Having a dog is a heartwarming and joyful experience. Most days life will be great and full of amazing memories. However, there are risks that can harm your beloved pet that you should be aware of. Being aware of these potential risks is huge in making sure your pet lives a long and healthy life.
Food
You may have heard chocolate is bad for your dog, but there are so many types of foods that could be harmful to your dog that you might not know about. Your dog actually can have foods such as apples, bananas, peanut butter, and even cheese in moderation. They can not have any salty foods, pits, or seeds from the fruit, potato skins, garlic, and more. It is very important to make sure you know what foods your dog cannot have before giving them or leaving them around the house where they can get to them.
Plants
It’s spring, which means the beautiful flowers and plants are coming out. But did you know some plants are actually poisonous for dogs? Plants such as Sago Palm, Tulips, Oleander, and many more are poisonous to dogs. Before buying that pretty plant, you might want to double-check with a quick Google search if it’s safe to have with pets. If your dog was to eat any part of the plant, you would need to take a sample of the plant and your pet to the vet immediately to get the material out before the toxins absorb into the body. Even if your dog doesn’t look sick, it could seriously harm them fairly quickly.
Garden products
Chances are your pet loves being outside and running through the yard. It should be a safe space for your pup, but it can be dangerous if you use yard products, such as fertilizers or herbicides. They contain toxic chemicals and can cause serious health problems. To ensure their safety, try to choose a pet-friendly option before purchasing yard supplies. Make sure you thoroughly read the instructions before applying to your yard, garden, or flower bed and allowing your pet outside.
Household products
Dogs are amazing, but somehow very ditzy animals. They tend to chew on any and everything! That’s why potentially toxic products, such as paint, glue, and cleaning items, should be out of reach from your dog. If you have rodenticides or insecticides that you need to use, you should keep your pet entirely away from them. Failure to keep your dog away from these items can seriously harm and even kill them.
Over-the-counter medications.
It isn’t uncommon for a pet to get into your medicine cabinet, but it can be extremely dangerous for them. If your pet was to get into any ibuprofen, cold medicine, or herbal supplements, you should immediately get ahold of a veterinarian. Dogs are curious by nature, but these medications can lead to death and should never be given to them.
Veterinary products
Prescriptions for animals are usually favored, which can make them want to eat more than they should. For this reason, you should keep any prescriptions for your pet up to where they cannot get them. Dogs are able to chew bottles, so you will need to make sure they are entirely out of reach.
Electrical Cords
Everyone loves the rowdiness of a puppy or kitten. They find fun in everything around them. However, they are not immune to electrocution or burns from cords around the house. If you can put up cords, that would be preferred. If not, you will need to monitor what the animals are doing close to ensure they don’t get seriously hurt.
Windows and balconies
Cats always land on their feet, but dogs don’t! As mentioned before, dogs are ditzy animals. They clearly have no common sense, otherwise, this wouldn’t be much of an issue. It might be one of the things we love so much about them, but it can be very dangerous for them. You’ll want to make sure windows have screens and the pet never gets onto the balcony to make sure they never have an accident and fall. Make sure your pet doesn’t have the chance to test its flying abilities!
Every day is a learning experience with dogs it seems like. They are constantly trying and learning new things. However, it can be seriously dangerous for them to test things like new foods or flying. That’s why we, as owners, have to keep a close eye on our pets and make sure they are safe and happy. Like children, they have sensitive bodies and no self-control. The first step of protecting our pets is to be aware of the potential dangers in our homes that we may not have been aware of. We love our pets and want them to live long and healthy lives!
