Before bringing a
new puppy home, you will need to inspect the premises for
dangerous household items, poisonous plants, cleaners and chemicals. ALL
dangerous materials should be secured behind locking cabinet doors or
should be moved to locations well out
of reach of your inquisitive new companion. You should
evaluate all areas of your home, inside and out, that your puppy is
likely to have access to. Initial evaluations need to be
focused on areas close to the ground - floor to knee level - as this
is the area that a young puppy will be able to explore.
(Remember that you will need to re-evaluate your home periodically
as the puppy grows and is able to reach new hazards.)
Some of the most common
household hazards for your puppy are plastic bags, plastic 6 pack
can holders and small or sharp objects that the
puppy can chew or ingest. Needles, pins, thumbtacks, paper
clips, pens, pencils, scissors, children's toys, jewelry, buttons, knives and forks should all
be kept out of reach. Rope, twine, yarn, thread and string can
cause intestinal blockage or other intestinal problems if your puppy
should chew and/or ingest any portion of them. Rope or
heavy cord/twine could get wrapped around your puppy's throat or a
puppy could become tangled and "tied-up" in these items.
Plants or shrubs in and around your home can also be lethal to your
pet. Check your landscaping and inside your home for plants,
flowers and other plant parts that are poisonous to pets. A
few examples of these are Rhododendrons, Lily-of-the-Valley,
Oleander, Azalea, Japanese Yew, Daisy, Daffodil, Geranium, Hosta,
Hydrangea, Tulip, Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, spinach, tomato
vines and the pits of apricots, avocado and peaches.
Chemical
hazards to your pet may include cleaning solutions such as bleach,
toilet bowl cleaners (keep the lid down and do not use products that
are dispensed with each flush), mothballs, rat poison, detergents
and disinfectants. Other chemical dangers may be found in your garage or basement
and include
windshield cleaners, weed killers, insecticides, used motor oil and
antifreeze. Antifreeze is a serious health risk to your pet as
animals are attracted to its sweet taste and will ingest it freely.
Ethylene glycol, an ingredient of many antifreeze products, is highly toxic to dogs
and cats and even small amounts of this chemical can be deadly.
If you are adding antifreeze to or draining antifreeze from your
car, be sure your pet is not in the vicinity. Immediately dispose of
the used product, safely store the unused portion and clean up
spills promptly. There are several new
anti-freeze products on the market that are considered "pet friendly".
The next time you need to purchase antifreeze, opt for one of the
newer products, but to be safe, use caution with these products as
well.
Medicines are another
item that must be kept out of your pet's reach as a teething puppy
or inquisitive adult might chew a pill bottle and then ingest the
spilled contents. Be sure all medicines are stored in their tightly
closed (preferably locking) original containers and keep these
containers in cabinets that are out of your pet's reach or that can
be locked. Keep in mind that over-the-counter products,
like Tylenol, can be deadly if ingested by your pet. Your
pet's own medications could also be toxic if the dog were to ingest
too much, so make it a practice to keep all medicines secured and
out of reach of your pet.
Electrical cords are a
serious, but often over-looked, hazard to dogs of all ages.
Chewed electrical cords can cause house fires, severe mouth burns
and your pet could be seriously injured if he gets shocked.
Additionally, your dog could be severely injured or killed if he/she
were to pull an electrical appliance or lamp down on his/her head!
When possible, owners should secure electric
wiring out of their pet's sight and reach. Exposed cords
or
wires should be kept as short as possible, covered with a cord
protector and/or secured to a baseboard so the pet
cannot play or chew with them.
Open windows (screened or
unscreened), especially those on the upper floors of an apartment
or multi-level home, can be a potentially deadly temptation for your
pet. If you must open your windows, check screens regularly
for rips or tears and be sure the screens are always secured in
place. Do not allow your dog to jump up on windows or screens
and train the dog not to "challenge" other dogs or strangers that
are outside. If you regularly keep your windows open and your
dog is fascinated with the outdoors (is always jumping up to check
out the neighborhood or passersby), you might consider putting up
decorative metal barriers on the windows to prevent the dog from
falling/jumping through a broken/torn screen.
Decks and balconies
can be dangerous for pets. Curious puppies or small dogs might
be able to squeeze through a balcony or deck railing and this could
result in a serious fall. To prevent this type of
problem, owners might consider lining deck and balcony railings with
a light weight mesh barrier until their puppy is bigger.
Additionally, care should be taken to keep furniture, tables and
other items that might be used for climbing away from high railings.
Items placed
too close to a balcony or other railing might allow a dog to jump or fall
over the side. Obviously this could lead to serious injury or even death for the
poor dog.
Puppy/dog owners should inspect their homes for products,
chemicals and appliances that contribute to indoor air pollution.
Simple steps to minimize indoor air pollution might including
regular maintenance and repair of appliances and equipment (such as
servicing/repairing poorly functioning/dirty air conditioners or
heaters, cleaning dirty air ducts and replacing clogged air filters.
Another preventive measure to protect your pets (and your family) is
to install smoke alarms and carbon dioxide monitors. Indoor
portable heaters, wood-burning stoves and fireplaces are all a
potential source of injury for your pets. Any heat
source has the potential to burn a curious puppy and injury or a
house fire could result if a pet were to run into a stove or knock
over a portable heater. Care should be taken to keep animals
away from all heat sources and portable heat sources should always
be placed in locations where they cannot be knocked over or pushed
into combustible materials.
Other indoor health
threats can include fumes from paint, varnish, pesticide or cleaning
agents. Rooms or areas of the home where these products are
being used should be well-ventilated and pets should be kept out of
the area until the fumes have been eliminated. If your
pet is ever in the garage, exhaust fumes from vehicles could put the
dog at risk. NEVER start your car and/or leave a car running
if your pet is in the garage or will be in the garage shortly.
Even if the garage door is open, exhaust fumes could accumulate and
harm your pet. Don't forget that substances in your home that
are not consider to be "poisonous" to humans, could be lethal to
your pet. This could include items such as onions and
chocolate. Both are toxic to dogs, sometimes in small amounts.
If you own a
home built before 1980 and plan to do any remodeling, lead poisoning
could pose a threat to your pet. Many household materials
(paint, linoleum, caulking) used before 1980 contain lead and these
products may introduce toxic levels of lead into your pet's
environment during remodeling. Lead is hazardous to your pet
if it is ingested or inhaled. Pets should be kept out of areas
being remodeled, care should be taken to contain and properly remove
hazardous materials and clean-up of these areas should always be
prompt and thorough. Other household items that may containing lead
and could be accessible to pets are drapery weights and fishing
sinkers. In some instances, symptoms of lead poisoning may not show up
until weeks after the initial exposure. Signs of lead poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea
or constipation, loss of appetite, loss of muscle coordination,
blindness and seizures. Prompt veterinary treatment for lead
poisoning is imperative to save your pet's life.
If you have children, many of the safety measures
needed to protect pets are probably already in place. However,
you should check your home thoroughly as puppies may be able to gain
access to places that are out-of-reach of children.
Never leave your
puppy unsupervised. This means inside AND outside.
No new puppy or dog (of any age) should be left unattended until it
is trained and the new owner is assured the dog is not going to get
into trouble.
Never tie
anything around your dog's neck or leave a collar on the dog while
it is in a crate, kennel or cage of any type.
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further information or to answer any questions.
