BlogPaws had dubbed July “Pet Safety Month”, so what better time than now to kick off our new blog series on how to poison proof your home for pets?
Did you know that most pet poisonings happen right in our own homes? And that more pet poisonings occur in July and August than any other months of the year? It’s true, and half of the poisonings in these months are the result of pets getting into pesticides like flea and tick repellents and herbicides, something that’s easily avoided with a little planning and awareness.
But pesticides make up just a few of the pet poison hazards that are found within our homes, and the truth is that many of us are completely unaware of them. What you don’t know can indeed hurt or even kill your pet, so we want to focus on different areas of the home and ways you can make them safe for your pets. Today we’re starting in the kitchen.
There are so many things in the kitchen that are dangerous, even deadly, to our pets. Let’s start with food. Do you know which foods your pet should never eat? Here is a list of the most common foods that are toxic to pets:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is!)
- Tomatoes
- Coffee and tea
- Macadamia nuts
- Onions and garlic
- Raisins and grapes
- Trail mix (it often contains raisins)
- Uncooked salmon
- Unbaked bread dough
- Spoiled food of any kind
- Products containing Xylitol (usually found in candy, but not always)
Now I know what you’re going to say. “I’ve been giving my dog _____ (fill in the blank) for years, and he’s fine.” But here’s the thing. Sometimes it’s a matter of how much you give them. A little bit of onion probably won’t have any long-term effects on your pet, but how can you be sure? These foods listed above have proven to be toxic in pets – why take the chance?
By the way, this is obviously not a complete list of foods that are harmful to pets. My suggestion is to do your research. Learn about foods that are good for your pets, as well as those that are harmful, and when in doubt, always contact your veterinarian.
Teach your dog not to counter surf! It’s a dangerous habit and one that’s easily broken with a little loving guidance.
It’s not just food that presents a danger to your pets in the kitchen. Be sure that items like batteries, cellophane, string, and cleaning supplies are out of your pet’s reach.
Use a covered garbage container to keep your pet safe from the stuff you throw away. Dogs, and even some cats, aren’t opposed to going through the trash in search of a treat, but so much of what’s found in our garbage could be deadly to them. Not to mention the danger of suffocation. A covered garbage container provides protection from a lot of things you want to keep your pet out of.
If your pet is extremely resourceful, experts advise installing child-safety latches on cabinet doors to keep pets out. In fact, most experts say that as you work to make your home safe for your pets, the best rule of thumb is to follow the same steps you’d use if you were child-proofing the space. Many of the same precautions that work for children will also keep your pet safe.
It’s so important to know what to do in the event of a poison emergency. The Pet Poison Hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they’re just a phone call away.
As always, if you have questions about how to keep your pet safe at home, contact your veterinarian. Nothing can take the place of a good relationship with a trustworthy vet, and he’ll always be able to advise you on what’s best for your pet.
Do you have any tips for keeping pets safe in the kitchen? I’d love for you to share them in a comment below!
Luckily Lottie’s too little to counter surf! Great pits though – very useful 🙂
That’s one great thing about little dogs! Big dogs come with a whole new set of challenges! 🙂
Thank you for stopping by!
Great reminder to keep our pets safe in the kitchen. Thankfully, I’ve never had counter. Surfers or cabinet openers, but we always keep stuff way out of reach just in case! Great tips.
Nike is a terrible counter surfer, and so sneaky about it. She’d never dream of doing it if I’m in the room, but let me walk out for a second and all bets are off! She’s gotten better, but I still don’t trust her!
Thanks for the tips! I have latches, and a locking trash can from Simple Human. We originally had an inexpensive locking trashcan from Rubbermaid, but Bruce easily used force to open it.
Smart Bruce! It’s amazing, isn’t it, how they’re able to figure those things out! 🙂
I had actually never heard about avocados or macadamia nuts being toxic to dogs – good to know! Another tip we learned early on is to beware of what is out on the counters even if your dogs are not counter surfers. We had an instance or two where the cats provided some assistance by knocking something onto the floor!
This post is very useful! It’s amazing how I haven’t seen any lists of exactly what human foods dogs are allergic to until now. My dog has allergies to begin with so he doesn’t get people food at all, but this is useful knowledge. I come from a big family that involves our dogs in everything. Now I can clearly explain to the kids and my siblings why it is not okay to feed our furry friends.