Household Toxins and Poisonous Plants
The most important thing to realize about poisoning is that it is a problem best dealt with by prevention. Any household toxins should be shut away in cupboards that your dog can't reach or that are held shut by locks or child-proof catches. Better yet, put them in a cupboard in the basement or garage behind a closed door, placing multiple barriers between your dog and the toxin! Do not repackage products. If your dog chews on a bottle or consumes something, you need to know the ingredients and be able to read the label to the Poison Control Center to know what actions to take.
As for the plants, try to decide just how important that poisonous plant is to you and if it is worth risking your pet's health. This is especially true if you have a puppy around who may not always be under ideal supervision.
Actions to Take
If your dog has gotten into a substance that you think may be toxic, immediately call your veterinarian or emergency clinic. Have the container of the substance handy to read them the ingredients and to be able to guesstimate how much your dog may have consumed. Have your first-aid kit at hand to use if needed, and use it as directed.
It is important to remember that not all substances that are dangerous to dogs come with a skull and crossbones on the label. Chocolate, especially the dark baking chocolate, can be toxic to dogs, as can coffee, grapes, and alcohol. The same is true for many supplements. Even those labeled as “natural” or “organic” may be toxic to dogs.
Poisonous Plants
Unfortunately some dogs, especially puppies, like to chew on plants. They don't discriminate between the caustic lily and the safe spider plant. Even if your houseplants are all safe, odds are at least some of the trees, shrubs, or flowers in your yard are at least mildly poisonous. It pays to walk around your yard with a field guide and identify all the plants you find.
The easiest way to deal with poisonous plants that are large, such as shrubs and trees, may be to separate them from your dog. You could fence in a safe part of the yard for your dog to play in, or put small individual fences around the plants that might cause problems. Remember that fruits of certain trees, like chokecherries, may be poisonous. You need to pick up any fruits like these, as well as any rotting fruit that might attract bees along with your hungry hound!
Be very careful of any mushrooms that sprout up in your yard. If you find your dog chewing on one, grab a similar one for identification right away and be prepared to drive to your veterinarian. The same advice goes for any chewed-up plant. Look for leaves or blossoms so you can identify the plant and determine if it is poisonous.
Poison Control
Know the number for your local poison control center, or, even better, call directly to the National Animal Poison Control Center. This center has the special knowledge at their fingertips to tell if a drug or substance will be toxic to your dog based on your dog's size and the amount and type of poison consumed, and workers can guide you or your veterinarian through the actions to take and treatments to use. Normally there is a charge of $45 per case; however, many products are covered by the Animal Product Safety Service. In these cases, the product manufacturer absorbs the cost of the call. Your veterinarian may have a membership and be able to place the call for free for you.
You can contact the Animal Poison Control Center at 1-900-443-0000. The fee is $45 per case, with follow-up calls at no charge. (This can be paid by credit card.)
