AVOID DANGERS LURKING AROUND YOUR HOME!

Consumers are frequently warned to keep all medications out of the reach of children. It is also important to keep them out of the reach of your pets, even if they are packaged in child-resistant containers! While a child may not be able to open a child-resistant container, an inquisitive pet may simply eat through the container and consume an entire bottle of medicine or tube of ointment or cream. Remember, it is always important to store any medication, whether prescription or non-prescription, in a cool, dry place that is inaccessible to children AND pets.

Pet owners are sometimes tempted to medicate their pet with an over-the-counter product that is labeled for humans rather than animals. This practice can be very harmful to your pet! You should never administer any human drug to your pet without the advice of your veterinarian. Likewise, you should never administer a medication labeled for your dog to your cat, or bird, or any other pet. Even topically applied products, such as Lanacane (for itching) can be toxic and cause harm. Other culprits are the class of over-the-counter products called NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti -inflammatory agents). These include such familiar names as Aleve,Advil,Motrin-IB, Nuprin and others. These drugs are particularly prone to cause gastro-intestinal irritation and bleeding in animals and should only be used under your veterinarian's supervision. You may already know that even small doses of Tylenol(acetaminophen) can kill your cat! Did you also know that cats and dogs are more sensitive than humans to the toxic effects of salicylates, such as aspirin? Even a seemingly harmless product like Pepto-Bismol can be toxic to pets, since it contains a form of salicylate. Remember, never administer a human product to your pet unless your veterinarian has ordered it.

Medicines are not the only potential hazard lurking around your home. Chocolates can pose a particular problem. Baking chocolate is the most toxic form, followed by semisweet, with milk chocolate having the lowest potential for toxicity. Be careful to put away that leftover Valentine's Day candy. Curious puppies and young dogs particularly are fully capable of consuming an entire box of chocolates left on a table or a chocolate cake that is left on the kitchen counter within their reach. Pets also can ingest cigarettes and cigars. A dog or cat can die from eating as few as ten cigarettes containing high levels of nicotine.

Many household plants can harm your pet if eaten. This type of poisoning is reported most often during the winter months when both plants and pets are more likely to be indoors. Young animals are particularly prone to eat plants. Also boredom, a change in environment, or behavioral problems can trigger this action. Vomiting and diarrhea are the most frequently noted symptoms, and, fortunately, pets seldom die from ingestion of household plants.

Some common plants which may cause harm to your pets if eaten are philodendron, dieffenbachia (dumbcane), caladium, schefflera, jack-in- the-pulpit (Arisaema), elephant ears (Colocasia), poinsettia (Euphorbia), mistletoe (Phoradendron), aloe vera, crown of thorns (Euphorbia), snow-on-the-mountain (Euphorbia), azalea (Rhododendron spp.), bulbs of tulips, daffodil, iris, and amaryllis, castor bean (Ricinus communis), rosary pea (Abrus precatorius), English ivy (Hedera helix), Japanese & European yew (Taxus), oleander (Nerium), lily of the valley (Convallaria), foxglove (Digitalis purpura), nightshade (Solanum nigrum), asparagus fern (Asparagus), poison ivy, oak, and sumac (Toxicodendron) and many others.

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