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Dog Health and Safety
When it comes to dog health and safety, I want to be prepared by "prevention". A hurried trip to the Vet is both COSTLY and STRESSFUL.
A question I asked myself, "Is my home safe for my dogs"?
Prevention is a good thing, pet proofing is a good thing; but in the end there's no substitute for good, reliable veterinary attention when emergencies strike and your dogs health is at risk, read my article on
choosing a vet here.
We try to keep our family safe and healthy by doing the everyday things we should be doing by preventing, the majority of problems that could arise. Well, our dogs are family members too, but they can't tell us what's wrong.
When it comes to my dogs health and safety its important to know what could be harmful.
I know your like me, a dog lover, the health and happiness of these special family members is extremely important to us.
Dangerous Stuff for Dogs
Some foods commonly enjoyed by humans are dangerous to your dogs health.
- Chocolate (Theobromine poisoning)- The only known dangerous substance in chocolate is cocoa, so that the danger of white chocolate is uncertain.
- Grapes and Raisins - This danger was discovered around 2000, and has slowly been publicized since then. The cause is not known. Small quantities will induce acute renal failure.
- Onions
- Some types of gum, certain sweeteners.
- Macadamia nuts
- Sultanas and Currants may also be dangerous.
- Cooked bones are dangerous for dogs, because the heat of cooking changes their chemical and physical properties so that they cannot be chewed properly. As a result they may splinter into jagged shards that resist digestion.
- Alcoholic beverages pose comparable hazards to dogs as they do to humans, but due to low body weight and lack of alcohol tolerance they are toxic in much smaller portions.
Many of us have these plants in our home or garden.
- Caladium, Dieffenbachia and Philodendron will cause throat irritations that will burn the throat going down as well as coming up.
- Hops are particularly dangerous to dog health and even small quantities can lead to malignant hyperthermia.
- Amaryllis, daffodil, english ivy, iris, and tulip (especially the bulbs)cause gastric irritation and sometimes central nervous system excitement followed by coma, and, in severe cases, even death.
- Ingesting foxglove, lily of the valley, larkspur and oleander can be life threatening because the cardiovascular system is affected.
Many of these things seemed so harmless to me, or thought would jepordize my dogs health. So I am passing it on to you.
FURTHER READING
I recently came across this site on dog health and am very impressed with the information offered.
Dr. Andrew Jones is a Veterinarian in Nelson BC, Canada, where he owns the Nelson Animal Hospital. He has been in practice as a small animal Veterinarian since 1992, after graduating with his DVM from the University of Saskatchewan.
Dr. Jones' main focus is on alternative, non-traditional remedies for pets. His interest in alternative pet medicine culminated in the writing of his book, Veterinary Secrets Revealed
Over 1,000 Safe, Natural and Effective Solutions for Healing Your Pet.
How to deal with noise phobias. If your dog shakes and hides during thunderstorms, then she has a noise phobia. A simple, safe home remedy found in your fridge can solve thunderstorm phobias.
Proven Solutions, Tested By A Veterinarian
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