Many of us keep garden and car products in our garages and sheds, yet how often do we give a thought to how dangerous they could be if our pets managed to get access to them? L quids are the most common type of substances that we store, with some of these being potentially the most harmful. M ke sure that all toxic products and bottles are stored well out of the reach of not only children but also dogs, if at all possible, locked away.
Antifreeze and dogs
If you have to add Antifreeze to your car radiator, try to ensure it’s stored in a secure container. Antifreeze contains a toxic chemical, ethylene glycol, which has a sweet taste, very appetising to your pets. S symptoms of poisoning first appear as diarrhoea and sickness, with the dog falling over as if drunk. I mediate treatment is necessary, or your dog could suffer from kidney failure and imminent death. I you suspect your dog has licked from the floor or drunk antifreeze solution, contact your Vet at once. Please take a look at our post on Tips for Winter dog care for more info.
Rodent bait
Rodenticides are the most common household poison accounting for a huge number of pets being taken to the Vet’s surgery each year. These rat and mouse killers are designed to appeal to rodents but are also attractive to dogs. One of the rodent baits likely to be used is offered as a grain or food that is to be eaten by the rats or mice over a few days, intending to prevent their blood from clotting and thus causing excessive bleeding and death. If a dog eats this poison, bleeding may not be visible externally, and an affected dog will show bruising, lameness, lethargy or weakness. Other poisons can trigger fits, vomiting and a rise in body temperature.
Petroleum-based products
These products, if swallowed, can be very harmful to pets causing burning of the throat, mouth and stomach. T y to prevent your dog from being sick until you get him to the Vet’s surgery, as ingesting petroleum products can enter the airways, causing lung damage and aspiration pneumonia.
Other everyday objects found in garages and sheds that could harm your pet:
- Fertilisers
- Weed-killers
- Insecticides
- Wood treatments and Creosote
- Paint
- White Spirit
Emergency Veterinary treatment could save your dog’s life
In all cases of poisoning, speedy intervention is crucial.
The initial treatment is to rid the stomach of any poison by giving a drug by injection, which causes the dog to be sick. This must be carried out within the first hour of ingesting the poisonous substance before it can pass through the digestive system and be absorbed into the blood. A vitamin K antidote will be given as a solution to anti-coagulant poisons. Be aware that treatment isn’t always successful and can be expensive.
Stay safe – be prepared.
Many pet owners are now more alert to the hidden dangers of products that can poison our pets. It’s now possible to restrict our use of garden chemicals and pesticides in favour of other eco-friendly and less toxic alternatives, which are certainly safer for our use and to keep our pets safe.
Also, make sure you have some knowledge of the common poisons by visiting The Pet Poison Helpline and looking at the common list.