Pet Dangers: Hidden and Unknown Dangers that Exist in Your Home

Most pet owners have been very careful about what they have been feeding their pets. With over 20 brands of pet food being recalled due to contaminated ingredient it is difficult to know what to do. However, you should also look around your home for pet dangers as well. Many owners focus on what is in their pet's food bowl and not what is within your pet's reach. Here are some of these hidden home dangers that many homes have.

Table foods-

There are many dangers that exist in human food that could be potentially deadly to your cat or dog. Chocolate is the most well known culprit. Chocolate can make pets very ill and it does not take much. Bones are a choking hazard for some size animals as well. A couple lesser known dangers are sugar substitutes. A commonly used sweetener called Xylitol that is used in many sugar free edibles as well as toothpaste can do a lot of damage. According to the Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association the sweetener causes low blood sugar and liver damages to dogs. Macadamia nuts are very toxic to these nuts due to an unknown toxin in the nuts. The side affects are bad but most dogs recover within 48 hours.

Potpourri-

Liquid potpourri can cause burns to a pet that tries to lick it up. Potpourri ingredients can also cause ulcers to form in your pet's mouth, throat, and stomach. Both cats and dogs are susceptible to these side affects.

Medications-

Pet owners would obviously never leave an open medication in reach of your pet but beware of the closed ones as well. Dogs can crush a closed container quite easily. Depending on the medication it could very well kill your pet regardless of vet treatments.

Flowers-

Flowers seem to be an unlikely source of danger but pets seem to enjoy nibbling on them occasionally. Cats should steer clear of lilies because they cause liver damage. Dogs should be kept from azaleas and rhododendrons. These cause many different side effects that range from drooling to diarrhea, and even death.

Onions and Garlic-