[Ansteorra] MUNDANE DOG SAFETY

Sat Oct 7 08:20:56 PDT 2006

This came across a list I am on a while back.  With the discussion of what
is dangerous for our pets, I felt it might be appropriate to post it here.

(CBS) Many substances kept in the average household are toxic to pets,
reports
resident veterinarian Debbye Turner on The Saturday Early Show.

Although it is common sense to store medications, cleaning agents,
detergents
and household chemicals out of reach of children and pets, there are other
items
that are extremely harmful to pets that we may not see as dangerous
substances.

Listed below are some very harmful household hazards, accompanied by some
information on why they are toxic and what effect they can have on your
pets.

Dana Farbman, a licensed veterinary technician and senior manager of client
and
professional relations at the ASPCA, supplied this information.

DE-ICING SALTS:
De-icing salts are potentially hazardous to any pet, but particularly
dangerous
to dogs because they are frequently outdoors. It acts as in irritant to the
skin
on a dog's paw pads. If the dog licks its pads and ingests the salt, one of
the
side effects is gastrointestinal irritation. Symptoms of this include
vomiting,
diarrhea and drooling. More serious side effects, depending on the level of
ingestion, include excessive thirst, depression, weakness in blood pressure
and
disorientation. The most intense symptoms after a high level of ingestion
are a
decrease in muscle function, seizures, comas and even death. If you suspect
exposure to de-icing salts, call your veterinarian or contact the ASPCA
Animal
Poison Control Center.

NONSTICK COOKING SPRAY:
Depending on the formulation, these aerosol sprays contain hydrocarbons,
which
are volatile substances. Some of the early signs of ingestion in your pet
include an upset stomach. A high amount can lead to respiratory tract
problems
and a condition known as aspiration pneumonia (an inflammation of the lungs
and
bronchial tubes caused by inhaling foreign material).

One thing you don't want to do is induce vomiting if your pet has ingested
cooking spray or fumes from a nonstick cooking surface, because you could
double
the risk by forcing your pet to bring these substances back up again.

Birds are very sensitive to cooking sprays because they have a unique
respiratory tract that makes them very susceptible to irritation, so be
really
careful not only with cooking sprays but anything coming from an aerosol
container when around birds.

YEAST DOUGH:
If yeast dough is ingested it can expand, rise in the stomach, and can
present a
dangerous risk to your pet's intestinal system, such as an intestinal
rupture.
Also, alcohol fermentation may take place in your pet's stomach and if
there's
enough ingested it can lead to alcohol poisoning. Any pet is at risk. Keep
an
eye out for signs of gastrointestinal irritation - vomiting, diarrhea and
drooling.

COFFEE GROUNDS:
The harmful substances like theobromine and the caffeine found in coffee
grounds
are very similar to those in chocolate and often produce the same side
effects.
Look out for vomiting and diarrhea. In addition your pet may experience
hyperactivity, increased heart rate, seizures, tremors and possibly even
death,
depending on the amount ingested.

MACADAMIA NUTS:
We've only seen a negative reaction from these nuts in dogs and we don't
know
all that much about why they are dangerous, but we would recommend keeping
them
away from all pets. It's an interesting phenomenon - if enough are ingested
(and
as little as a handful can be seen as dangerous), we see weakness in hind
legs
and can see the gastrointestinal effects - vomiting, diarrhea and drooling.
These nuts can also affect the central nervous system and cause depression
and
muscle tremors. Generally signs resolve in 48 hours with proper care and
treatment.

TOMATO AND POTATO:
The red, ripe fruit of the tomato is edible and may cause nothing more than
stomach irritation to pets with sensitive stomachs. It's the green part of
the
tomato or a green unripe tomato and the plant part - the stem, the leaves,
etc.,
that is hazardous. Tomatoes and potatoes are in the same family of plants,
so
both have similar side effects if the green part of the plant is ingested.
Again, depending on the amount ingested you will see the common
gastrointestinal
effects - vomiting, diarrhea and drooling. In addition to these signs, look
for
decreased heart rate and drooling.

AVOCADOS:
The most common species of avocados is the species that is particularly
hazardous for birds, rabbits and mice particularly, but also dangerous to
other
pets like dogs and cats. Ingestion usually leads to cardiovascular problems
and
can cause fluid accumulation around the heart and severe respiratory
distress.
Avocados contain a toxin known as persin and should be kept away from all
pets.

RAHWIDE DOGGIE CHEWS:
The level of danger of these chews can depend on individual animal eating
and
chewing habits. Some dogs can handle these chews well, others can't. If your
dog
tends to eat in large chunks, then you should keep these chews away from
them
because they're liable to ingest a large chunk and it can get caught in your
pet's digestive tract.

Also, a wet, gooey rawhide laying around can grow bacteria and that will
cause
GI effects. Whether or not you should keep rawhide doggie chews away from
depends on each individual dog. Also, its probably smart to check on where
the
chew was manufactured - we don't know all that much about the ingredients
contained in chews manufactured in foreign countries, but are pretty
familiar
with the ingredients in American-made chews.

DENTAL FLOSS:
Dental floss is particularly hazardous to cats and kittens because they love
to
play with stringy things. Be careful with this if your pet tends to get into
the
trash. Obviously, a foreign substance like floss can cause an obstruction of
the
digestive system.

APPLE SEEDS:
Apple seeds are in the same category as other fruits like apples, cherries,
peaches and apricots. The stems, leaves and seeds contain cyanogenic
glycosides,
and depending on the dose, you will see not only the common gastrointestinal
effects but weakness in coordination and difficulty breathing. In some
extreme
cases, animals can go into shock or coma and can even result in death. The
toxic
ingredients are contained in the center of the seeds, so be sure keep your
pet
from chewing or crushing the seeds with their teeth. Another interesting
thing
to point out is that the level of toxicity can depend on growing conditions.
If
it's a stressful growing environment for an apple tree, the level of
toxicity
may be less than if the tree was growing in a healthy environment. This
makes it
difficult to gauge how much is a dangerous level.

ONIONS AND ONION POWDER:
Onions, garlic and chives are all part of the allium species. Any of plants
can
produce similar effects. Look for the common gastrointestinal effects and
trouble breathing. In addition, these substances can see significant damage
to a
pet's red blood cells. Cats can be particularly sensitive but it is
dangerous to
cats, dogs and birds.

RAISINS:
Although we don't know much about why grapes and raisins are dangerous, we
do
know ingestion can harm the kidney. We don't know much about the dangers
with
regards to ingestion levels either, so its best to keep grapes and raisins
away
from your pets, period.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PET INGESTS ANY HAZARDOUS ITEMS:
First thing to do would be to call your veterinarian and let him or her know
the
situation. They can offer up some direction. Also, the ASPCA has an Animal
Poison Control Center, which operates a hotline open 24 hours a day, seven
days
a week at 888-426-4435 for a fee of $45 per case. If you call, you should be
prepared with the following information: the name of the poison your animal
was
exposed to, the amount and how long ago, the species, breed, age, sex, and
weight of your pet, and the symptoms the animal is displaying.