Mollie and the chicken
Drooling, tremors, vomiting and diarrhoea are just some of the symptoms displayed by dogs and puppies when they have eaten poisonous plants or food stuffs. I am pretty sure that none of us want to see our dogs in that state. So let’s consider the offending food and plant types that we need to make sure our dogs steer clear of.
Plants. We have them in our homes, gardens and parks. They look harmless and most of the time we would not even notice them. However remembering that puppies explore the world through their mouths, they are a great chew toy and are usually extremely accessible being at head height in the garden for most breeds! As a dog owner you will need to identify and remove or block off any of the listed plants, and when staying or visiting somewhere new, be on the lookout for offending greenery.
Here is a list of the most common plants that are toxic to dogs;
Aconitum
Amaryllis bulbs
Asparagus fern
Azalea
Bluebells
Cyclamen
Daffodil bulbs
Day lilies
Delphiniums
Dog's Mercury (Mercurialis perennis)
Foxgloves
Hemlock
Hyacinth
Hydrangea
Ivy
Laburnum
Lily of the valley
Lupins
Morning glory
Nightshade
Oleander
Rhododendron
Rhubarb leaves
Sweet pea
Tulip bulbs
Umbrella plant
Wisteria
Yew
If your dog chews or eats any of these, seek veterinary help immediately.
If you are unsure what any of these look like, then my advice is to do an internet images search and then compare with what you have in the garden or home. Think about seasonal plants too, how your garden appears in the winter will not be the same in the Spring!
If in doubt…. TAKE IT OUT!!!
Food. Some of the most commonly found human foods are actually poisonous to dogs. A small amount can often cause a disproportionate reaction, so here is a list of food products to ensure are out of reach.
Onions, garlic and chives.
Chocolate.
Macadamia nuts.
Corn on the cob.
Avocado.
Artificial sweetener (Xylitol).
Alcohol.
Cooked bones.
Grapes.
Raisins.
Consider that some of these products may be in OTHER food products. For example Xylitol is commonly found in some peanut butters… and we use peanut butter to stuff our dogs KONG toys with! So check those labels closely. Chocolate can be in the form of a drink, bar, icecream or cake, these products come in different forms. So think outside the box and keep your dogs safe from unwittingly eating something that can poison them.
Now I am sure some of you guys reading this will say, I have Sweet peas in my garden every year with no problem and Fido grabbed the cooked lamb shank off the side last month devoured it under the rhododendron and he is fine. That may well be the case, but what if a splinter of that cooked bone had punctured his intestine and he had to have lifesaving surgery?
Let me tell you a story about Mollie. Twenty years ago I had a little terrier cross called Mollie. She was nine months old and into EVERYTHING. Including the kitchen bin. She dragged a cooked chicken carcass out one evening, I was blissfully unaware of this, and she had eaten a fair bit of the bone before I had realised what she had done. I did not panic, after all she was mighty pleased with herself and she seemed fine. However two days later she was lethargic, not wanting to eat or drink and she was running a slight temperature. An abdominal examination showed a blockage in the bowel. The vet operated on her that morning.
Sadly Mollie did not survive the surgery. She had significant bowel damage from the splintered bone and she suffered significant blood loss as a result. She was too young to withstand this invasive surgery and she died 3 days later.
I NEVER leave cooked bones in my kitchen bin. They are wrapped and placed directly in my wheelie bin. It is a terrible shame that it took Mollie to die for me to learn that lesson.
Your takeaway points from this blog;
PLANTS – IF IN DOUBT TAKE IT OUT!
FOOD STUFFS – DOGS NEED TO EAT DOG FOOD. NOT HUMAN FOOD.
Thanks for reading!
Rebecca
Smartstart Dog Training