Poisonous Household Products You Might Not Be Aware Of

Like most people, you probably assume that your home is a safe and clean oasis for your pet. However, certain household products may not be good for your loved ones, including your animal companion. Many pets will try to eat or lick anything they come across. They will also lick themselves after being exposed to various substances.

Some pets also have fragile immune and respiratory systems. Therefore, it is important to learn about potentially toxic household products. You also need to know how to properly store them, in addition to recognizing signs that your pet ingested a poisonous product.

Toxic Household Products for Pets

Many animals have a curious nature that can get them into trouble. They investigate new things in their world with their mouths. This is the reason they are extremely susceptible to ingesting poisonous substances. To learn more about pet toxicities, you should visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center website.

Some of the most common toxic household products you might not be aware of include:

Over-the-Counter Medications

The ASPCA receives hundreds of thousands of emergency calls every year. A significant percentage of these calls relate to the ingestion of various over-the-counter medications by pets. These include herbal medications, cold medications, naproxen, and ibuprofen.

As you can see, even medications that do not require a prescription can be toxic to your pet. Therefore, it is important to store them in places that your pet cannot access. Also, never give your pet any medication that your veterinarian did not approve and/or recommend.

Pest Control Products

People often use insecticides, rodenticides, and mothballs in areas of their homes where humans do not inhabit.  If your pet can gain access to such areas, they may expose themselves to these poisons.

Whether the pest control product is liquid or solid, the consequences can be severe when it is ingested by your pet. Some of these include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, seizures, tremors, labored breathing, lethargy, or weakness.

Paint

As a pet owner, you should ventilate any spaces with open paint containers and/or fresh paint. If you have unused paint, store it in a place that is not accessible to your pet. Whether oil-based, water-based, unleaded, or latex paint, it can have varying degrees of toxicity to your pet when consumed.

Antifreeze

This is one of the most common household products in many American homes. Antifreeze can be extremely poisonous to any animal that ingests it, even in small quantities. If you have this product in your home, you need to store it in a place that your pet cannot access.  Additionally, several companies now make “pet-safe” antifreeze that does not contain ethylene glycol.  While not as dangerous, these products can still make your pet sick.

Kerosene and Gasoline

Many people keep kerosene and gasoline on hand for their grills, cars, and other uses. If you do the same, you should keep them out of your pet’s reach. Some of the symptoms of gasoline or kerosene poisoning in pets include nose and eye irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, lack of appetite, and difficulty breathing.

Other household products you should keep out of your pet’s reach include:
 

• Formaldehyde
   

• Fertilizers
   

• Ice melt products
   

• Chlorine/bleach
   

• Ammonia
   

• Inhalers

For more on poisonous household items, contact our team at the Animal Emergency Center of Temple-Belton in Temple, Texas. You can call us at (254) 231-3774 with questions or to determine whether or not your pet should be evaluated by a veterinarian.