Dangerous to dogs: Common Household Items can Poison your dog

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Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Is your home safe for your dog? It may not be.

Yikes! Can Common Household Items Poison My Child or Pet? reports:

“If you check throughout your home, you will be shocked to find an array of chemical and biological agents,” warns Debra Holtzman, an internationally acclaimed safety and health expert and best-selling author of “The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety” (Sentient Publications). “And in the hands of a small child, dog or cat, these products are potentially deadly.”

“Fortunately, accidental poisoning is a preventable injury. But it’s up to parents, grandparents and caregivers to be educated about what types of substances can be harmful to children and pets,” says Holtzman.

Here are some potentially poisonous products in the home, which some people may overlook:

1. Table salt: A little as half a teaspoon to an infant or a tablespoon to a toddler can cause damage to his central nervous system.

2. Alcohol: It can lead to seizures, coma and even death in a young child. (Examples of household products that can contain alcohol: mouthwash, perfumes, colognes, and aftershave, vanilla extract, cough and cold medications.)

3. Baby oil: When you swallow baby oil and other hydrocarbons, they can easily go down the wrong way and get into your lungs. Only a small amount can cause pneumonia within a few hours.

4. Antifreeze: Children or pets could drink large amounts of this sweet-tasting liquid if it is left out in an open container or if spilled on your driveway. The main ingredient in many major antifreeze brands is ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic. (Be aware, dogs are known to chew through containers to get at antifreeze.) Use antifreeze with propylene glycol, which is considerably less toxic, or use antifreeze that has a bittering agent added to make it taste unpleasant.

5. Windshield washer fluid is extremely toxic. It can cause blindness soon after ingestion

6. Dieffenbachia and Philodendron: These common houseplants contain oxalates, small crystals that get released into the mouth when the plant is chewed, causing extreme pain and inflammation.

Important Note to cat owners: All parts of the Easter lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can cause severe poisoning.

7. Tobacco Products: Ingestion can result in vomiting, sweating and seizures.

8. Disc Batteries: They may, if swallowed, stick in the throat or stomach, causing serious burns as the chemical leaks out.

9. Toxic Art Supplies: Some art supplies can contain hazardous or toxic substances, such as lead, cadmium, nickel and organic solvents. When buying art supplies for your children, including crayons and paints, always look for this label: ASTM D-4236. It means a toxicologist has reviewed the product. If it is necessary, cautionary information will be included with this label. Do not allow children under age 12 to use art materials containing cautionary information.

10. Recalled products: These are products that have been found to be unsafe, hazardous or defective. Keep up-to-date by visiting www.Recalls.gov. Check your entire home, as well as your children’s day care or school, to make sure that no recalled products are being used.

Lastly, pet owners beware! Sugarless chewing gum and products containing xylitol are poisonous to pets. Also, other food items that can be toxic to pets include chocolate and caffeine products (coffee, tea), onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, avocado, and macadamia nuts.

Whenever you suspect a poisoning, immediately call the National Poison Hotline (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), 1-800 222-1222, which automatically connects you to your local poison center. Make sure to prominently post this number on every phone in the house. (You can download a free copy of Debra Holtzman’s emergency preparation sheet, taken from her book, “The Safe Baby.” Visit her Web site: www.thesafetyexpert.com and click on “Safety Tips”.

ALWAYS CALL THE POISON CENTER FIRST, BEFORE TREATING A POISONING.

Debra Holtzman has a master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and is an attorney. She been featured on NBC’s Today Show, MSNBC and Discovery Health Channel and was chosen a Reader’s Digest Everyday Hero. “The Safe Baby: A Do-it-Yourself Guide to Home Safety” (Sentient Publications) offers parents economical, easy-to-implement solutions to provide a safe, healthy, and green living lifestyle for children, dogs and cats.

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