Common Household Dangers for Pets

We all love our furry friends, but have you ever stopped to think about how dangerous certain household products are for them? Some of these include cleaning fluids, antifreeze, and medications. Still, other lesser-known household items, like antacids, and daily vitamins, can cause more damage than you’d think.

To prevent them from eating any and everything they come across, we can simply close the storage rooms and kitchens. We can even prevent them from getting stuck in nooks and crannies by shutting trap doors and sealing small spaces with the help of crawl space encapsulation in Leominster, MA, if that’s where you are. But as hard as we try to keep our pets safe, accidents and illnesses can still happen. One of the most common injuries in pets is poisoning, and some common household items are often the culprit. However, you can avoid this by keeping the following points in mind:

Medications

Most medications, including common stomach pills can be harmful to pets. According to the ASPCA, medications are the number one preventable cause of death in pets. Pets can ingest drugs meant for people by sniffing, swallowing, eating, or through other accidental means. This can be very dangerous to them and can even prove fatal.

Insecticides and Pesticides

When we talk about chemicals, we usually focus on how dangerous they can be for humans. But chemicals can also bring dangers to our pets, causing tumors, neurological damage, and even death. Since insecticides and rodenticides are common chemicals found in almost every home, they should be kept in a safe place where the pets cannot access them.

Window Blinds and Curtain Cords

Dangling cords from window blinds and curtains can be very dangerous for pets. Puppies and kittens, being curious, might get tangled in these cords and hurt themselves or worse. To keep your furry friends safe, you can use a sturdy pet pen like this “PENthouse” in rooms with window treatments. This way, your pet won’t be able to reach the cords and get into trouble when you’re not watching. The pen blocks off access to the windows where the cords are, so your pet can’t chew on them or get tangled up when you’re not around to keep an eye on them.

Toys

You may think that giving your pet a toy is harmless fun, but did you know that toys are dangerous to pets? Even the most harmless toys can injure your pet, especially the small breakable pieces, pieces containing strings or ribbons, and oddly shaped items. These can all pose serious choking hazards to your pets, and as pet lovers, it’s our responsibility to keep our pets safe. One of the ways we can do this is by making sure toys don’t contain small parts or loose strings.

Plants

Plants are part of the nature, and we enjoy having them around our residences, but did you know they can be a hazard to your pets? Of course, not all plants are hazardous, only poisonous plants, such as lily of the valley, foxglove, and yew. Make sure to keep these plants away from your pets. With warmer weather comes beautiful flowers, but unless your dog is just a “flower sniffer,” there are high chances that he can accidentally eat a poisonous flower. Adding to your alert list are poisonous plants such as oleander, rhododendron, and poinsettia.

Fertilizer

A fertilizer is a mixture of minerals and nutrients, usually nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, that are added to soil and used for horticulture and gardening. While many pet parents are wary of using fertilizers on their lawns, many don’t realize that the same fertilizers they use on their lawns can be toxic to their pets. It can be deadly to dogs, cats, and even other small animals. Some fertilizers can even be fatal to cats, dogs, or horses. However, you can avoid this danger by sticking to organic fertilizers.

Food

So, you’ve bought a new puppy, and you’re ready to spoil them. But before that, you should be aware of the food items that are dangerous for puppies and should never be given to them. These include chocolate, grapes, onions and garlic, and peanut butter. Peanuts are toxic to dogs, even those that are low in fat. And it would help if you never gave your dog chocolate or any snacks containing chocolate. It’s delicious, sure, but chocolate contains caffeine, a chemical that dogs do not need.

Alcohol Beverages

Alcohol is completely toxic to pets. To begin with, alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system and the muscles. It ultimately depresses the heart and brain, leading to a lack of coordination, lack of balance, and even poisoning. Some animals may suffer alcohol poisoning with as little as 1/2 ounce of consumption.

Consider Investing in Pet Insurance

Owning a pet can be rewarding-and expensive. The average cost of a pet is around $600 per year, which includes food, toys, cleaning supplies, vet visits, and medications. All of which can add up pretty fast. But with pet insurance, you can protect your investment by covering sick or injured pets and veterinary bills. Pet insurance is capped at specific annual and per-incident costs. Plus, there are deductibles and maximums, too.