If you have pets at home, you want to make sure you’re prioritizing their safety. Even if you feel like your home is completely pet-proofed, you never know what normal household objects could unexpectedly endanger the lives of your beloved dogs or cats. When it comes to pet health, it’s not enough to have a trustworthy animal hospital service in Henrico VA on call. You also need to make sure you’re not accidentally or unwittingly bringing items into your home that are lethal to your pet. From chemical cleaning fluids to basic food items like chocolate and grapes, you never know what’s going to have the potential to seriously harm your pet’s health. If you want to keep your home safe for further furry creatures, here are a few hazardous materials you need to keep out of your pet’s reach.
1. Chocolate
It may be your favorite after-dinner treat, but this delightful sweet spells danger for pets. Because chocolate has something called methylxanthine, it presents a high danger to animals, especially pets. When this substance is more concentrated, especially in dark chocolate or semisweet baking chocolate, it could prove lethal for your dog or cat. If your pet has ingested any amount of chocolate, it’s time to call the vet. Don’t wait for the vomiting spell to insue. The best way to keep your pets safe is to keep chocolate way out of reach. Preventative care is the best type of treatment when it comes to chocolate falling into the wrong hands. If you have small children, make sure they’re always supervised when eating sweets. Kids who are lower to the ground could easily end up accidentally feeding Fido something he shouldn’t be eating. If your dog is hankering for a sweet treat, use peanut butter and stay far away from chocolate and artificial sweetener.
2. Grapes and Raisins
While grapes might seem harmless enough, they can spell serious danger for your dog or cat. Along with onions, garlic, and avocado, this fruit can turn toxic when ingested. However, this doesn’t mean that all is lost if your dog accidentally eats a raisin after it falls on the ground. In general, the larger your pet is, the better they’ll be able to deal with it. While raisins present a more concentrated version of the toxic grape, they’re considered to be more dangerous to pets. However, if your dog accidentally eats one or a few, you might not necessarily have to rush him off the vet just yet. Watch your pet closely if he’s accidentally eaten something he shouldn’t have, and be prepared to drive to the animal hospital if his state changes.
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3. Bug Repellant
While there are many pet-friendly versions of Raid and popular anti-bug sprays on the market, there are still a ton out there that use toxic chemicals to treat infested areas. And while many of the more heavy-duty sprays might claim to be pet-friendly, you should always take this claim with a grain of salt. If something is famous for killing bugs effectively, chances are it’s not going to be 100 percent safe for human or animal ingestion. If you need to spray around your home, check the ingredient list first. If everything seems fine, spray first, let it dry, air it out, and then let your pet back into the area.
4. Cleaning Products
Heavy-duty cleaning supplies like bleach and ammonia aren’t just dangerous for pets: They can be lethal for humans as well. Most homeowners know to keep these items far out of reach and to never mix them. However, if you’re cleaning a tough stain and you need to bring out the big guns, getting down and dirty with some heavy chemicals is inevitable. As long as you keep your pets out of the area while you’re cleaning, you should be alright. However, always be aware of cleaning with intense products in spaces that aren’t well-ventilated. The fumes could be toxic not just to your pets, but to everyone in your household.
5. Human Medicine
You take medicine to feel better. Your pets, however, aren’t going to have the same response. The anatomies of dogs and cats are very different from ours, and it’s never safe to assume that any medical product labeled for human use is safe for other animals. This goes for recreational drugs as well. While it’s easy to protect kids and pets from ingesting pills due to child-safe caps, it’s still a good idea not to leave loose pills or pillboxes laying around. Don’t trust your pets to leave stray pills or pools of cleaning solution alone. Instead, make your house as pet-friendly and child-proof as possible to ensure that everyone stays healthy.