Fall's coming and although we've tackled poisonous Summer wildflowers, that season's (sadly) almost done. Let's get into the Fall spirit by looking at more flowers — each of these either begin blooming in autumn or continue through September (or later!) in some climates, so check out the pretty plants and see how well you do!
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So many delicious fruits come into season during Spring and Summer, but if you're considering a tasty fruit salad for yourself, I hope you remember that some sweet treats are poison to pups! Before you serve up something unsettling, test your knowledge on different fruits and their toxicity to pets!
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Easter Sunday is the perfect day to spend with family and loved ones (of both the human and pet kind!), but if you have furry ones roaming the house and yard, perils lurk in even the most innocuous of Easter baskets. Do a quick tally of your Easter gear, and keep these items well out of reach of animals!
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While many of us will be imbibing in merriment on St. Patrick's Day, it's important to keep the booze out of reach of your pet. Just as it does in humans, alcohol causes damage to an animal's brain, central nervous system, and liver, but since pets are much smaller than us, the effects can occur faster and more intensely and even lead to death. If your pet gets their paws on your bevvie, watch them closely for coordination problems, the inability to walk or stand up, drowsiness, vomiting, increased urination, and slowed, shallow breathing. If they display any of these symptoms, get them to a vet right away: these are signs of alcohol poisoning! But the best cure is to avoid it altogether: the luck o' the Irish may not be on your pet's side if he ingests that unattended Guinness.
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Pets face many of the scariest hazards out on the street: speeding cars, aggressive animals, and inconsiderate people are just a few of the terrors that keep us pet parents up at night. But some of the most terrifying dangers come from items lying around our own homes. Last year, the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center fielded over 165,000 phone calls from panicked pet owners worried that their companions had been exposed to toxic substances. Here are the top five things you should lock up tight, and it doesn't hurt to keep the ASPCA's 24-hour hotline (888-426-4435) handy for your own emergencies.
I've shared doggy dangers lurking in your Easter basket, but I wanted to remind you about a popular holiday flower that should never be brought into a home that includes cats.
Easter lilies are one of the most poisonous flowers for kitties. In fact, just one or two leaves or flowers can fatally harm a feline so, even if you think your pet will show no interest in this plant, please take no chances. This lily (along with Tiger, Asiatic, and other varieties) causes depression then vomiting, loss of appetite, and loss in body weight with the first symptoms showing up within 30 minutes . . . and acute renal failure coming at about 48 hours post-ingestion.
While lilies are non-toxic to dogs, horses, and (most likely) lil chicks, please brush up on other poisonous plants and have the ASPCA poison control hotline handy. Don't hesitate to rush any pet you fear has gotten a hold of a dangerous stem or blossom to the doctor immediately!
It's almost Easter weekend, and that may mean baskets of goodies around the house. But beyond the risks of sweeteners and chocolates, there are plenty of threats looming in any sweet-looking Easter basket. Even though paper "grass" is not as dangerous, the shiny, pastel bits seen here can lure in a curious cat (or pup), but pose the same problem as tinsel — strands can't be digested, get stuck in their intestines, and totally mess up the digestive system.
What other hazards lurk inside? Dig deeper and read more
A landmark food safety bill is expected to be passed, yet food could be subject to a more tainted reputation now more than ever. No, it has nothing to do with the fact that one in six Americans fell prey to foodborne illness this year. Rather, it's the latest terror threat to America, which, according to CBS News, involves use of poisons in hotels and restaurants in multiple locations over a single weekend.
The threat, which the USDA, FDA, and US Department of Homeland Security have called "credible," involved a plot using two poisons, ricin and cyanide, slipped into hotel restaurant buffets. Although the scheme was linked to Al Qaeda, public officials said they were "not going to comment on reports of specific terrorist planning." Health experts acknowledge this type of food poisoning would initially look very similar to a foodborne illness but could actually result in fatal consequences.
Are you surprised to hear that hotel and restaurant food have been imagined as the conduit in recent national threats?
If you're into baking up treats and just like to create your own dog cookie recipes by mixing a smidgen of what you find around the house, it's important to know which herbs, spices, and other seasonings are OK to add . . . and which are off limits. Test yourself now, and there's a recap at the end, so you won't forget in the future!
We've already tackled toxic Summer blooms and falling Fall foliage, but with Winter on the horizon, let's look at those plants you may find this season. The six following plants are dangerous to dogs and cats — test yourself now, and there's a recap at the end so you won't forget in the future!
