Protecting our Pets from Products that we use every day

We, as humans, sometimes forget that things or substances we use everyday are actually hazardous to our four-legged friends. While we would NEVER think about eating or drinking chemical cleaners, our pets actually find some of them tasty, and, given their naturally curious nature, can get themselves in trouble. It is our responsibility, as their owners, to protect them from these situations.

In that vein, I would like to spotlight some of these items throughout the next few months. As with all medical issues, prevention is always better, and cheaper, than treatment!!

Household Items

Acids: battery fluid, toilet bowl cleaners, vinegar, metal cleaners, drain cleaners. These acids can harm our pets both through the skin and if ingested.

Alkalis: bleach, automatic dishwasher detergent, oven cleaners, lye,drain cleaners. These products typically have little taste or odor, so larger ingestions may occur. As with acids, alkalis can harm both topically and internally.

Batteries: dry cell batteries, such as 9Volt, D, C, AA, AAA, are the most common types that are ingested, but button/disk batteries run a close second.

Detergents: soaps, fabric softeners, deodorizers.

     


Firestarter logs: These logs are made of compressed wax and sawdust, which will cause obstructions in the stomach when mixed with saliva and stomach acid. They also can contain heavy metals, which cause metal toxicity when ingested.

Fluoride: toothpaste and mouthwash. ALWAYS use pet approved toothpastes with your pets, NEVER human formulas.

Glow jewelry: these popular jewelry items contain a clear-to-yellow oily liquid called DBP, which can be ingested or can cause skin irritation.

Gorilla Glue and other types of wood or construction glue. When the chemicals in the glue mix with the stomach acids, the glue expands into a very large, foam firm foreign body obstruction.

Hand Sanitizer: Most hand sanitizers contain ethanol, which is highly toxic to both cats and dogs.

Liquid Potpourri: The liquid base causes chemical burns to the mouth. Liquid potpourris are most dangerous to cats due to their grooming habits.

Matches: These contain sulfur, charcoal and potassium nitrate, all of which can cause metal toxicity. The danger of ingestion is relative to the amount ingested.

Mothballs: This pesticide can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin or ingested.

Paintballs: Although uncommon, paintball ingestion can be life-threatening to our pets.

SuperGlue: Need I say more.

Tinsel: While not “poisonous”, tinsel is extremely dangerous to dogs and cats when ingested. It wraps around the tongue and/or internal organs, creating major problems internally.