National Poison Prevention Week

March 15-March 21 is National Poison Prevention Week.

The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center should be your go-to source for information about pet poisons and hazards.  Sign up for email updates such as this one about a puppy that died after eating a Sago Palm, a common houseplant.

Many poisons are not obvious. Please take a few minutes and review these poison prevention tips. Knowing what to avoid and what to do if your pet is poisoned can save her life.

If you think that your dog (or cat) has ingested or contacted something poisonous, call your veterinarian immediately! Time is of the essence. The Animal Poison Control Center has staff available 24/7 to answer questions and give advice. Call 1-888-426-4435. A $60 fee applies.

RECALL ALERT

The current peanut butter/salmonella problem has spread to dog food. Petsmart has now recalled its "Grreat Choice Dog Biscuits." Find the official scoop from the FDA here.  

Before you feed any dog treat or food containing peanut butter to your furry friend, call the manufacturer and ask if the product is being recalled. It's always better to be safe than sorry!

In addition, the ASPCA, which runs the Animal Poison Control Center, is recommending that pet owners stop using peanut butter until the current salmonella risk is over.

Winter Weather Safety and Grooming Tips

It's snowing today in Chicago, so we thought we'd review some winter weather safety and share a few grooming tips too.

The ASPCA's Top Ten Cold Weather Tips is a must read. Likewise, the Humane Society of the United States and American Humane offer excellent winter safety information too. So take a moment and review.

If you live in or visit urban areas, winter conditions pose an electric shock risk. We mean, in addition to the obvious risk from downed power lines. Dormant utilities leak excess electricity. When you add salt-based snow and ice melting products (which actually conduct electricity) and wet street and sidewalks to the mix, walking your pooch can become dicey. Use common sense and don't let Fido relieve himself on a metal lamppost and steer clear of metal grates and man hole covers. See this ASPCA article for detailed information. If your dog ever sustains an electric shock, call your vet immediately.

Many people skip their dog’s haircut in the winter believing that a dog needs a longer, thicker coat to keep warm. Hogwash! Except for those poor dogs forced to live outside or working dogs with legitimate outdoor jobs, most modern canine pets live in a temperature controlled home and have no need for a cold weather haircut, other than aesthetics.

If you do opt for a longer winter cut, leave Fido's body only slightly longer than usual and ask your groomer to cut the legs and paws shorter so snow, ice and salt have no place to cling. In addition, be sure that your groomer makes the winter cut balanced. We don't want your best pal to resemble an ottoman on stilts.

Moreover, if Fido is cold, rather than drastically changing his haircut, just put a sweater and boots on him! It’s much easier. But please, remove any canine clothing the minute your dog is inside your nice warm home. A dog can overheat if he’s dressed in too many layers. We’ve seen way too many dogs don their sweaters on the first day of winter and wear them straight through until the first spring thaw. Not only will the dog and sweater stink, but prolonged exposure to clothing causes mats and tangles and prevents air from reaching the skin.

Now that you're in the know, go out and enjoy the winter weather with your furry friend!

Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2008

All houses are teeming with doggie dangers, some are obvious, like paint thinner and drain cleaner, and some are less so, like certain house plants, the Xylitol in your sugar free gum and garlic. As a matter of everyday living, many hazards are just left out on tables and counter tops, such as medication (yes, even the pills in child-proof containers), coins, toys or beauty products. When a label states that a product is toxic, dangerous or poisonous to humans, assume that the same is true for dogs.

The ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, the preeminent source for up-to-date facts and figures on everything that’s hazardous to dogs and other pets just released its list of the Top 10 Pet Poisons of 2008. Take a few minutes now to review the list and then look around your house. You may be surprised by what you find.

Now, place any and all dangerous items in securely closed cabinets and drawers or on high shelves. Dogs are often quite clever when it comes to sniffing out dangers -- they have been known to open cabinets with their noses or perform astounding feats of gymnastics to reach an interesting item. If your home also has a cat, well then, you must be extra careful. You never know when the family cat will decide to cooperate with the dog.

In September, check out our book. It includes a plethora of pithy, helpful safety information in one convenient place.

In the meantime, visit the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center and talk to your vet and local animal welfare organizations to start down the road of awareness. We want you to have every tool available to prevent a tragedy.

If Fido ever eats, drinks, inhales or comes in contact with any known or suspected poison or is just acting weird, call the veterinarian and begin first aid immediately. Don't wait for symptoms to appear--that could be too late to help. If your vet isn't available or if you have a questions, call the Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. The consultation usually includes a fee so have your credit card handy.

Fido: Now even happier!

Some have noted that Fido did not seem as, well, happy in that last posting as you would expect for a dog destined for greatness. So why was that?

In truth, he had just consumed some of these pet treats, and was not feeling so hot. After a visit with the emergency vet, he now feels much better -- and much happier.

Actually, and in all seriousness, this brings up one of the most important rules of dog ownership: understand what you are feeding your dogs. As we discuss at length in our book (which, I'm sure, you are now preparing to pre-order from Amazon.com the moment the listing goes live) you need to read the labels on Fido's food, and learn what foods can be dangerous for your canine friends (chocolate, garlic and onions are among the more common ones). Trust me, your dog can easily die from consuming some fairly common household items. Learn to be careful -- Fido will be happier for it. Oh, and you'll be happier too.

UPDATE: For further information on dangerous foods for pets, please consult the ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center.