For ALL those fellow pet-lovers out there, we know that we all work very hard to keep our 4-Legged Furry Friends Happy and Healthy! Welcome back as we continue our series on pet-proofing your home…
Hazards in the Bedroom and Living Room
- While they may smell good, many liquid potpourri products contain ingredients that can cause oral ulcerations and other problems, so be sure to keep them out of the reach of your 4-legged furry friends.
- Just ONE mothball has the potential to sicken a dog or cat. Mothballs that contain naphthalene can cause serious illness, including digestive tract irritation, liver, kidney and blood cell damage. Other life-threatening issues include swelling of the brain tissues, seizures, coma, respiratory tract damage (if inhaled) and even death (if digested).
- Tobacco products, pennies (those minted after 1982 contain zinc) and alkaline batteries (like those in your remote controls) can be hazardous when ingested.
- Especially with puppies, shoes are a favorite “chew toy” and an obvious danger.
- Common sense also prevails regarding storing jewelry, hair clips, rubber bands and any other small items totally away from a pet’s exploring nose.
- A fireplace is a danger area as pets can be harmed by flames and flying ashes. A simple screen is probably all that is needed to protect your furry friends. Another over-looked danger is a fire-starter stick. Being somewhat sweet, some dogs can’t resist eating them.
- Wires and cords can also be a problem. Obviously, chewing on a plugged-in cord can electrocute a pet. Tucking cords away or covering them will be beneficial to your pet and will also make the room look neater.
Below are some of the most unusual items dogs and cats have swallowed and the cost of removing them, according to American Kennel Club (AKC®) pet healthcare provider, PetPartners, Inc.
- Dogs
Toy $669
Sock $1,173
Golf balls $1,844
Dental Floss $3,590
Loose change $1,018
- Cats
Toy Ball $1,454
Hair band $1,505
As you can see, basic pet-proofing measures are just SIMPLY GOOD OLD COMMON SENSE, like keeping small objects and items that can easily be eaten or swallowed out of their way. Pet-proofing your home is exactly like what you would do to baby-proof a home!
We hope you found this 3rd segment of our PET-PROOFING YOUR HOME Series informative and interesting.
To locate our recommended ANIMAL-RELATED organizations in Spring Hill and Brooksville of Hernando County, Florida, be sure to visit our “Trusted Vendors” on our website @ www.GailSellsFloridaHomes.com.
Until then… it’s all about YOU!