The blog has been a bit neglected since I was out of town for the better part of a week. Greta and Dewey stayed behind with dad while I traveled to the East Coast to see Grandma Willy (and her dog, Kalika!). I returned yesterday evening bearing bandannas and treats, but I'm still getting the cold shoulder for being away...Anyhow, it's National Poison Prevention Week here in the states. The ASPCA runs a 24 hour poison control center out of Illinois and provides a wealth of information about veterinary toxins. According to their website, the most common household hazards include human medications such as painkillers and antidepressants, insecticides, rat and mouse poisons, certain varieties of houseplants, heavy metals in the form of paint chips, linoleum, and lead, chemicals like antifreeze, paint thinner, etc., household cleaners, fertilizer, and human foods such as grapes, raisins, avocados, chocolate, and macadamia nuts.
Take it from me: there's nothing worse than a poisoned dog. After Dewey's chocolate truffle binge last December, I have been extra vigilant about keeping toxic substances out of reach. Even something as seemingly innocuous as an onion can make your pooch sick. I learned this the hard way when I once gave Greta some avocado and she had an allergic reaction - poor girl. These days, I often consult the ASPCA website to double check a food that I'm unsure about, and their poison control hotline is one number that all pet guardians should have handy:
1-888-426-4435
Although a $60.00 consultation fee is usually charged, it's nice just to that there's a 24-hour resource for emergencies. Another good tip is keep some hydrogen peroxide handy. If your dog ingests something toxic, you can administer a small amount to induce vomiting. It's also a good idea to have Benadryl on hand for allergic reactions that your pup may have (be sure to consult your veterinarian first, though, about proper dosage). In the end, prevention is key!
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2 comments:
Hi! I didn't know that avocado leaves were poisonous. I have two wiener dogs and they love to eat the avocado fruit that falls from the plant I have in my garden. I will be more carefull from now on, thanks for the tip!! :D
Also Gorilla Glue! This is highly attractive to dogs, as it smells delicious to them. However, Gorilla Glue expands when in contact with liquid, and keeps expanding, so a pea sized amount can turn into a grapefruit in a dog's stomach! My puppy overturned something with Gorilla Glue on it to lick it. He ended up being just fine, but it can require major surgery to have the ball of glue removed. The Gorilla Glue company actually has a 24 hour vet hotline. They told us not to give him hydrogen peroxide to make him throw up because the liquid would make the glue expand more rapidly.
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