Protecting Your Pet From Household Toxins

Most Common Household Toxins That Hurt Dogs & Cats

Every year, thousands of pets are taken to their local vet across the country because they ingested regular household items that are poisonous to them. With Poison Prevention Week coming up, we want to take a few moments to highlights some of the toxins that could hurt your precious four-legged family member. 

Keep These Household Toxins Away From Your Dog or Cat

Every year many dogs and cats suffer or die from accidental ingestion of everyday household items. Seemingly ordinary items at home can be toxic for pets. Keep the following items out-of-reach and put away in a safe place to protect your fur-baby:

• potpourri oils
• mothballs
• homemade modeling dough
• batteries
• pennies
• Cleaning products such as fabric softener sheets and dishwashing detergent
• Alcoholic drinks
• coffee grounds
• chocolate
• sugar-free gum and treats sweetened with xylitol
• cigarettes
• Prescription and over-the-counter medicines like painkillers, cold medicines, anti-depressants, vitamins and diet pills can be lethal in small doses.

Cat Aspirin Toxicity
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Although your veterinarian may sometimes recommend aspirin for what ails your pet, please know that it can be very toxic for cats. The wrong dose or accidental ingestion of aspirin or aspirin products can cause serious gastrointestinal, neurological, respiratory and bleeding problems. Cats cannot metabolize aspirin as quickly as dogs so they are more susceptible to the effects. Young pets are also more sensitive to aspirin toxicity than adult animals. Always keep aspirin products away from pets and never administer aspirin to pets, unless instructed to by your veterinarian.

These Plants And Garden Items Are Toxic To Dogs & Cats

As pet parents, we need to be mindful of the greenery and garden items that we have in our yards and in our homes. There are several flowers and plants, as well as garden chemicals that can be very dangerous, and even fatal, for our fur-babies. Keep this list handy when starting your garden projects:

• If ingested, azaleas, oleander, sago palms and yew plants can be fatal to dogs and cats.
• Many types of lilies can cause kidney failure in cats.
• Cocoa mulch in the garden contains theobromine, the same chemical in chocolate that is toxic to dogs and can be deadly when ingested even in small quantities.
• Poinsettias, apple seeds, buttercups, English ivy and about 700 other plants are identified as having varying degrees of toxicity for pets.
• Fertilizers, weed killers, insecticides and other pest control poisons can also cause severe illness. Keep this put away safely when not in use.

Other Toxic Items To Keep Away From Your Dog or Cat

​In addition to the items listed above, other things that can prove poisonous for dogs and cats can include:

• chocolate,
• vitamins and minerals such as Iron and Vitamin D3
• caffeine pills,
• glow sticks
• mouse and rat poison among others. 

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If you suspect that your pet has ingested any of these items or other questionable substances, call the Pet Poison hotline or your veterinarian for assistance right away. Make sure you let them know the information from the container, package or label. Acting quickly could save the life of your pet. 
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Do you have question about your pet's health? Visit Dr. Tanner Tracy here in Cypress, TX. 

Call (281) 970-0601 or click on the button below to schedule an appointment.

We accept CareCredit and are seeing new patients.  

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