10 Household Items That Can Poison Your Pet

While most of my topics are about training, I feel it is important that we are all aware of household toxins. There are actually many common household items which can be toxic for dogs and cats. Ingestion of just a small amount of some cleaning products, food, and plants can be fatal. Other toxins, exposed to paws and skin, can cause serious illnesses. Be sure to keep the following items away from your pet!

1. Laundry Detergent including fabric softener sheets can cause digestive problems, irritation of the mouth and tongue, and even death.
2. Mouse and Ant killer can cause enormous damage so take your pet to a vet immediately if you suspect your dog has been contact with this poison.
3. Chocolate even in small amounts can be harmful to your dogs nervous system so never feed a dog any food containing chocolate.
4. Ice melt on driveways and stairs can easily become stuck to paws and fur. When an animal cleans itself, ingesting the chemicals in the ice melt, there can be harmful reactions including skin irritations, seizures, and even death.
5. Oleander, mistletoe, and lily plants are toxic to dogs and cats. Just one leaf from an oleander can kill a small pet. When discarding these plants, do not burn them. Inhaling the smoke can be harmful.
6. Macadamia nuts contain a toxin that can wreak havoc on a dog’s digestive and nervous systems.
7. Tylenol can be fatal if given to a dog or cat.
8. Antifreeze is deadly for dogs, unfortunately the sweet smell does attract dogs.
9. Avocados, raisons, grapes and onions all contain toxins that can cause kidney failure.
10. Mouthwash contains boric acid, so never use this on your pet.