Regular Items Around the House That Can Kill Your Dog
There are many seemingly harmless items around the house that can potentially kill your dog so you have to be aware of these things to protect your dog. The many hidden dangers lurking around the household include regular everyday items such as chocolate and raisins.
Dogs are scavengers by nature and very clever at getting at things that attract their attention so you’ll have to be very vigilant in keeping harmful substances away from your pet. With their highly developed sense of smell they can detect hidden objects easily. As mentioned before, common items such as chocolate can seriously harm your dog and even in small quantities it can be fatal to a dog. Cats are less at risk as the majority of cats aren’t attracted to the smell and taste of chocolate. If you have children in your household you should instruct them never to leave any chocolate lying around. Chocolate contains methylxathine alkaloids which are very toxic to animals even in very small quantities.
Chocolate can cause elevated heart rate, constricted arteries and death in a short period of time. If you suspect your dog has ingested chocolate you should take him to the vet immediately. Delaying treatment can result in coma, seizures, cardiac arrest and death.
Some types of mushrooms can cause liver failure, abdominal cramps, kidney disease and anemia so be very careful when walking your dog in wooded areas. Garlic is also dangerous for dogs as it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, kidney and liver damage. Onions are also lethal to dogs so be careful not to feed your dog any food that contains them. Care should be taken during the holiday season as mistletoe can cause depression, vomiting and abdominal pain if ingested. Another item regularly found around the house that is potentially lethal to pets is coffee. Caffeine causes increased heart rate, seizures, diarrhea, coma and death and should never be kept within reach of pets.
Moth balls and anti-freeze are deadly to pets. Mothballs contain a chemical called naphthalene which is highly toxic to animals and causes seizures and tremors. Dogs have a strange affinity to anti-freeze and ingesting this dangerous substance causes liver and kidney failure which leads to death. When walking your dog be careful of cherry and apple trees as their leaves and roots can make your dog very sick.
Even commercial dog food can be dangerous for your dog and you should inspect the ingredients list of the food you feed your dog to detect any dyes and chemicals. Certain additives in pet food can be carcinogenic in nature and you should be very careful when deciding what to feed your dog. Preservatives used to prevent food discoloration has been found to cause cancer in laboratory rats and sodium which is added to dog food to make it more palatable can be harmful in large or daily doses. Some dogs are intolerant of dairy products and can develop an allergic reaction to these foodstuffs so extra care should be taken when feeding dairy products.
If you are unsure of how safe your house is for your dog, just keep your dog in a dog crate while you are away or use a pet gate to contain them in a certain area! Problem solved!!