A Poison Safe Home

[brumzoo]

Foods to Avoid Feeding Your Pet
- Alcoholic beverages
- Avocado
- Chocolate (all forms)
- Coffee (all forms)
- Fatty foods
- Macadamia nuts
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Onions, onion powder
- Raisins and grapes
- Salt
- Yeast dough
- Garlic
- Products sweetened with xylitol
Warm Weather Hazards 
- Animal toxins—toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions
- Blue-green algae in ponds
- Citronella candles
- Cocoa mulch
- Compost piles Fertilizers
- Flea products
- Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
- Swimming-pool treatment supplies
- Fly baits containing methomyl
- Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde

Medication
Common examples of human medications that can be potentially lethal to pets, even in small doses, include:
- Pain killers
- Cold medicines
- Anti-cancer drugs
- Antidepressants
- Vitamins
- Diet Pills

Cold Weather Hazards
- Antifreeze
- Liquid potpourri
- Ice melting products
- Rat and mouse bait

Common Household Hazards
- Fabric softener sheets
- Mothballs
- Post-1982 pennies (due to high concentration of zinc

Holiday Hazards 
- Christmas tree water (may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach.
- Electrical cords
- Ribbons or tinsel (can become lodged in the intestines and cause intestinal obstruction—most often occurs with kittens!)
- Batteries
- Glass ornaments

Non-toxic Substances for Dogs and Cats 
The following substances are considered to be non-toxic, although they may cause mild gastrointestinal upset in some animals:
- Water-based paints
- Toilet bowl water
- Silica gel
- Poinsettia
- Cat litter
- Glue traps
- Glow jewelry

[Boomers-Dad]

Great tips Trish.....thanks so much...

[brumzoo]

You're welcome! Just want all of our babies to be safe!

[Harley's dad]

My Harley ate a small fabric softener sheet 2 days ago, before we could get it from him. He doesn't seem to be in any distress and is acting like his usual nutty self, but should I really be worried?

[BeachBullyPC]

Avocado is actually safe.  I asked my vet about this, after someone telling me that they are bad and my boys love 'em.  He has an avocado tree in his yard and his dogs eat a ton of them every year with no ill effects. I've searched high and low, and finally asked at the emergency clinic in town as well and they assured me they are safe. 

The issue with avocados, like apples, are the seeds. Those are toxic so don't feed seeds and you'll be fine.  Looks like my boys can enjoy avocado rolls after all!

Avoderm even uses avocados in their dog food recipes:

http://www.avodermnatural.com/About/why_avocados.htm 

[brumzoo]

I would call your vet about the dryer sheet. I hope your baby is OK! 

[MattyGit]

In addition to avocado being ok, garlic is as well and it is contained in several dog foods as well.  As with most things, too much is not a good thing.  One thing the list is missing, and it can be more deadly than anything, is anything sweetened with xylitol. 

Signs of toxicity can be seen as quickly as 30 minutes after xylitol ingestion in dogs. The xylitol causes a rapid release of the hormone insulin, causing a sudden decrease in blood glucose. This in turn may cause the following symptoms3:

    * Vomiting
    * Weakness
    * Ataxia (uncoordinated movements)
    * Depression
    * Hypokalemia (decreased potassium)
    * Seizures
    * Coma
    * Liver dysfunction and/or failure

It's a very common no-cal sweetener and found in many gums AND toothpaste.

http://vetmedicine.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=vetmedicine&cdn=homegarden&tm=21&f=00&tt=13&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www2.aspca.org/site/DocServer/vetm0207f_095-100_.pdf%3FdocID%3D10462