For all you pet parents who didn’t know, March is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness Month. To shed some light on this topic, we have put together this blog to help educate pet pawrents.
We have come up with a few tips and advice for keeping your pup protected against poison.
1. Being Aware of Potential Household Threats
It is unsurprising that a lot of household items are hugely poisonous to dogs. Therefore, it is critical to keep any harmful items out of your dog's reach. Check out below for a list of household items that are poisonous to dogs:
- Vitamin D (supplements, chews, creams etc)
- Chocolate
- Rat Poison
- Medicine such as Ibuprofen and Naproxen (NSAIDs – Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs)
- Slugs and snail pellets
Click here to see a full list of poisons to dogs.
2. Keeping Your Dog Safe from Poison
Aside from poisons inside the home, there are also many poisons outside the home that your dog could encounter.
To stay as safe as possible, ensure you keep all houseplants away from your dog, as well as pesticides. Some houseplants that are harmful for dogs are:
- Aloe
- Tulips
- Hyacinths
- Amaryllis
Click here to view the full post on toxic houseplants for dogs.
If you are treating your pet with parasiticides such as flea or tick treatments, make sure to keep them separate from other pets. Please see the link here for more information on parasiticides - https://www.noah.co.uk/topics/companion-animal-parasiticides/#:~:text=Fleas%2C%20ticks%2C%20and%20worms%20in,of%20both%20animals%20and%20people.
In terms of outside the home, ensure their run area is safely secured with no overhanging dangers such as poisonous plants. Also ensure, if your dog's water sources are outside, that they do not become contaminated with outdoor cleaning products or insects– and be sure to clean them regularly and use bowl coverings when your dogs are not using them.
3. Warning Signs of Poison
Some signs of poison that your dog may display are below:
- Tremors
- Unsteady on feet
- Seizures
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Drooling
- Abnormal heartbeat
If you notice any of these symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact your vet right away!
4. What To Do If Your Dog’s Been Poisoned
If you suspect your dog has been poisoned, do not waste any time contacting your vet for assistance. Time is critical in a situation like this.
Stay calm and move your dog away from the poison source. Make sure to give them as much information as possible, such as what the poison was and how much of it your dog has had. Finally, follow your vet's advice during this situation!
For more information on this topic, visit the RSPCA website here - https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/health/poisoning
Share your safety tips with us over on our Instagram @BrandyDogFood!
