If you have pets in your home, it is important to know which common household products are toxic. By understanding which household items and foods pose a threat to your pet, you can help decrease the risk for toxicant exposure and keep them safe and healthy!
Food
- Chocolate
- Grapes/Raisins
- Xylitol (artificial sweetener found in some gum, candies, and chewable multivitamins.)
- Onions/ garlic
- Salt
- Bones (risk of a foreign body obstruction)
- Avocado Pits (foreign body risk)
- Macadamia nuts
- Alcohol
- Yeast dough
- Raw and undercooked meat
Other Common Household Items\
- Antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
- batteries
- Rodenticides
- Fuels, oils and firestarters
- Moth balls
- Pennies- zinc
- Cleaning products
- Detergents
Plants and Gardening Products
- Elephant’s Ear
- Fiddle- leaf
- Sago Palm
- “True Lilies” , Lily- of-the Valley, Calla Lily
- Arrowhead Vine
- Jade
- Asparagus fern
- Wild mushrooms
- Tulips
- Azaleas
- Crocuses
- Mulch containing aflatoxin or cocoa beans
- Pesticides (pyrethrins, pyrethroids, carbamates and organophosphates)
- Fertilizers containing blood and bone meal
- Mole and gopher bait containing phosphides
- Composts (mycotoxins)
- Slug and snail bait
Medications
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol) * extremely toxic to cats
- Other NSAIDS: Naproxen (Aleve), Ibuprofen (Advil), Aspirin
- Nasal decongestants
- If any prescription medication is ingested by your pet or absorbed topically you should contact your veterinarian
This list is not comprehensive, but a list of some of the most common items you may have in your home. For more information about toxic substances for pets, the ASPCA shares lots of great information on their website, and has a hotline you can call if you think your pet has ingested a toxic substance. The main forms of treatment for toxicant exposure are decontamination and detoxification of the pet. The goal of this is to minimize further exposure and prevent organ damage. If you believe your pet has ingested a toxin, please have them seen by your local veterinarian immediately. If your pet ingests a toxin and your general practice is not open, contact an emergency center. The sooner a veterinarian is able to intervene, the better. Dogwood Veterinary Clinic is located in Prospect, Kentucky, and we are happy to provide veterinary care to your pet. If you are in the Louisville area, please give us a call at (502) 710-0170 or submit an appointment request on our website.