Household Products That Can Be Harmful To Pets
Many household products that can be harmful to pets go completely unnoticed because they are not harmful to people or because you may think your pet will never catch them.
Many of the veterinary emergencies that occur today are due to these reasons. Intoxications from dogs and cats are more common than you might think. On many occasions, they produce only a little diarrhea, without major complications. However, sometimes the animal can be hospitalized.
Do you know what products you have in your home that can poison your pet? Are these products located out of reach of animals? Here, we will provide answers to this and other questions to avoid further complications.
Edible household products that can be harmful to pets
No wonder the kitchen is a favorite place for many pets. In this place, several banquets are kept for the furry taste buds. However, many of the foods kept in the pantry or refrigerator are extremely toxic to animals.
- Chocolate: This delicious, nourishing resource for humans contains a substance called theobromine, which can cause seizures, arrhythmias, internal bleeding, and eventually heart failure in the animal.
- Coffee and tea: Both caffeine and theine contained respectively in these two products are highly harmful to pets that live with people.
- Grapes and Raisins : This fruit, both fresh and dried, causes acute kidney failure in pets.
- Macadamia Nuts: Many desserts, cookies and other sweets contain this type of dried fruit. Although at first it seems that nothing will happen to a dog when eating this food, after 24 hours the toxic shock will begin, which will most likely end the animal’s life.
- Onion: this vegetable causes the destruction of blood cells in dogs, which causes hemolytic anemia.
- Garlic: It is not as dangerous as onion in low concentration, but its toxins can accumulate in the animal’s body.
- Avocado: The pulp of this fruit is not toxic to pets, but its stone can get stuck in the throat and cause suffocation.
- Alcohol: Just like humans, alcohol is toxic to pets. The problem lies in the fact that these animals have a lower weight than people and, furthermore, they do not have the necessary enzymes to degrade this substance.
- Boiled bones: Just as raw bones are the best choice for keeping the teeth of carnivorous pets such as dogs and cats healthy and clean, cooked bones are very dangerous. Cooking the bone causes it to lose its collagen and, with it, its flexibility, which can shatter and create serious problems.
Keep medications away from pets
Medicines generally do not smell or taste palatable to pets. However, you can always drop a pill on the floor and end up losing it.
Once its hunting instinct is awakened, a cat can be very curious about what has fallen and bounced. A puppy, while sniffing the ground, may also find the pill and take it by mistake. Most drugs for humans are very toxic to pets.
The same applies to veterinary drugs. Although the target species is your pet, a high dose and mistakenly consumed can wreak havoc on your pet’s organism. Also, some drugs aimed at animals have a very appetizing smell to them.
Chemicals present in the home and toxic to pets
Absolutely all household chemicals that can be harmful to people and pets are clearly and accurately marked on the packaging.
Many insecticides used in homes contain permethrin. This compound is very toxic and dangerous for cats. In general, dogs have few problems with these products because of the low doses of poison. However, some traps used to catch insects can be swallowed and cause suffocation.
Raticides or poisons to kill rats and mice contain anticoagulants that can kill any type of pet. Also, they tend to smell very attractive.
Finally, cleaning products are harmful to both pets and people. Although they are usually kept in closets, they are sometimes at floor level. On the other hand, you should prevent pets from walking on the floor that has just been scrubbed, as they can become intoxicated.
As we have seen, there are many household products that can be harmful and even deadly to pets. Make sure that none of the items mentioned are within reach of animals in your home. Also, it never hurts to learn about pet first aid or what to do when a pet becomes intoxicated.
