Tips for a Pet-Safe Home

If you have small children, no doubt you've long since baby-proofed your home. But if you're a pet owner, have you ever thought about pet-proofing?

The truth is that a typical household can hold a variety of dangers for your cats and dogs. To keep pets from potential harm, it's a good idea to head off hazardous situations before they arise.

And although we think of puppies and kittens getting into trouble at home, the truth is that problems can arise at any age, especially for pets that are especially curious or prone to chew.

"There has to be a consciousness and awareness of your environment," said Dr. Joann Marie Donahoe, a veterinarian with a housecall practice in Carmel, California. Keeping pets safe can be as simple as noticing what's in the home that animals might like to eat or play with.

Just as with small children, pet owners need to pick up and put items out of reach that a pet might chew on. Coins, small items like puzzle pieces or paper clips, kids' toys and yarn are just a few of the items that could be ingested.

Dogs, especially, are known for eating oddball items. Dr. James Ponder of Romie Lane Pet Hospital in Salinas, California, recalls one dog that came to him with a number of items in his stomach that had to be surgically removed: "A clay dinosaur, a toy soldier, a wad of Easter grass and a shoe buckle."

Cleaning products and poisons should also be put well out of reach, and in a locked cabinet if possible. Other items to stash well away from pets include medications - both yours and theirs - and garden items such as rat poison, snail bait containing toxic metaldehyde, fertilizers and pesticides. (If you do buy commercial snail bait, look for the type that says "pet safe" - it's made with iron phosphate, which won't hurt animals.)

"Poison for rats and mice is one of the biggest hazards," said Beth Brookhouser, director of community outreach for the SPCA for Monterey County, California. "So are painkillers like Tylenol (which are toxic to dogs and cats)."

Also keep in mind that a dog can chew through a medication bottle - childproof caps aren't pet-proof, unfortunately.

Some cats and dogs like to play with or chew on electrical cords, which can be a shocking experience for them; in addition, dangling cords for shades and blinds should be secured out of reach to prevent mishaps.

Among the most dangerous rooms in the house for pets is the bathroom. Pets shouldn't be allowed to drink out of the toilet or be in the room while you're cleaning; many tub and toilet cleaning products are caustic and could cause chemical burns to a pet who accidentally gets into them.

Never leave a bucket out with bleach, Pine Sol or other cleanser inside where a pet could drink from it; also, if a cleanser is spilled, wipe it up immediately lest it be licked. If a dog or cat walks through a puddle of such a substance, it could ingest it while grooming.

Ponder recalls a case he saw where a pet owner had been adding chlorine to a pool and accidently splashed it in a dog's eyes, which could have cost the dog its eyesight.

"Also, vapors from cleaning solutions can hang out close to the floor, where your pets are," said Ponder.

Laundry rooms also have their danger spots. Cats are known to seek out warm, cozy dryers for naps; it's good to check within before you start drying clothes.

You also need to be choosy about your potted plants and cut flowers. A nibble from any kind of lily will kill a cat; other toxic plants include diffenbachia and holly, as well as some varieties of palms, orchids, ivies and ferns. Plant bulbs can also be poisonous. A complete list of dangerous plants can be found at the national ASPCA Poison Control website, http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/.

It's also important to keep countertops clean and trash cans either tightly covered or out of reach. Admits Brookhouser, "I own a counter surfer ... we've had to make a few trips to the vet."

"Garbage cans have all kinds of horrible things in them," said Ponder, noting that people food isn't appropriate for pets anyway, and what's in the trash may be spoiled to boot. Items like grapes, raisins, currants and sugar-free gum are bad for dogs; cats are sensitive to onions and garlic. But even non-toxic foods could cause stomach upsets and diarrhea.

In addition, make sure that pets aren't playing with your children's toys. Dog toys need to be sturdy and almost indestructible; ordinary stuffed animals are all too easy for dogs to chew up and swallow.

Certain items can be especially hazardous to chewers. Pantyhose, for one, is devastating to a dog's digestive system, said Donahoe; string and ribbons are also dangerous.

Socks are also a problem, said Brookhouser: "They smell delicious to a dog."

Items that are ingested often must be removed surgically before they create a blockage that could kill the animal.

In the garage, the classic problem substance is antifreeze; because it often has a sweet flavor to it, cats and dogs will eagerly lick it up. Luckily, drips are easy to spot, usually bright green or sometimes orange in color.

Brookhouser notes that one of the best ways to keep pets safe, no matter where they are, is for them to wear collars and be microchipped. It only takes a second for a dog or cat to escape the house, and then they could be gone forever. Obedience training is also essential to prevent dogs from bolting.

"They should come to you 100 percent of the time, not 90 percent," said Donahoe. "You should keep them safe, loved and under control."

Sources:

Interviews with Dr. Joann Marie Donahoe, Dr. James Ponder and Beth Brookhouser, June 2010

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/

www.spcamc.org