Keeping My Pet Safe Inside the House

Keeping My Pet Safe Inside the House

Throughly Check Your Home

Throughout your home, make a check for these regular items that may allow your pet to escape or get loose fall subject to an accident. Make sure that all windows have secure screens, especially if your pet likes to sit near a window to watch what goes on outside. Make sure the screens will not pop out or fall off it leaned against or pawed at. If you have a screen door that is regularly used, make sure the door is securely latched and won't open without assistance.

If you are coming and going from the home, like unloading groceries from the car or doing yard work with the garage door open, make sure your pet is secure behind the closed door  and other people in the home are aware the door is open. If you have a bird, and allow the bird loose in your house, please make sure your bird’s wings are properly clipped and they are not able to fly.

Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet

Pets should never be given any alcohol or chocolate. Chocolate in large or small amounts can be potentially fatal to dogs. Also, the following foods and drinks should be avoided: Alcoholic beverages, Avocado, Coffee (all forms), Fatty foods, Moldy or spoiled foods, Onions, onion powder, Raisins and grapes, Salt, Yeast dough, Garlic, Products sweetened with xylitol

Medication
Common examples of human medications that can be potentially lethal to pets, even in small doses, include Pain killers, Cold medicines, Anti-cancer drugs, Antidepressants, Vitamins, Diet Pills. Always check first with your veterinarian for any medications to give to your animal for any reason.

Common household and garden plants

Be careful around common house and garden plants, including lily of the valley, oleander, rhododendron, azalea, yew, foxglove, kalanchoe, rhubarb and shamrock leaves, sago palms, cycad palms and some species of mushrooms. 

Warm Weather Hazards 
Do you have a pool? If it is not securely fenced, all dogs must be supervised at all times. A dog can easily fall in and become disoriented and panic, even if they have been in the pool in the past. Ladders and stairs can be difficult to negotiate for paws. Also, pool water contains a lot of chemicals and can be hazardous if ingested, even in small amounts.

Avoid contact with these types of toxic animals: toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions. Avoid contact with these other types of common household items: Blue-green algae in ponds, Citronella candles, Cocoa mulch, Compost piles Fertilizers, Flea products, Outdoor plants and plant bulbs, Swimming-pool treatment supplies, Fly baits containing methomyl, Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde

Cold Weather Hazards
Be aware of where common antifreeze and ice melting products are stored or possibly spilled onto the driveway or garage floor where the dog might have access. Remember to wash your dog’s feet to remove de-icing salts, or better yet, fit your dogs with Velcro fastened boots.

Holiday Hazards  

Christmas tree water (may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach; Electrical cords, Ribbons or tinsel (can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction—most often occurs with kittens!) Batteries, Glass ornaments

Other Common Household Hazards
Fabric softener sheets, Mothballs, Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc)

Do  you use lighted candles? Please be aware of where your pet is at all times if you have a candle lit somewhere in the house. A house fire can easily start and spread quickly if they happen to knock one over by accident. 

Keep the lid down and the front door closed on all washers and dryers. The warmth of these machines and your clothes inside may draw your pets to sleep inside, and you may not know your puppy or small dog is inside the dryer when you close the door and turn on the machine. 

For garbage cans, use locking tops or put cans under the sink and secure with child proof latches. 

“Dog proof” your home like you would “child proof” your home. Act like your dog is a child and provide the exact same security. All the same dangers that exist for a child also exist for a dog. They are like babies, toddlers and young children that never grow up. Please keep them safe.

Be Prepared
Keep the telephone number of your local veterinarian or emergency clinic in a prominent location.

Invest in an emergency first-aid kit for your pet. The kit should contain:
- a fresh bottle of hydrogen peroxide, 3 percent USP (to induce vomiting)
- a turkey baster, bulb syringe or large medicine syringe (to administer peroxide)
- saline eye solution
- artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing)
- mild grease-cutting dishwashing liquid (for bathing an animal after skin contamination)
- forceps (to remove stingers)
- a muzzle (to protect against fear- or excitement-induced biting)
- a can of your pet’s favorite wet food
-a  pet carrier

What Should I Do If My Pet Becomes Poisoned?

Don’t panic. Rapid response is important, but panicking can interfere with the process of helping your pet. 

Take 30 to 60 seconds to safely collect and have at hand any material involved. This may be of great benefit to your vet and/or APCC toxicologists, as they determine what poison or poisons are involved. In the event that you need to take your pet to a local veterinarian, be sure to take the product’s container with you. Also, collect in a sealable plastic bag any material your pet may have vomited or chewed.

If you witness your pet consuming material that you suspect might be toxic, do not hesitate to seek emergency assistance, even if you do not notice any adverse effects. Sometimes, even if poisoned, an animal may appear normal for several hours or for days after the incident.

Be ready with the following information:
- the species, breed, age, sex, weight and number of animals involved
- the animal’s symptoms
- information regarding the exposure, including the agent (if known), the amount of the agent involved and the time elapsed since the time of exposure.

Have the product container/packaging available for reference.

Please note: If your animal is having seizures, losing consciousness, is unconscious or is having difficulty breathing, telephone ahead and bring your pet immediately to your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary clinic.