If your Dog is poorly, don’t give it Grapes!
Many dog owners are unaware of the possible dangers certain ‘human’ foodstuffs contain when they allow their dog to eat ‘tit bits’
Most pet owners realise that ‘human’ chocolate is poisonous to dogs and sensibly buy dog chocolate, but how many dogs ‘hoover’ up the crumbs left over after our meal times, especially when children have been at the dining table? Cakes and puddings containing raisins and sultanas can be potentially fatal to a dog, any grape product, which raisins and sultanas are, can cause damage to a dog’s kidneys and if left untreated can lead to death.
As with humans, most chemicals and poisons react in our pets as they do with us, however, the difference is that the majority of humans have the sense not to eat these poisons because we have been told not to and usually the reason why, this reasoning and instruction cannot be conferred upon our pets.
We can help our pets avoid coming into contact with certain substances simply by careful and sensible use, also by training the family dog not to go near certain areas, especially the garden, where hazards can be found. Common garden poisons are fairly obvious, pesticides, herbicides (weedkillers) and most commonly slug pellets. The bait free slug trap is an ideal product to use in your garden, it safely catches slugs whilst at the same time prevents access to the poison and the dead slugs which may be picked up not only by cats and dogs but more commonly by garden birds.
Few people realise that garden bulbs are another source of poison to dogs and cats. Daffodils and snowdrops are not dog friendly especially newly planted where a dog is going to be tempted to dig. Bulbs stored in sheds and greenhouses pose a threat, the best deterrent is simply to train the dog not to go into these places. Cats are particularly prone to poison by lilies.
There is a huge list of everyday items which are dangerous or potentially fatal to our pets, some of the most common are listed below.
Adder bites, Antifreeze, Aspirin,
Bee Stings, Berries (Holly, laburnum, yew), Bulbs,
Chocolate, (Dark Chocolate is particularly harmful), Creosote, Cigarettes and cigars (nicotine)
Detergents and disinfectants,
Flea Products if not used correctly, fumes in contained areas (engine, gas), Fungicides,
Glue, Garden Plants (too numerous to list but available on request) Grapes including raisins and sultanas
Herbicides, Houseplants (as with garden plants), Human Medicines,
Insecticides
Lead (from fishing weights, batteries, old toys painted with lead based paint,
Medicines (animal and human) Mouse Poison
Nicotine
Oil
Paracetemol, Paint, Paraffin, Petrol, Plants,
Rat Poison,
Slug Pellets, Snake Bites, (note also that frogs and toads eject a poison when confronted by an animal which can cause an unpleasant reaction to dogs and cats)
Tar, Toadstools and Mushrooms,
Wasp Stings.
This is a brief list to give some idea as to what to protect your pet from. If further information is required or you are concerned about a particular substance not listed please feel free to contact us or add to the list using the comment and reply box below.