Protecting Your Pets from Peril

By Diane Tait

Image courtesy A&B Insurance

Pets are like people in that many pet owners consider their pets as members of the family.  I know I sure do, since my two dogs are my constant companions.  In fact, they’re sitting at my feet in my office as I write this week’s blog.  Whether you’re a dog person or a cat person, or your best buddy happens to be a feathered friend is besides the point.  As long as your pets are allowed out and about in your home or yard, there are always hazards from which they need to be protected. 

The Perils of Power Cords

While we take power cords for granted, our pets sometimes see them as targets of opportunity.  Teething puppies particularly find them irresistible and cats have been known to use them as scratching posts.  Should your pet pierce the sheath that covers the wires, they’ll be in for a shock that could incapacitate or kill them.  While you can do your best to hide exposed wires behind furniture, this doesn’t always stop pets from getting to the cords.  Cats are especially adept at leaping atop furniture to have at wires.  One of the best ways to make exposed wires less appetizing to your pets is to spritz them with a little lemon juice which should deter even the most determined wire nibbler.  (Just be sure to reapply the solution every month or so to keep pets at bay.)

Poisonous Plants

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While dogs and cats don’t eat salad, some of them like to browse on greenery.  This can prove problematic, since many plants are toxic to pets.  Flowering plants like, amaryllis, azaleas, daffodils, hyacinth, oleander, and tulips while attractive can be toxic to cats and dogs.  So too can Sago Palms, Aloe Vera, Pencil Cactus, Jade Plants, Philodendrons, and Elephant Ear.  Plant toxicity symptoms can include vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress and/or disorientation.  If you even think your pet may have consumed a houseplant you need to rush it to the veterinarian immediately.

Household Cleaners

If you’re like me, you have cleaning solvents in the kitchen, the bathroom, the laundry room and in the hall closet.  While those of us with small children know that we need to keep cleaners out of reach of tots, pets can also get into these toxic substances.  In fact, since pets are built closer to the ground, these substances are at eye level with most cats and dogs.  Just as with tots, the best solution for your cleaning solutions is to keep them locked up and out of harm’s way.  Bleach, ammonia-based cleaners and many other solvents can cause esophageal burning and renal failure in a hurry. 

The Gremlins in the Garage

To most Americans, the garage has become either the man cave or a storage center where all manners of toxicity resides.  If you store motor oil, paint, bug spray, fertilizer and/or antifreeze in your garage, this could represent something of a chemical minefield to your pets.  Antifreeze is a particularly insidious killer, since it tastes sweet.  While ethaline glycol is most commonly used to cool your car’s engine, it is anything but cool if ingested.  When it comes to pets, it only takes a small quantity of antifreeze to poison them.  If you notice your pet stumbling around like a drunken sailor or acting oddly, glycol toxicity is a possibility, since the active ingredient is alcohol.  Since it only takes a few hours for glycol toxicity to kill your pet, the only solution is to take it to the vet if you suspect your pet has ingested antifreeze.  More importantly, if you have the substance in your garage, you need to store it out of reach of pets.

Yummy in the Tummy?

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When it comes to food, many pets are shameless moochers.  That means they beg for handouts which may or may not be good for them.  Just because tasty treats are yummy to you, doesn’t mean that all people food is good for your pets.  Most dog owners know that chocolate can prove toxic to their four-legged friends.  But did you know that coconut, onions, macadamia nuts, mushrooms and even grapes can cause vomiting or gastrointestinal distress in your dog or cat?   You should also avoid feeding kitty canned tuna, since it contains mercury.  And when it comes to birds, refrain from feeding them avocado, which has been known to cause cardiac stress or even cardiac arrest.

It Isn’t Easy Being Green

Even though they call Florida the Sunshine State, when the Sun doesn’t shine it frequently pours.  Every time it rains in my neighborhood, all the frogs begin to host a nightly jamboree.  You can’t walk down the sidewalk without seeing frogs hopping for cover.  When it comes to anything that hops, scurries or darts in my yard, it is fair game for my dogs.  While frogs in Florida aren’t toxic, Florida toads are and that could be bad news if your dog or cat decides to chomp down on one.  That’s the bad news.  The good news is that at least north Florida has yet to be invaded by cane toads and Bufo toads like south and central Florida.  However, if you take your dog with you to visit friends in Orlando or points south, you should take care that your pooch doesn’t decide to tangle with any toads.  The results could ruin your trip.

Talking Trash

Last but not least, I’d like to point out that there are such things as dumpster diving dogs and cats that love to peruse the refuse.  This can not only be another peril that could inadvertently expose your four-legged friends to potentially toxic substances, but it can also cause a dog or cat to wind up choking on some man-made object.  The best way to keep your pets out of the trash is to either buy trash cans with lids or dose the can with something that your pet will like to smell even less than Eau de Garbage.  When I had a beagle that loved to poke his nose into the trash, I liberally sprinkled cayenne pepper into the bathroom waste basket.  An hour later, Rusty streaked past me only to bury his snout in his water bowl.  He never dared to dumpster dive after that.

Diane Tait owns and operates A&B Insurance.  To find out more about how you can save money on home owner’s insurance, go to her site or fill out the form at right.