Keeping Your Pets Safe from Household Dangers
Keeping Your Pets Safe from Household Dangers
Many people inadvertently put their pets in danger by allowing them to access household staples that bare no harm to humans. Dogs and cats who are low to the ground, crafty, and curious are apt to find their way into the path of harmful chemicals that can cause serious illness or even death.
Artificial Sweeteners
An example of a chemical that most people might not even be aware of is xylitol. Xylitol is a common artificial sweetener found in gum, certain store bought baked goods, candies, jams, diet foods, and many other human food. If ingested by pets, xylitol can cause liver failure and eventually death. To protect your pets from xylitol offenders, always keep human food out of the reach of curious little noses. This means picking your purse up from the floor if it contains gum.
While not recommended in large quantities, if you choose to share your food with your furry friend, always read the label to ensure it does not contain xylitol or other chemicals that are harmful to pets. Even certain brands of peanut butter, which are famously popular with dogs, can contain small amounts of xylitol.
The Dangers of the Garbage Can
Garbage left lying around the home is one of the most common causes of injury to pets. Dogs are especially attracted to the strong aroma coming from garbage cans and are compelled to root through to find the source of the deliciousness. What dogs often find instead, is harmful packaging that can get caught in the throat and cause choking. In addition to choking risks, foods that are poisonous to animals such as grapes, chocolate, banana peels, nuts, and onions, are easy to access in the garbage. Always make sure to pick up garbage from around the house, and to keep garbage cans off the floor and out of reach of pets.
Household Chemicals
Many household cleaners, furnishings, and construction materials contain low levels of formaldehyde. The chemical is important for preserving household items, but is also known to cause cancer in pets if it is inhaled or allowed to penetrate through the skin.
Antifreeze in another deadly chemical hidden in the garage. Modern antifreeze formulas include ethylene glycerol. Animals with their keen sense of smell are able to detect sweet odor emitted by ethylene glycerol. This smell is enticing to pets as it mimics a sweet treat. Just half a teaspoon of antifreeze licked up from the floor is enough to kill a cat or dog. To protect your pet from deadly accidents, always keep all household chemicals locked up and out of the way of your pets. It is also important to inform yourself of the potential risks to your pets of certain cleaning products before bringing them into the home.
Keeping Your Home Safe for Pets
As people become more aware of the impact everyday chemicals have on our pets, companies strive towards producing safer alternatives to industrial cleaning products. Nowadays, most supermarkets offer a wide range of pet-friendly cleaning products and the internet is also full of recipes for nontoxic vinegar based cleaning products. As always, make sure to check with your veterinarian for tips on how to make your home a safe place for your furry friend.
Author: Sally Writes