Vet Reveals 6 Common Household Items That Could Kill Your Dog

A Colorado veterinarian is warning about household items that could cause unintended deaths in pets.

Dr. Beth Turner of Preventive Vet spoke of Makelaar.com about how seemingly safe objects can be deadly to dogs.

Plastic

Dogs that ingest plastic may experience oral injuries, gastrointestinal perforations, and intestinal obstructions

Dr. Beth Turner of Preventive Vet explained how plastic products, such as bags and packaging, can lead to the deaths of dogs.

“Snacks, cereals and other bags and containers can cause suffocation if a dog gets its head stuck in them,” Dr. Turner explained to Makelaar.com.

If a dog does not die after ingesting plastic, he or she may suffer oral injuries, gastrointestinal perforations, and intestinal obstructions.

Dog owners who wonder if their pet has ingested plastic should watch out for the animal choking, coughing, developing pale gums or refusing to walk around.

Food and drink

Garlic and onions contain n-propyl disulfide, an oxidizing agent that can damage a dog’s red blood cells and cause abnormal heart rhythms or lung failure.

Foods and drinks such as garlic, onions, chocolate, grapes, coffee and alcohol can be harmful to dogs and sometimes even poisonous.

For example, dogs that eat raw or cooked garlic or onions can become poisoned by those foods, according to Wag your tail!.

Garlic and onions contain n-propyl disulfide, an oxidizing agent that can damage a dog’s red blood cells.

If dogs eat this type of food, they may experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea and a rapid heart rate within one to seven days of consumption.

However, dogs can experience mild to severe symptoms just hours after consuming caffeine and alcohol.

The amount dogs ingest makes a difference. Dogs can suffer from symptoms ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to irregular heart rhythms and lung failure.

Cleaning products

Cleaning products are one of the leading causes of poisoning in pets. Products that can kill animals include bathroom cleaners, soaps, and hand sanitizers.

Cleaning products such as bleach and detergents are one of the leading causes of poisoning in pets, according to Animal emergency service.

Other common ingredients in cleaning products that can be just as harmful include ammonia, bleach, chlorine, formaldehyde, and isopropyl alcohol.

The harm that cleaning products can do to dogs depends on how they come into contact with them: through ingestion, inhalation, or contact.

It is also important for pet owners to be careful that their dog does not come into contact with products such as bathroom cleaners, soaps and hand sanitizers.

The symptoms dogs can experience depend on their exposure to the substance and range from sneezing and coughing to chemical burns and acute kidney failure.

Batteries

Dogs can be exposed to acid leakage if they chew on a battery, causing possible injuries such as burns to their mouth, esophagus, or stomach.

Batteries can be harmful if dogs chew on them.

Chewing can release an acidic substance, which can cause burns in dogs’ mouths, esophagus, or stomach.

Dogs that swallow batteries may also experience drooling and a blockage or obstruction in their intestines, the ASPCA.

While prevention is best, experts advise dog owners to take their dogs to the vet as soon as possible.

Plants

Plants contain substances such as alkaloids, glycosides, proteins, amino acids and can be surrounded by fertilizers

Not all plants are poisonous to dogs, but those that are can cause symptoms in dogs such as rashes, seizures, stomach pain, or mouth sores.

Plants contain substances such as alkaloids, glycosides, proteins and amino acids and can be surrounded by fertilizers.

These substances can lead to all kinds of health problems with the kidneys, nervous system or heart.

Dogs that eat plants often experience mild symptoms, but they can also develop more serious problems, such as liver or kidney damage or coma.

Experts advise dog owners to take their pets to the vet if they show symptoms of plant poisoning, and to take the plant with them.

Some of these poisonous plants to watch out for include bluebells, daffodils, and tulips.

Beta blockers, antidepressants, and ADHD medications are just some of the substances that can cause nausea, vomiting, and weakness in dogs.

Drug metabolism in dogs is different than in humans, for both over-the-counter and prescription medications.

“Human drug poisonings also occur when pet owners attempt to treat their pets with their own medications,” Dr. Kyla Townsend, a veterinarian with the BC SPCA, said last March.

“They see their pet in pain and want to help him or her. So they give their dog or cat Tylenol or some other over-the-counter medication. They don’t realize that this can be very harmful to pets.”

Beta blockers, antidepressants, and ADHD medications are some of the substances that can cause nausea, vomiting, weakness, and sometimes a slow or fast heart rate.