"We recommend that pet owners be aware of which items around their homes can be harmful to their pets," advises Carol McConnell, DVM. Pet owners must not "assume that their pets will ignore that bottle of bleach in the laundry room. Our data shows this just isn't so."
You can make your house pet friendly by eliminating or securing harmful items, including medications, insect poisons, chocolate, and certain nuts. Other toxic or harmful items:
Talk with your veterinarian during each visit about ways they can help you create a safe, non-toxic environment for your pets.
Keeping your house pet friendly is critical to the health and wellness of your pets. Just what does pet friendly mean? A pet friendly house is a sheltered location for an animal to live, play and relax that is clean, safe, free from hazards and toxic materials. Most pets share house space with their owner. Household items used in a house by an owner are available to the pets. Many of these materials used by owners can be unsafe or deadly to pets.
"Properly storing and locking up hazardous items is the first step to preventing accidental poisonings," advises Janet Tobiassen Crosby, DVM in Common Household Poisons. If you haven't made your house pet friendly, do it now. It will be easiest to move from one room to another checking closets, cabinets, boxes, shelves, and drawers. Yes, drawers - adept, curious pets can easily get into them!
"Not only can a poisoning incident be life-threatening for the pet, it's traumatic for the pet owner," said Carol McConnell, DVM, vice president and chief veterinary medical officer for Veterinary Pet Insurance. "We recommend that pet owners be aware of which items around their homes can be harmful to their pets-medications, insect poisons, chocolate and certain nuts-and keep these items safely out of reach. They shouldn't assume that their pets will ignore that bottle of bleach in the laundry room or the Philodendron plant by the window. Our data shows this just isn't so."
It could be a good idea to isolate your pet for a few minutes while you remove and secure substances that can be harmful. Pets may enjoy chewing through storage containers you consider safe. Remember that child-proof does not mean pet proof!
Common Household Poisons by veterinarian Janet Tobiassen Crosby suggests properly storing and securing items that can harm your pet. Ensure that they are stored up high and out of reach of all pets (and children) in your home. Your pet doesn't know ingesting these items can harm or kill them.
These items are used to maintain your home, the furnishings, and items in it. They may be located in your laundry room, kitchen, bathrooms, or garage. Secure abrasives, soaps, waxes, disinfectants, powders, aerosol and pump sprays, paints, lubricants, bleach, fabric softeners, and water softener supplies.
In addition to storing where pets cannot reach or gain access to these items, use only the recommended doses. Always follow the dosing schedule.
Pets can be attracted to this sweet tasting, brightly colored liquid. "One swallow may be lethal for small animals," Crosby advises.
"One of the most common household poisons are medications - either discovered by the pet or purposely administered by the owner," Crosby says. Your veterinarian must guide you with giving any medications to your pets. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs require authorization from your veterinarian. "Accidental poisonings, especially from NSAIDs are very common," she says.
Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that can be toxic to animals. It is often found in foods labeled as "sugar free." Chocolate, caffeine, raisins, and grapes are known toxins for pets.
"The sheer mix of items in a trash can (may) make a pet owner forget the combined potential hazard," alerts Crosby. Cleanser containers, food scraps, broken and sharp objects could severely harm a pet who wouldn't usually bother a trash can. "Make sure your trash is secure."
Just like their canine counterparts, cats need stimulation. Boredom in cats can prevent itself as inter-cat aggression, over eating, anxiety or over-grooming as seen similarly in dogs, but environment enrichment can help here too. Since cats are such sensory driven creatures, puzzles and games are some of the best ways to appeal to their natural instinct — and make for a far more confident and less stressed cat. You can use some of the following tools to quickly enhance your cat’s living space and make sure she is happy, healthy and stress free.
Scratch posts allow your cat to indulge in a habit that comes naturally, while reducing stress and stretching muscles at the same time.
Puzzle feeders engage your cat’s hunting instinct and ability and keeps the mind moving, even at dinner time.
Tunnels and hideaways are simple and necessary for even the most confident cat. Make your own fabric tunnels for hours of endless fun.
Does your dog like to bark, dig and chew everything in his line of sight? Before you panic and head straight for doggy boot camp, the solution may be simpler than you think. Just as humans do, dogs get bored. Unlike humans, however, dogs have fewer means of passing the time. Instead, bored dogs can develop unhealthy behaviors and stress-related habits, such as excessive personal licking or chewing, which can potentially cause them harm.
Environment enrichment is the process of making your pet’s living space engaging and stimulating in order to decrease boredom and avoid any associated consequences. Keeping your pets busy and engaged with mental games, active training and enough daily exercise will protect both your pets and your furniture. You can thank us later.
There are a few simple ways to improve your furry friend’s immediate living space and help encourage mental and physical development, including the following:
Toys that dispense food are an excellent way for your dog to beat daily stress and boredom. Keeping your dog busy while you’re gone by making them work for treats, or their entire meal, keeps them interested and engaged. They are far less likely to be distracted by an arm chair or potential digging spot if they are being rewarded and encouraged with their favorite foods. Additionally, using toys that encourage dogs to eat more slowly can even improve digestive health.
As wonderful as engaging toys and human interaction can be for your pets, other dogs provide stimulation that we simply cannot. Regular play dates with other friendly dogs is one of the best ways to keep your dog learning and consistently engaged. Provide your pup with the opportunity to run, sniff and explore a new, safe space with a brand-new friend!
Much like humans, dogs need variation to keep them learning and developing. Whenever you can, provide your pup with the opportunity to explore new spaces. Maybe try a new trail on your morning walk, take a trip to the beach or pack your smaller furry friend into a secure bike basket and go for a ride. Allowing your dog to experience new things will keep his senses keen and improve both his physical and mental health.
If you have any further questions about environment enrichment, or any unhealthy behaviors you have seen appear in your pet, contact your veterinarian for additional resources and support.