Every year, hundreds of thousands of pets are exposed to toxic substances, many of which are included in everyday household products. Ann Gaynor Zapun, of Sturbridge (MA) Pet Services, suggests that you keep pets away from the following:
Human/veterinary medications
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers, cold medications, antidepressants and dietary supplements; also heartworm preventatives, de-wormers and antibiotics.
People Foods
Chocolate; coffee; alcoholic beverages; grapes and raisins; avocado and certain citrus fruit; macadamia nuts; candy containing the sweetener Xylitol; onions; apple seeds; walnuts; yeast dough; moldy foods; tea; apricot and cherry pits; and tomato leaves.
Insecticides, Fertilizers, Pest Control Substances
Any of the above in any quantity is highly toxic.
Household plants
Lilly of the valley, oleander, rhododendron, azalea; sago palm; kalanchoe; schefflera; yew and fox glove; rhubarb leaves and some types of lilies; mushrooms and cycads; mistletoe; geraniums; and poinsettias.
Chemical hazards
Anti-freeze; de-icing compounds; paint thinner; drain cleaners; and pool/spa chemicals.
Cleaners
Bleaches; detergents; disinfectants. These products, when inhaled, can cause serious gastrointestinal distress and irritation to the respiratory tract.
Heavy metals
Zinc and mercury. Lead is e specially pernicious, and pets are exposed to it through many sources, including paint chips, linoleum, and lead dust produced when surfaces in older homes are scraped or sanded.
If you suspect that your pet has ingested a poison, call the ASPCA animal poison control center, 1-888-426-4435. There is a consultation fee of $60 payable by credit card for each instance.
reprinted from an ASPCA Newsletter
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