Holiday Hazard How to keep your pet safe

From the Willamette Valley Animal Hospital - Thank you.

Lights, decorations, good food... every year, as we celebrate the holidays, we fill our homes with seasonal cheer for ourselves and our families. However, what may seem beautiful and harmless to us may pose hidden dangers to our pets. Don't let an emergency spoil the festivities! Below are some common holiday hazards for dogs and cats and ways to prevent them.

Dangerous Foods -The following can be toxic to pets: chocolate, raisins, grapes, macadamia nuts, garlic, onion, alcohol, caffeinated beverages, bread dough, and sugar-free candy and gum containing the artificial sweetener xylitol.

Regular Foods -Despite tradition, bones should never be given to pets. Even beef, ham, and other "regular" foods that are not considered toxic can cause illness in pets. If your pet is a moocher, keep a saucer of his regular treats on the table to offer when he asks. He probably won't know the difference!

New Treats and Toys -Even a pet-safe treat can cause stomach upset if it is new to your pet. Offer only one of these at a time (ideally, separated by a few days). If your pet becomes ill after eating a holiday treat, it will be easier to trace the source and discontinue it. Also, check new toys for sharp edges, pieces that can be chewed off, or other potential hazards.

Plants -Hazardous plants include mistletoe, some evergreens (including some types of pine), and holly bushes and berries. Try to keep these plants away from pets, or at least supervise pets when dangerous plants are nearby.

Decorations Tinsel, tree ornaments, ribbons, string, and garlands are some items that can be dangerous if eaten by pets. Keep these items away from pets — especially when pets are unattended. Don't forget to cover any electrical cords or keep them out of reach.

Fire and Carbon Monoxide -Monitor pets near fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, candles, and portable heaters. Also, don't forget to check smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are functioning properly. Space heaters, furnaces, and idling cars (in a garage) can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning in pets and humans.

Christmas Trees - Monitor your pets when they are around your holiday tree. Pets may eat the needles (even from artificial trees) or drink water from the base of the tree, which can be toxic (especially if there are preservatives in it). Keep electrical cords and decorative lights out of reach, too.


In many cases, if your pet has eaten or drunk something toxic, warning signs will include gastrointestinal problems, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Other signs may include tiredness and lack of appetite, especially in cats that have eaten lilies. If your pet shows any of these signs, or if you think he or she has eaten something dangerous but is not showing any signs yet, please call us right away. Treating your pet as soon as possible is essential!

We will be glad to answer any questions you have about your pet's health. Let's work together to make sure your entire family has a happy, healthy holiday season!

Raisin Toxicity in Dogs

If you have a dog ... PLEASE read

this and send it on. If you don't

have a dog, please pass along

to friends who do.

Written by:
Laurinda Morris, DVM
Danville Veterinary Clinic
Danville , OH

This week I had the first case in history of raisin

toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was

a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix

that ate half a canister of raisins sometime

between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He

started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking

about 1 AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't

call my emergency service until 7 AM.

I had heard somewhere about raisins AND

grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't

seen any formal paper on the subject. We

had her bring the dog in immediately. In the

meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet,

and the doctor there was like me - had heard

something about it, but... Anyway, we

contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison

Control Center and they said to give IV fluids

at 1 & 1/2 times maintenance and watch the

kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was

already at 32 (normal less than 27) and

creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal).

Both are monitors of kidney function in the

bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and

started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values

at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine

over 7 with no urine production after a liter of

fluids. At that point I felt the dog was in acute

renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a

urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight

as well as overnight care.

He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet

and his renal values continued to increase

daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a

diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting

medications and they still couldn't control his

vomiting. Today his urine output decreased

again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was

at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his

blood pressure, which had been staying around

150, skyrocketed to 220 ... He continued to vomit

and the owners elected to Euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners

who had no idea raisins could be a toxin. Please

alert everyone you know who has a dog of this

very serious risk.

Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could

be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes

or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any

exposure should give rise to immediate concern.

Onions, chocolate, cocoa, avocadoes and macadamia nuts can

be fatal, too.


Even if you don't have a dog, you might have friends

who do. This is worth passing on to them.

Confirmation from Snopes about the above ....

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/raisins.asp

Foods poisonous to pets by Megan Zehnder

http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/foods-poisonous-to-pets-1455341/

Friday, May 28, 2010

Foods poisonous to pets editor
by Yahoo!Green, on Mon May 17, 2010 8:19pm PDT


We all know that pets aren’t supposed to have people food. But let’s face it, sometimes, it happens…something falls on the floor when you’re cooking dinner, and Buddy is quickly there, vacuuming up the crumbs, or Felix steels something off the plate when you aren’t looking…

There are some healthy “people foods” for pets (only small amounts– not replacements for pet food). But there are also many foods that can be dangerous to our feline friends and canine companions.

Here is a handy list of the top common foods that are toxic to your pet along with tips on what to do if your pet happens to get a hold of any of these substances.
Click link above to get the list. Thank you Megan!!