March News: Don’t Poison Your Pet!

Buddy's newsletter photoHi Folks! You’ve got me, Buddy, this month,

Since it is Pet Poison Prevention Month, we thought we would put together lists of Foods, Medicines & Plants that you, our furry friends, should watch out for. Some of the things below might make you a little sick, others are downright dangerous.

See the printable list at the end of this article.

Foods that Dogs and Cats should avoid:

  1. Chocolate – Dangerous
  2. Foods sweetened with Xylitol and other “fake” sugars (candy, gum, diet foods, for example) – Dangerous
  3. Salt & Sugar
  4. Alcoholic drinks and raw yeast dough, caffeinated drinks (coffee, tea, colas, etc.) and energy drinks. ALERT: can be fatal!
  5. Milk and dairy products. Some cats and dogs can process a little milk, most are lactose-intolerant, like adult Humans
  6. Grapes and Raisins; Avocados
  7. Animal fat trimmings, cooked bones and scraps, including chicken/turkey skin
  8. Onions & Garlic (some people think a peeled onion is good for a puppy who is teething. No so!)
  9. Nuts & Seeds: especially macadamia nuts, and seeds/pits from fruits like apples, apricots, peaches, plums, persimmons & cherries – Dangerous and not needed in a cat or dog diet
  10. Baking items: Baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg. NO no no, do not eat straight. But a little in baked treats is OK.

Some items our feline furry friends should watch out for:

  1. Too much tuna (it’s better as a “sometimes” treat)
  2. Dog food – believe it or not, it doesn’t have enough nutrition for cats
  3. Liver in large quantities – OK, no problem! Yuk!

Indoor & Outdoor Plants – Yucky and Dangerous

  • Aloe
  • Azalea, Chrysanthemum, Hyacinths, Lily
  • Mistletoe & Poinsettia
  • Rhododendron
  • Sago Palms & some palm nuts
  • Tobacco

Medicines harmful to cats and dogs alike

  1. People medicines in general, especially pain relievers and decongestants
  2. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), Naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox) ALERT: can be fatal!
  3. Human vitamins and supplements
  4. The herb Chamomile (some Humans might think it is good to calm a puppy who can’t sleep. Not so!)
  5. Marijuana is a BIG no no for cats and dogs. ALERT: can be fatal!
  6. Flea and tick medication – not used properly (pills, collars, spray-on flea treatments, shampoos – don’t use dog meds for cats and visa verse)

Household items that can really make you sick:

  • Antifreeze, gasoline, kerosene
  • Household cleaners: Bleach, ammonia, drain & toilet bowl cleaners
  • Laundry Detergents
  • De-icing salts (for our Snowpet friends, this is bad if you walk through, then lick your feet) ALERT: can be fatal!
  • Batteries
  • Fertilizers
  • Herbicides, Insecticides, Rodenticides
  • Insect and rodent bait, like mothballs and roach balls

Who you going to call?

  • ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center — (888) 426-4435
  • Animal Poison Hotline — 888-232-8870
  • In Port Charlotte – Veterinary Emergency Clinic – 941-255-5222
  • Know your local vet’s phone number!

Whew, all this talk about poisonous stuff is depressing! What CAN we eat! How will our Humans ever remember it all?! 

I was so rattled by all this research, my mom put on my Thundershirt™ and cuddled me for a bit. She told me that a lot of it is “Common Sense”, which most Humans have. She also told me, “That’s why you are writing these blogs – to educate our furry friends and their Humans.”

So, I also put my list into a page you can print if you want to hang it on your fridge. See the button over here…

Cats-n-Dogs Printable Poisons List

(To hang on your fridge) 

 

 

Be Safe! With a wuf wuf and a meeooww,
Taylor, Buddy & Mango
Cats n Dogs store in Port Charlotte
FIND OUR STORE

Resources – There are lots more things, like mustard seeds and rhubarb, that should be obvious to pet owners. See our list of resources if you want to read more.

Q: What do cats like on a hot day?

A: Mice cream cones!

Lots of Newsy News in our monthly newsletter – does your Human want to receive specials and notices by Email? Sign up below.

Join Our Mailing List

New Customers: sign-up for our newsletter and receive a new customer coupon! (Please print the email you receive and present at the time of purchase.)

By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Our promise to you: we never sell or give away your contact info. Your privacy is important to us! You can expect to receive a news blast about once a month, that’s all.