Our homes are filled with products and items that are seemingly innocuous to us, but what about our four-legged friends? Each year, thousands of pet injuries and poisonings occur that are directly related to things around the home. Our West Vets ER team wants to give pet owners some insight into the dangers that may be lurking around their home. You may be surprised by some of them.

Toxic outdoor chemicals can harm your pet

Let’s start outside and in the garage. Several common lawn and garden chemicals are risky to pets. While your pet may not be likely to ingest these chemicals, they are prone to pick up residue from spills, oils, and sprays on their paws after walking in the yard, on the driveway, or in the garage. Here are a few of the offenders when it comes to outdoor dangers.

  • Antifreeze — Pets come into contact with antifreeze as a result of spills on the driveway or in the garage. Antifreeze contains the potentially fatal chemical ethylene glycol, which has a sweet smell and can tempt a curious pet to taste it. 
  • Fertilizer — Commercial lawn and garden fertilizers contain chemicals toxic to pets, like cocoa mulch. 
  • De-icing salts — These products damage sensitive paws and are poisonous if ingested, which often occurs when a pet licks their paws after being outdoors.
  • Rat poisons and insect repellents — Rodenticides—or rat poisons—are designed to be lethal, and each year thousands of wild and domestic animals are killed when they happen across these chemicals. Insect repellents also contain chemicals that are dangerous to pets. 
  • Mothballs — Mothballs are poisonous to cats and dogs and can cause permanent damage to the liver and kidneys if ingested. 

Poisonous plants can harm your pet

Numerous plants are poisonous to pets, and the ASPCA’s list of toxic versus non-toxic plants <Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (aspca.org)> is a great resource to help you identify which ones. Check the site out before bringing home a new plant. Among the plants most toxic to dogs and cats are: 

  • Lilies (All varieties are extremely toxic to cats.)
  • Sago palms
  • Crocus
  • Azaleas
  • Oleander
  • Dieffenbachia
  • Daffodils
  • Tulips
  • Hyacinths

If you have any of these plants in your yard or home, consider replacing them or fencing them off to keep pets safe. Since each plant has varying degrees of toxicity, call us for advice if your pet has ingested one of them.

Household cleaners can harm your pet

All household cleaning products should be off limits to your pet. Even if the product is labeled “green” or “biodegradable,” it still may be harmful if ingested. Be especially careful when using any of the following products:

  • Chlorine
  • Ammonia
  • Household fragrance chemicals (phthalates)
  • Oven cleaner
  • Bleach
  • Dryer sheets
  • Drain openers
  • Essential oils (Never use oil diffusers with pet birds in the room.)

Most multi-surface cleaners, including floor polishes and bathroom cleaners, contain ingredients that are toxic to pets. A better choice would be to use one of the many pet-safe cleaning products available. However, any household cleaning product—even if they’re marketed as safe—should not be used around pets. 

When using cleaners, move your pet to another room or area that can be gated off. Allow floors to dry before letting your pet walk across them. 

Human and pet medications can harm your pet

All medications, prescription or over-the-counter, should be kept in a medicine cabinet or a drawer. Human medications are one of the more common sources of pet poisonings, because pills are so easy to drop or lose on the floor. To err on the safe side, stow all medications in a pet- and kid-safe area of your home. 

Nicotine products, whether they’re cigarettes, nicotine patches, vapes (e-cigarettes), or vape juice (oil), also pose a problem for pets. So do marijuana products, especially those in edible form.

Household pet poisons in our midst

The fact is, we can never do away with all of the items that might cause harm to our pets. We use them in our daily lives, and many are indispensable. However, we can take steps to minimize the possibility of a pet poisoning emergency. 

At West Vets ER, pet safety is our primary concern. If you’d like additional information on household hazards, contact our team.