Safeguarding Our Pets From Household Hazards.

It’s the time of year again, the holidays, when food and drink are shared with friends and family. You can bet your dogs are checking out the menu and what’s being brought into the house too.

This is a time when we have to be extra vigilant to not leave any food or non-food items on counter tops, coffee tables, night stands, or anywhere else a curious dog can nose into (purses, backpacks, diaper bags).  I just heard a sad story about a puppy, who got into his Mom’s purse and ate a small bottle of hand sanitizer. I’m so very sad to say that the dog didn’t make it.

If you have guests staying with you over the holidays, please let them know to keep their suitcases closed and all medications tucked away where dogs cannot get into them. Perhaps they don’t have any pets and are used to leaving things lying around the house.

Since dogs are curious creatures and always hungry, we have to be their guardians and keep all poisonous items way out of reach. Here’s a list that we all need to be familiar with:

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

If you have a poison emergency, call your vet immediately or call the ASPCA hotline number at:

888-426-4435

They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You may want to post this number in a handy place where you can access it quickly.