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PET SAFETY BOTH AT HOME AND ON OUTINGS

We want our dogs to have fun and be safe both at home and away, but there are things that can harm our pets and ruin our fun!  Some of them can be found in the home, some are near water, and some we may encounter on travel outings and adventures we take them on.

Previously, I talked about dangerous Insecticides and Pesticides  that could be lurking in your yard or on walks with your dog.  Today I want to talk about things that can potentially harm our dogs inside our homes or while we are out on dog friendly adventures together. 


Keep your dog out of harms way both inside and outside the home by being aware of these potential pet health risks
I'm always on the alert for potential dog hazards inside and outside the home

PET DANGERS INSIDE THE HOME


The most obvious potentially harmful items that can be found in our homes are things we use every day without giving them a second thought.  Cleansers are one of the biggest culprits.  We use them often and sometimes leave them lying around the house open, or in poorly secured areas.  


Other hazardous items include nail polish remover (it's SO toxic to both pets and children!), medications, and rubbing alcohol.  Speaking of alcohol, booze is toxic to pets as well so don't leave wine, beer, or cocktails lying around in glasses on the patio! Pets are often attracted to the scent of these items.  Dogs love to LICK, and they can lick up spills of any of these substances as well as get into containers of them.
   

Visit the Humane Society of the United States web page for a list of  Common Household Dangers For Pets, both inside and outside the home.



A TOXIC MESS WITH YOUR MORNING COFFEE?



It drives me nuts when we are at Starbucks and someone has spilled a giant blob of something I know can be toxic to my dogs, but smells delightful to them. They will jump at the chance to lick it up if we don't move to another table or clean it up ourselves! 


Cigarette butts on the ground are another thing that irritates me.  For some reason, every Starbucks we ever go to has like a million cigarette butts on the ground around their outdoor tables. It feels like the Marlboro Man has just had his coffee there!  Cigarette butts are like a magnet for dogs.  My dogs always find them and invariably start chewing on them!  If dogs eat cigarette butts it could cause nicotine poisoning.



OCEAN AND STAGNANT WATERS CAN HARM YOUR DOG



Algae can be very toxic to pets so don't let pets drink stagnant water, especially if it has a blue-green film on it. This algae thrives in hot temperatures and can be found in stagnant ponds, lakes, even puddles. Algae in stagnant water can contain toxins that cause anything from skin rashes to potentially serious health risks for dogs such as organ and nervous system problems.  A variety of harmful parasites and bacteria, such as Giardia and Leptospirosis can also be found in stagnant water.



Don't let your dog drink sea water at the beach either. Salt water can be toxic to pets and could result in salt water poisoning if they drink too much of it.  Toys and other items can absorb large amounts of sea water, and can be absorbed by your dog if he chews on it or sucks on it.


Salt water can be toxic to pets if they drink it.  It can cause salt water poisoning
Icy loves the beach!  I always have fresh water available for her to drink

Rinse your dog and his toys off thoroughly after playing in or by the water.  If your dog has diarrhea or vomiting after being by the ocean, the pool, a lake, or pond, consult your Veterinarian right away.

Always keep your dog well hydrated with fresh, clean water at the beach.  Follow these Beach safety tips for dogs as well.




IS THIS DOG FRIENDLY HOTEL ROOM REALLY FRIENDLY?



When you travel with your dog, keep an eye out for potential hazards to dogs.  I've shared this story before but it bears repeating.  During a cross country trip with Icy and Phoebe, we stayed in a hotel that we had stayed in several times before and were familiar with. In fact, it was one of our favorite places to stay along our route between New York and Phoenix  - until my dogs got really sick in one of their pet friendly rooms.



When traveling with your dog, keep an eye out for any sign of distress or illness.  We expect pet friendly places to be safe, but there could be dangers lurking!
We travel a lot with the dogs , I keep a very close eye on them while traveling 

It was late at night and we were glad to finally reach our hotel and settle in.  For some reason, there were really loud people smoking up a storm on a patio close to our window, so I asked to have the room changed.  
The guy at the front desk was apparently new and seemed a bit confused as to what room to give us and the dogs - that should have been a red flag right there.  He finally gave us a room and we settled in for the night.   Icy was sleeping on the floor between the wall and my side of the bed. Phoebe was sleeping on the floor on the other side of the bed.

Somewhere around 3am Icy started coughing and hacking uncontrollably.  We couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, we panicked!  We put her up on the bed and after a few minutes the coughing lessened a bit.  We thought she might have found an object under the bed and swallowed it, or perhaps she ate a bug.  


Shortly after, Phoebe began coughing and hacking as well!  Then she vomited, right on the bed.  We were freaking out and began searching for an emergency Veterinarian in the area.  As the dogs got up off the floor and lay on the bed their coughing eased up.  We were slightly relieved but still perplexed and frightened.


Around 5am we got the heck out of there and onto the highway, windows open to get fresh air into the car.  I couldn't find an all night emergency Vet but we located a Veterinarian in the next city, not far away.  As we drove in the car the dogs began to improve - a lot.  Clearly, getting them out of that hotel was key, there had to be something in the room that made them both so ill.


We found the Vet's office, no small feat in the somewhat rural area of Ohio we were in.  It was a quaint little office and the staff was really nice.  We loved the Veterinarian, he was wonderful to us and the dogs!  He examined Icy and Phoebe and asked us lots of questions.  In the end, the Vet determined that whatever the hotel used to clean the carpeting made our dogs sick.  He gave us a prescription, but we never needed to use it because hours later both dogs were perfectly fine!


Keep Pets Safe both at home and on outings
Icy and Phoebe love to sleep in bed with us in hotel rooms!

My guess is that the guy at the desk put us in a dog friendly room that was very recently cleaned.  It probably shouldn't have been rented out so soon, I'm thinking the cleansers they used needed more time to dissipate.  Because the dogs were on the floor, so close to the recently cleaned carpet, it effected their breathing.

You'd think a hotel that has rooms designated for pets would be totally safe for pets, but you never know.  Now my dogs sleep in the bed with us in hotels!



Has your pet ever gotten into something that made them sick?  Please leave us a comment & tell us about it, we really Love hearing from you!


36 comments:

Lapdog Creations said...

This is a great post with lots of helpful tips and reminders! Over the years we've had all sorts of "oopsie" moments - Lola got into old lilly bulbs, Tut was stung on the nose, Tut got into chicken bones, Tut got into chocolate brownies (see a trend here? lol)...

Ranger said...

Pawsome tips. Thanks.
Sounds like your Mom needs to stop going to Starbucks.
Wags,
Ranger

Golden Daily Scoop said...

These are great tips and reminders! Cigarette butts are my biggest pet peeve! Great reminder about the ocean and water, last summer on our vacation the Goldens got so sick and my guess was they caught something on our hike. There were streams of water here and there, they didn't drink from them but they did have their paws in a few. Licking their paws after our hike is my guess how they got so sick.

DawgBlogger said...

Safety always comes first. Safety comes before fun. I'm constantly trying to get through to Cookie with that message :-)

M Dawson said...

* looks horrified * Wow I never thought of carpet cleaner. Good grief that would ahve sfrithened us to death with the cats so I can understand your panic and wanting to get the heck out.

People can be real slobs with cigarettes can't they Grrr I wish Starbucks would realise the long handled brush HAS been invented and can be used outside *eyeroll*

Lola The Rescued Cat said...

These are such good tips. So much thought and planning must go into a trip, and continued oversight, too. I hope a lot of dog owners follow your advice.

Kitty Cat Chronicles said...

What a scary story about your hotel stay! Those must have been some pretty string chemicals they were using on the floors. I'm glad Icy and Phoebe were okay. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I travel with my gang. Thanks for the reminder about the toxins and dangers that are lurking around the home - it's amazing how many every-day items are harmful for our pets!

M. K. Clinton said...

I have started mopping and cleaning with vinegar. It is safe and works miracles on dog slobber! LOL! I would have panicked at the hotel too. I search the floors when we go in the room. I'm glad they were okay after leaving.

FiveSibesMom said...

All such great tips! Stinging Nettles here...every year they come up, even though we *think* we have pulled them all out. The dogs always find the earliest sprouts before we can even get to them, they love them, and they get so sick from eating them. Me, get sick once and I'm done! We work hard at keeping them out of our yard. Waking up to both dogs hacking would scare me! I'm so glad it cleared up once you left and that you had such a great vet visit while out on the road! Pinned your post!

Mel said...

Cathy, This is so informative! Let me tell you about our near disaster. My Jack Russell eats everything. So, you can imagine our anxiety the day someone picked up a medication bottle and the lid wasn't on tight. 100 pills when skittering across the kitchen floor.

I had to corral Misha while the other chased after the pills.

We diverted a potential medical emergency. We are extra cautious about pill container lids now.

Beth said...

I'm glad that your dogs recovered on their own. That's really disappointing that a pet friendly room made your dogs sick! As pet parents there are so many things to be aware of, and now there's just one more. I'm glad you shared your experience so if it happens to someone else, they might know how to handle it!

Cathy Keisha said...

TW using all natural cleaning products now but when they had Nicky, she used Swiffer wetjet. She's totally convinced it poisoned him. She used to clean the kitchen floor where his food was with the Swiffer. He'd come in a little later or maybe he wouldn't wait until it was dry and put his food on the floor. He would also lick his paws. He died a horrible death. We will NEVER do a campaign for them.

Anonymous said...

Yes, my pup just counter-surfed tonight and got a juicy chicken burger with some cheddar cheese, ketchup and mayo. I am sure he enjoyed it but I am waiting for the repercussions of my mistakes

LaylasWoof said...

Safety comes first all the time in my house so this is an awesome reminder - I use apple cider vinegar or vinegar for everything as I would rather be safe than sorry

Robin said...

Pets find a way to get into everything! My cats have never gotten a hold of anything truly dangerous, but I have worried about that happening. With cats, it is more of an issue of something getting on them and then getting licked off than actually eating something dangerous (cats are picky eaters). It can be hard to keep up with every potential poison in the house. I would have been so scared having that experience in the hotel!
-Purrs from your friends at www.PlayfulKitty.net

Tenacious Little Terrier said...

We were at the beach today and someone's dog got sick from drinking too much sea water. They didn't have any bags so we gave them some. Luckily, Mr. N learned from his first experience. He doesn't try to drink it any more.

Sweet Purrfections said...

Wow! I never thought about the cleaning products being used in hotel rooms being toxic for pets. Glad your two were okay. I plan on having my house professionally cleaned and this is a great reminder to ask the company about the products being safe for pets.

jank1961 said...

Oh gosh, what a scary story! I'm glad they turned out OK. There is so much that dogs can get into, intentionally or not, that can be harmful, we always need to be diligent.
I don't use harsh chemicals around the house, we try to stick to non-toxic, pet safe cleaners. But nail polish remover and alcohol are things I never thought about. Dogs love the smell of alcohol (rubbing); I use it on bug bites and Luke always has to smell me when I do that, so I know that needs to be kept away from him.
Jan, Wag n Woof Pets

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Thanks so much Nichole, I'm glad you like it! My goodness, your dogs have been in so much mischief, LOL! Icy just won't leave the bumble bees alone, one of these days she's gonna regret it...

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Thank you! I'm so glad you like our tips. Mom cannot give up Starbucks! She loves the place. It's also where she met Dad.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Thanks, I'm glad you like our tips! Oh no, I'm so sorry the dogs got sick on your trip, that's awful. They probably did lick something bad off their paws. Poor babies! Thank goodness it wasn't anything serious.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Oh absolutely, safety is everything! Dogs don't comprehend, we have to be so diligent in keeping them away from the myriad of hazards out there.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

I know right? I hadn't been concerned about cleaned carpets or floors before, especially in hotels, until that happened - it was SO scary! We didn't know what the heck was wrong with them.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Thank you Lola, I'm glad you think so! We do spend a lot of time planning out our trips, especially where we will stay and new places we'll visit with the dogs. I hope these tips help others keep their pets Safe.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

I know, can you believe it!? I never thought about the commercial cleansers they use and how long after cleaning you should wait to have pets exposed to it. So many hazards everywhere you go, we have to be so aware!

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Oh that's a great idea! Totally natural. I've been using a natural, pet safe line of cleansers and I feel much better.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Thank you Dorothy! I'm glad you think they're good tips. OMG, that is so scary about the Nettles! It's so hard when you have a plant that is so vigarous and you can't fully eradicate it. Poor Sibes! Keep those beauties safe from the stinging Nettles!

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

GASP!! OMG, that must have been so frightening for you! Getting into human Medications is one of the biggest pet emergencies reported. Some meds can kill a pet! I'm so glad you didn't have a terrible emergency on your hands, just a terrible fright. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Mel!

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

It was really scary, I was so relieved they started to get better as soon as we removed them from the irritants in the hotel room. I don't know what they used on the rugs but they need to change to a pet friendly formula!

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

GASP!! Oh Cathy, I'm so very sorry about Nicky. That is so tragic. I can't believe it was from Swiffer, that shocks me. Are you certain? Cleansers definitely can harm pets if ingested in large amounts. I've been using a lot of pet safe cleansers too now. My heart breaks for you and Nicky, how awful )- :

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

What a little stinker, LOL! Definitely not healthy for your pup, but probably just caused a bit of indigestion - hopefully! At least it was just a juicy burger and not something worse.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Absolutely, safety first Ruth! I use a lot of natural cleaners too now. Even ingesting a small amount can make a pet so sick.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

I know, don't they!? Little stinkers! Yes, licking something toxic off paws is a big concern. Just a small amount of something really bad can result in disaster.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

Oh no! Poor thing, he could have gotten really sick drinking sea water. I'm glad Mr. N doesn't try to drink it anymore. Icy will drink a small amount, but I always try to catch her and get her to stop.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

I know! I never thought of that either until that awful incident. It took almost all day for them to be fully well again with no coughing and no other effects. Such a scary day! Be Careful when you have your house professionally cleaned, especially carpets!! See if you can find a company that uses cleansers that are non toxic to pets.

Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them said...

We definitely need to always be so diligent and keep our eyes on our pets! I look for natural cleansers too now. I knew about nail polish remover because when my Niece was little she swallowed some & had to be rushed to the hospital to get her stomach pumped! It really is quite toxic!

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