Pet Preparedness

Poison Awareness

In the Home

Not sure if your house or yard is pet proof? Here are some helpful reminders and easy ways to avoid having to call us in the first place.

• Check your plants. That includes the ones outside too. Make sure bouquets from the florist don't contain any lilies before you bring them into the house.
• Keep medications safely locked up behind secure cupboard doors. Don't leave them on counter tops or tables. This includes inhalers, dietary aids, dietary supplements, or nutraceuticals.
• Always double check the pill vial before administering the appropriate medication. We often get called about pet owners giving their human medications to their pet accidentally.
• Keep pets away from cleaning products. Shut them out of the room while spraying bathroom cleansers, etc.
• Close toilet lids to keep pets from drinking the water. This is very important if you choose to use automatic chemical tank or bowl treatments.
• Know what food products are toxic to pets. Keep food products such as chewing gum, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, onions, or garlic away from tempting locations.
• Keep home fragrance products out of reach.
• Keep rodenticides far away from a pet's access. Keep in mind that rodents can transfer the toxins to accessible locations. Certain rodenticide products do not have treatment antidotes. Know what a product's active ingredient is and potential toxicity for pets.
• Do not spray aerosols or use any heavily fragranced products, including plug-in products, around caged birds or other caged pets.
• Never medicate your pets with human products without first speaking to a veterinary professional.
• Keep open dishes of potpourri (liquid or dry form) out of reach.
• Do not use insecticides around your pet without knowing their toxicological profile. Read labels and use products only as recommended. Don't use dog flea and tick products on cats.
• Keep garbage behind closed doors. Trash and compost bins can contain many toxins to pets such as cigarette butts, coffee grounds, moldy dairy products, and chicken bones.
• Don't leave batteries of any type lying around. Dogs enjoy chewing on them which can result in serious harm if ingested.
• Keep alcoholic beverages beyond reach.
• Keep ashtrays and nicotine replacement products out of their reach.
• Glues are tasty to eat but some may result in serious harm if ingested. If working on home-improvement projects, keep pets safely behind a closed door to prevent accidental harm through curious investigation.

Outside the Home

• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) products are extremely toxic to pets. Choose propylene glycol products as a safer alternative, or keep pets far away from any ethylene glycol product. If you spill any on a driveway, clean it up immediately or dilute it with several gallons of water!
• Keep all automotive products such as windshield cleaner fluid or engine lubricants stored out of reach from pets. Clean all spills up immediately and thoroughly.
• Dogs like to eat fertilizers. Keep bags tightly sealed and use products according to label instructions.
• Grub or snail killers can be highly dangerous to pets even in very small quantities. Products containing the chemical can be especially harmful to pets. Keep these products out of the garden or the garage if you have no way to prevent a possible taste from your pet.
• Certain yard insecticides contain organophosphates or carbamates, considered to have the potential to cause serious harm if ingested in high enough concentrations. Do not use insecticides around pets before knowing their potential for toxicity.
• Keep pets off lawns until commercially sprayed herbicides are dry. Generally speaking, consumer herbicides are of relatively low toxicity to mammals, they may result in stomach upset if ingested.