They're cuddly, they're cute and most important, they're like family -- our pets!
Saturday marks the end of the 50th Year Anniversary of Poison Prevention Week and Pet Poison Helpline is encouraging you not to forget about your pets!
It's important to keep potentially life-threatening common items in your home out of reach of not only your small children, but also your pets.
"Poison-proofing your home is important," said Ahna Brutlag, DVM, MS and assitant director at Pet Poison Helpline. "Taking simple steps such as making sure your houseplants are non-toxic and storing medications in secure areas will significantly reduce the chances that your dog or cat will come in contact with a toxic substance."
The Helpline suggests identifying items or or substances in your house that might be dangerous for a pet, like certain plants such as lilies which are poisonous to cats. Watch out for those fragrance products like smell-good melting pots. Objects like batteries, medications, cigarettes and even sugar-free gum can be dangerous if they accidentally get chewed up by a pet. Even outside like in your yard of garage, it's important to keep things like antifreeze, fertilizers and yard insecticides out of reach. Obviously, there are plenty of things you might not always remember that could harm your favorite furry friend, but these are just a few you need to mindful of.
Unfortunately, poison-proofing everything isn't always possible and sometimes accidents do happen so if you think your pet may have ingested something harmful, act quickly. Call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680.
