupboard or medicine cabinet. You can also store them in a locked box where your kids or pets cannot reach them. If you have guests, ask them to practice this.
Over-the-counter medications (OTC) can cause havoc to your pet’s health. A survey in 2018 shows that 20 percent of the calls received by the ASPCA that year were about pets eating OTC medications. These are dangerous substances for pets. Medications like ibuprofen can cause acute kidney failure. You can prevent this by keeping these medications away from your pets.
Prescription veterinary medications are flavored to encourage pets to consume them. The flavors often attract pets, mistaking these medications for delicious treats. Your pet will suffer from unnecessary side effects if they consume more than what your vet prescribed. Bottled medications should also stay inaccessible to your pets. Pets can chew through plastic bottles, even if they are childproof.
Toxic Food Poisoning
Even if you love your pets enough to share your food and drinks with them, do not. Many tempting human foods can be fatal to pets. The aromas and flavors of the foods can attract your pet. If they are accessible and unsupervised, the pets could take advantage of the exposed dishes and treats. Some toxic human foods include the following:
Garlic
Chocolate
Onions
Xylitol
Raisins and grapes
Macadamia nuts
Uncooked meat
Alcohol
Raw yeast dough
Caffeine
It is safer for your pet if you isolate them whenever there are gatherings in your home. Keep them in a room where they can rest or play while you and your guests enjoy the occasion. This can save you an emergency drive to the vet hospital in the middle of the night.
Insecticide and Rodenticide Poisoning
These chemicals often have a delicious smell to attract insects and rodents. Upon contact with the insect or rodent, the poison will kill the pest. You must keep these substances in an unreachable, locked container. This will prevent your pet from consuming them and suffering from their effects.
Plant Poisoning
Pets love to run around the house and yard to explore. They often use their mouths to get a good feel of what is in front of them. Pets find plants attractive because of the natural smells emanating from them. You must be aware of the toxic plants in and around your home. Pets can nibble on them and suffer after. Here are some of the toxic plants that you must remove from your living environment right away if you have pets:
Azalea
Oleander
Daffodils
Lilies
Autumn crocus
Understanding the types of poisoning in pets can keep your pet healthy and safe. At Highland Veterinary Clinic, we are always available to provide high-quality veterinary care to every pet. Please visit our facility in Evansville, Indiana, for an in-person consultation. Call us at 812-710-4300 for an appointment or inquire about our emergency pet poisoning treatments.
