Poisonous Substances and Your Dog

No matter how smart your dog, as pet parents, we need to help our friends stay as safe and healthy as possible. Below are a few simple tips to keep your dog in tip top shape.

Dogs may eat grass to help with indigestion, but certain plants can be toxic if ingested. Caladium, Castor bean, Day Lily, Dumbcane, English Ivy, European Bittersweet, Lantana, Mistletoe, Oleander, Philodendrons, Poinsettia, and Rhubarb are just a few which can cause your dog serious harm. For a complete list, go to the Humane Society web site http://www.hsus.org/ and enter poisonous plants in the search box.

Place cleaning products as well as shampoo, soap, and hair products out of reach.

Clean automotive spills or leaks promptly and avoid using antifreeze containing ethylene glycol. The sweet taste can be attractive to your pet, but just 2 ounces of an ethylene glycol antifreeze can be fatal.

Although a treat for our palette, chocolate contains the stimulant theobromide which poses serious health risks for dogs.

Sign up for a dog first aid class. Contact your vet, the Humane Society (http://www.hsus.org/) or the ASPCA (http://www.aspca.org/) for classes in your area.

Keep a list of poison control numbers handy. In the event of a poisoning emergency, call your vet immediately or the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A $55 fee may be applied to your credit card for calls to the APCC (http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc).

Know the signs. Dogs who have ingested poison generally display some of the following symptoms: fever, diarrhea, stomach pain, listlessness, lack of coordination, vomiting and tremors. If your pet has ingested something poisons, contact your vet immediately.

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