There's More to 4th of July Celebrations than Fireworks - are you protecting your dog from these hazards too?

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

patriotic dog At this time of year numerous articles are published about keeping your dog safe from fireworks during 4th of July celebrations - but there are other hazards to be aware of too, and these can be just as deadly to your dog as fireworks.

Here are my tips for having a safe 4th of July celebration with your dog:

Do not leave alcoholic drinks unattended - alcohol can poison your dog and depending on the amount consumed can cause vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, tremors, coma and even death;

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Top 10 Objects Most Frequently Eaten by Our Pets

Posted by Clare Bristow | Leave a Comment

dummy Here's an interesting list I found today.

The PDSA (the UK's leading veterinary charity) has put together a list of the objects most frequently eaten by our pets - no doubt compiled from it's long list of case histories!

How many of these do you have at home?

Dummies / Infant Pacifiers - particularly attractive if it's been dipped in something tasty;
Stones;
Bones;
Contents of a child's toy box - all those colored little bits and pieces of lego, farm animals etc are very inviting to a dog;
Balls - make sure your dog only has access to those that are too big to swallow;
Corn on the cob cores;
Rubber objects such as rubber bands and erasers;
Fabric and clothing;
Linear objects - tape found in cassettes, cotton, wool have all been removed from dogs; and
plastic bags.

Dogs explore by using their mouths, so it's easy to understand how objects will be eaten whilst being investigated.

What to do if your dog is choking - advice from the PDSA

If your dog shows signs of retching, drooling and pawing at the mouth, then this is life threatening and he should be taken to your vet immediately.

Otherwise, if you can open your dog's mouth, whilst having a secure hold of him, grab the object and very gently pull it out. If the object doesn't come out easily, leave it alone and contact your vet.

Do not pull out part-swallowed thread or string as this may cause damage to your dog's intestines.

Best advice - dogs, particularly puppies, are inquisitive; keep tempting objects out of their way at all times if possible.

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Xylitol - the sweetener that's poisoning our dogs

Posted by Clare Bristow | 2 Comments

emergency-first-aid The mass pet food recall in the United States is focusing our minds on what we are feeding our dogs, and I for one am looking hard at all food labels before giving any food to Fritz and Zoe.

I read today that Xylitol a sweetener found in many chewing gums, candies and baked goods is extremely poisonous to dogs.

The ASPCA has reported that it is treating an increasing numbers of dogs that have eaten products containing the artificial sweetener. Xylitol is a relatively new, but increasingly popular, product to the US marketplace and knowledge of the effects it has on dogs is increasing all the time.

Like chocolate, products containing Xylitol can have a sweet smell that dogs find attractive, and given their tendency to rummage and gobble, it only takes a packet of chewing gum left in an open bag for your dog to eat it and become very ill.

Two or three sticks of chewing gum containing Xylitol can prove toxic for a 20 pound dog.

Symptoms of Xylitol poisoning

Within 30 minutes of ingesting Xylitol your dog can become very seriously ill; however the symptoms can take 12 hours to emerge if only a small quantity has been consumed.

Xylitol causes a very quick drop in your dog's blood sugar level and typically he will start vomiting, which can be followed by a loss of co-ordination (he'll tend to stagger around), lethargy, collapse and seizures.

If you think your dog has eaten a product containing Xylitol, take him to your vet immediately - this product can prove fatal in a very short space of time if not treated.

Some common products that are known to contain Xylitol include: