Help us keep each others pets safe. Please share things some people might not know about that can be harmful to pets.

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Help us keep each others pets safe. Please share things some people might not know about that can be harmful to pets.

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Contributor: Bignuf Bignuf
There are so many foods and chemicals out there, a lot of people, for instance, have no idea that Raisins and Grapes are toxic to dogs!!! Sugar free mints and gum can be very lethal and onions are likewise poison to our canine friends.

While many people know chocolate is very toxic (the darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is), but how about licorice...another toxin??

Any other "avoid these" tips to share with other pet owners here on EF?
07/31/2013
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Contributor: Taylor Taylor
Dogs should not eat spicy Thai food, which I know from experience since a relative of mine fed some to my dog. My dog pooped blood for a week

I think I've heard avocados are bad for dogs but I am not sure if that is true.
07/31/2013
Contributor: LoveBug721 LoveBug721
Quote:
Originally posted by Bignuf
There are so many foods and chemicals out there, a lot of people, for instance, have no idea that Raisins and Grapes are toxic to dogs!!! Sugar free mints and gum can be very lethal and onions are likewise poison to our canine friends.

While ... more
Poinsetta's
07/31/2013
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
This is slightly off topic but that "Fresh food for Fido" stuff (can't remember the name off the top of my head)? It can give your dogs worms because nothing has been processed so there are bacteria and things of that nature in it.

We never gave our pets people food and we were super careful never to leave a plate unattended or food within the animals reach. Their main meals were dry kibble and a spoonful of wet food (but very rarely).
08/01/2013
Contributor: ChubbyNerd ChubbyNerd
Honestly, you shouldn't really give your pets human food at all. If you're unsure if something is poisonous for your pet you should call your local vet or they have plenty of sites that list what is unsafe. But make sure to avoid:
Avocado
Alcohol
Onions and Garlic
Coffee, Tea, and Other Caffeine
Grapes and Raisins
Milk and Other Dairy Products
Macadamia Nuts
Candy and Gum
Chocolate
Fat Trimmings and Bones
Persimmons, Peaches, and Plums
Raw Eggs
Raw Meat and Fish
Salt
Sugary Foods and Drinks
Yeast Dough
Your Medicine
Pork
Here is the website with the list above and it has an explanation on why the item is bad for your dog and what it can cause. (link)

Here is another list (link)
08/01/2013
Contributor: js250 js250
Do not give a cat aspirin. It can shut down their liver. I was very surprised when my vet told me this since I was giving my older dog a baby one per day for arthritis. I did not know cats could not tolerate it and was glad I asked!!!

If you travel with your pets--ask your vet if there are any health precautions you need to take PRIOR to leaving!!! We took our Pomeranian to Alabama with us a few months ago. She happened to be in the vet's office for a minor issue and I told him we were taking her with us. She had to have a shot and a regimen of heartworm, ringworm and another parasitic prevention medication before we left. Why? We live in Montana and do not have heartworms, ringworm or the other parasite here.....Our little dog could have become drastically ill or died if we would not have taken preventative measures.
08/04/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
As a Veterinary Technician, I can give you all a lot of advice. I have been working with companion animals for over two years now and have seen A LOT of animals with a A LOT of different issues. A problem that has been on the rise recently is poisoning.

In the last week, we've had at least 2 pets a day who have been poisoned by their owners, albeit unknowingly.

You should NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR PET HUMAN MEDICATIONS! The only human medication that can be safely given over the counter is Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) 25mg tablets, and only at 1mg/lbs doses up to three times a day if needed.

What I've seen a lot of is a person giving their 15 lbs Shih Tzu Pepto because they have diarrhea. Well, Pepto has Aspirin in it which is extremely toxic to animals and will cause liver failure in a heart beat. Tylenol is another huge issue we have seen. If your pet appears to be in pain, take them to the Veterinarian near you to get SAFE treatment. Your pet feels warm? That's a load of BS. The normal temperature for cats and dogs is between 100 and 102.5 degress farenheight. That's why they produce so much heat at night and THAT is why they feel warm.

Pet's are very dear to us and are an intricate part of our lives. I know most people just try to help their pets feel better, but it's never a good idea to give medication when you have no idea if it's safe or not. Especially when you don't know the dose!

If your pet is vomiting or having diarrhea, take them to the doctor! You wouldn't leave your child to be sick, why would you leave your pet to "get over it?" Your doctor will most likely like to do a Parvovirus or Giardia test as well as run a full spectrum bloodwork to check for serious infections, kidney/liver failure, diabetes, Cushing's Disease, etc...

And NEVER TRUST ANYTHING YOU READ ONLINE ABOUT HOME REMEDIES! Just be safe, spend $40 and go to the vet.

Spending $40 for a check up is a lot cheaper than emergency medicine care, I can guarantee that!
08/04/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
Quote:
Originally posted by js250
Do not give a cat aspirin. It can shut down their liver. I was very surprised when my vet told me this since I was giving my older dog a baby one per day for arthritis. I did not know cats could not tolerate it and was glad I asked!!!

If you ... more
Heartworm Disease has been diagnosed in ALL 50 states. Heartworms are transferred by the bite of just ONE mosquito to your pet. It takes an average of 6 months to show up on tests and even then, only the females are diagnosable at this time. So, a full male infection can go unnoticed.

As for ringworm, it's a fungus. There is no prevention medication. Ringworm is EVERYWHERE. The only prevention is GOOD HYGIENE. ALL pets should be on flea/heartworm prevention year round. And should be regularly vaccinated for Rabies Virus and Distemper/Parvovirus vaccines. The laws for Rabies are different everywhere, but DAPP (distemper/parvovirus vaccine) should be give as follows:

1st @ 6 weeks
2nd @ 9 weeks
3rd @ 12 weeks
4th 1 year after the 3rd and then every 3 years until about 9 years of age or sooner/later depending on your pet's lifestyle.
08/04/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
Quote:
Originally posted by ChubbyNerd
Honestly, you shouldn't really give your pets human food at all. If you're unsure if something is poisonous for your pet you should call your local vet or they have plenty of sites that list what is unsafe. But make sure to ... more
link
08/04/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
Quote:
Originally posted by Taylor
Dogs should not eat spicy Thai food, which I know from experience since a relative of mine fed some to my dog. My dog pooped blood for a week

I think I've heard avocados are bad for dogs but I am not sure if that is true.
Pets should not eat human food of any kind. American, Mexican, Thai, bitter, sweet, spicy, etc...

Your pet was probably ill because of an illness known as Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis in an inflammation of the Pancreas caused by your pet eating something that they cannot digest (i.e., human foods).

There are a select few foods that are safe for dogs. If you feel the need to feed them anything other than a high quality (i.e., not Beneful or Cesar) pet food, they can safely have carrots (as treats) or BOILED, BONELESS, SKINLESS, SEASONLESS chicken breasts.
08/04/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
Quote:
Originally posted by AquarianPhoenix
link
That link goes to the PetPoisonHelpline. They have a large database of things that are toxic to pets. Foods, plants, insects, etc...

link
08/04/2013
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by AquarianPhoenix
As a Veterinary Technician, I can give you all a lot of advice. I have been working with companion animals for over two years now and have seen A LOT of animals with a A LOT of different issues. A problem that has been on the rise recently is ... more
I'd love to know where it is that a vet visit only costs $40. All medical attention required for my animals has been well over $100.
08/05/2013
Contributor: AquarianPhoenix AquarianPhoenix
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I'd love to know where it is that a vet visit only costs $40. All medical attention required for my animals has been well over $100.
The full service Veterinary Hospital I work at, Banfield, has an office visit (preliminary exam) of 37.95. And you can get it for free if its your first time going with a coupon from Banfield's website.

There is an emergency animal facility across the street from us for after hours care. Their office visit charge is $95.

And then there is a specialty center (with board certified surgeons) that has an office visit of $150 about 40 minutes from us.

I agree that most places aren't cheap, but do you really want cheap healthcare for your companion? Banfield is able to keep the cost of their office visits down because of our extremely high number of clients we see each day. Where as most vets only see 10-30 clients a day, our average is between 60 and 80. Plus, Banfield is open 7 days a week and there are over 800 hospitals across the country with another opening in December in Puerto Rico.

Look them up if you need a new veterinarian. link
08/05/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by AquarianPhoenix
The full service Veterinary Hospital I work at, Banfield, has an office visit (preliminary exam) of 37.95. And you can get it for free if its your first time going with a coupon from Banfield's website.

There is an emergency animal ... more
Thanks for all the info/advice, AquarianPhoenix!

Oh, Stormy, and anyone else looking to save some money...ask your vet about a multiple animal discount! I have 5 cats and my brothers and parents all bring their animals there, too and we all get a multi-pet household discount. It's not a huge difference, but every little bit helps. (I also was very honest about my financial situation with the bet and she tries to keep things lower, for instance, she might not charge for a second X-ray. This last time she took $30 off the bill and I didn't notice it till I got home that one of the procedures was credited!)

If anyone lives in the East side suburbs of Cleveland and wants to know the name of the best damn vet we've ever worked with, send me a PM!
08/05/2013
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
Thanks for all the info/advice, AquarianPhoenix!

Oh, Stormy, and anyone else looking to save some money...ask your vet about a multiple animal discount! I have 5 cats and my brothers and parents all bring their animals there, too and we all ... more
We never have more than one animal in the home at a time but I'll be sure to pass that along to anyone else who may need it! Thanks!
08/05/2013