Animals and Pet Care
Tips to Pet Proof Your Home
Household cleansers, furniture polishes, disinfectants, insecticides, antifreeze, fertilizers, perfumes, and make up can be dangerous to dogs.
Make sure cupboards and storage areas (garage) containing these items are secure. A bored or determined dog can go "where no dog has gone before."
Make sure dishwasher, washing machine, dryer and oven are closed
Throw out plastic bags, aluminum foil and food wrappers. If swallowed, they can cause damage to a pet's digestive tract or in some cases, cause shock and death
Make sure your toilet lid is down
See that medications are locked up. The sound of pills rattling in a plastic bottle may entice the pet to chew the bottle open
Unplug electrical cords and place them out of a pet's reach. Dangling cords look like toys
Remove candy or nuts from coffee tables or locations where a pet can reach it. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and nuts can be dangerous as well
If moth balls are used, keep areas where they are off limits to pets
Check to see that any hobby supplies, i.e., paints, glue, needles and thread, etc., have been placed away from an inquisitive pet's reach
Double check that the garbage can is secure. They contain delicious surprises of which some can be life threatening, i.e., chicken bones, foil food wrapper, batteries, etc.
Is the fence secure and is the gate locked?
Put all dangerous plants outside of a pet's reach. (see below for a list of poisonous plants)
If you think a pet has been poisoned, try to identify the substance
Try to induce vomiting, then try to delay absorption into the intestinal tract by coating it with a substance which binds, followed by a laxative to speed elimination
If the pet is suffering from any nervous disorders, notify a veterinarian at once and get medical attention
To prepare in advance, keep the proper first aid supplies on hand and know the correct dosages for your pets