Pets are an important part of their family, and yet their wellness and wellbeing is often unknowingly put at risk by having harmful plants, foods or other substances around your home. To keep your pet healthy, it is important that you know what is safe for them and what is not.
Chocolate, for example, may be your absolute favourite thing, but did you know that it can be terribly toxic for your dog? There is a component in chocolate called theobromine and it can cause increased heart rate, hyperactivity, arrhythmias, diarrhoea, vomiting and even seizures if chocolate is consumed by dogs. If a dog eats a lot of chocolate it can even lead to sudden death. Keep all chocolate well away from your dog, and if your dog eats chocolate by accident then contact your vet immediately as a precaution.
Antifreeze is also terribly dangerous for pets. In colder weather like we are currently experiencing in the UK, people start to add antifreeze to their car engines. It’s great for protecting cars from extreme temperatures but it can be deadly if a cat or dog laps it up from a puddle in the driveway. Just a few licks of antifreeze (such as a cat might get from cleaning its paws after standing in some) can be enough to cause kidney failure and even death in your cat. If you do spill whilst filling up your car then ensure that you hose down your driveway thoroughly and let it dry again before you let our pet outside.
If you transport your dog around in the car then make sure that you put a seatbelt on them. Larger dogs especially should be harnessed in the back seat of the car, which prevents them from distracting the driver and also keeps them safe in the event of an accident. Smaller dogs should be in a carrier or pet crate, secured with a seatbelt.