Happy National Poison Prevention Week! | 4 Tips to Keep Your Pet Safe
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National Poison Prevention Week was started to bring awareness to the many common household poisons that children and pets are exposed to and, unfortunately, able to get their paws on. Unfortunately, pet emergency room visits for poisoning are prevalent.
Today, we’re here to talk about some of the most significant ways you can prevent your pet from getting ahold of the many poisonous materials around our homes.
If you suspect your pet has gotten ahold of anything poisonous, please don’t hesitate to call a poison control helpline or your veterinarian. Time is of the essence in poisoning cases, and it’s better safe than sorry!
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: 1-888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 1-800-213-6680
Limit Your Pet’s Access to Parts of Your Home
One of the best ways to protect your pet is by limiting their access to getting into things while you’re not watching them. We recommend using a pet gate to keep them in a safe area of your home when you can’t personally keep an eye on them.
Our pet gates are stylish and prevent your pet from getting into parts of your house where they could find trouble when you’re not around.
An alternative to a pet gate is using a pet crate to keep your pet contained to one area and out of harm’s way when you’re out of your house. Many pets enjoy being in their crate, and you can place a blanket or two and a comforting toy in there with them to make the experience even cozier for them.
Use Height to Your Advantage
Often, pets find their way into things because they are easy to reach or get into. When we leave food on the counter or have poisonous plants around the house, it’s only a matter of time before our pets decide to nibble on something that will leave them feeling sick or worse.
Many of us store cleaning supplies, pesticides, and other chemicals on low shelves or cabinets. Consider moving these products to higher places or getting pet-proof locks to close the cabinets so that your pet won’t open the cabinet out of curiosity and find their way into something dangerous.
Watch Your Food
Many human foods and drinks are toxic to animals, even in small doses.
Keep foods on tall counters out of reach of your pets, and don’t leave food on the counter when you leave the room! Keep a watchful eye on any foods or beverages that are out, especially if you have larger dogs or a cat that can easily jump on a higher counter. Ask any guests you have over to keep their food and drink with them at all times to avoid any accidents.
Lock Up All Medications
Unfortunately, increasing numbers of poison control calls each year are a result of pets getting into their human’s medications and medication can be very deadly to pets. Make sure that you always screw the lid back on your drugs and keep them locked in cabinets to avoid your pet getting into them.
This rule goes for both human and pet supplements and vitamins too. While pet supplements can be a great addition to your pet’s diet, they should only be given in appropriate amounts.
We hope this article gives you more ideas for how to keep your pet safe and out of harm’s way of the many household poisons around them.
Stay safe and keep being awesome Le Pet Luxe readers - we can’t wait to see you for our next blog post!
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Did you know that one of the most common pet emergency room visits is due to poisoning?
In honor of National Poison Prevention Week, we’re going over some of our top tips for preventing your pet from getting into anything poisonous. Click here to learn more.