Household & Environmental Dangers

 As a dog owner, you are probably familiar with some of the things commonly found in homes that are toxic to dogs, like chocolate. Unfortunately, there are a lot of household or lawn products that are toxic to dogs, and you may be surprised by some of them!



Anti-Freeze that contains ethylene glycol is toxic to dogs, and worse, it has a sweet taste that is attractive to animals!  Ethylene glycol is also found in snow globes and in some de-icing formulations.

De-icing salts used to melt snow and ice can be damaging to a dog's paws, and can make them sick if they lick it off.  Use a paw-safe product like Safe Paw, and wipe off your dog's paws after he has come into contact with any de-icing chemical or product, even those considered safe.  I keep a towel by the door in snowy weather for this purpose.


Human medicines including acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin), cold medicines (Sudafed, Dayquil, Robitussin, etc), and vitamins are toxic to dogs.  They should be kept in an area that the dogs can not reach or climb to, and  also keep tubes of ointments (anti-itch cream, neosporin, etc) out of the reach of your dogs, too.  Some dogs will chew through the tubes and be poisoned by the contents.  Other medications like anti-depressants, those for cardiovascular disease, ADHD, and insomnia are also harmful to dogs.



Lawn fertilizer, plant food, and pest control products are generally toxic to dogs.  Most products recommend keeping your dog away from them, and you will need to make sure that the chemicals are stored in a place that an unsupervised dog can't get into.  I like to use Eco-Smart pest and weed killer products in my yard, because they are safer for my dogs (and kids, too!).  Even with safer products, I still do not let my dogs in the area until the product has completely dried.

Household indoor and outdoor plants,  like lillies, azealas, poinsetteas, apple seeds, and many others are toxic to dogs.  The Humane Society provides a great list of poisonous plants here.

Human Food such as leftover chicken bones are dangerous to feed your dog, because the bones can splinter and cause an internal injury.  Coffee grounds& beans, alcohol, yeast dough, salt, onions, and grapes are also toxic to dogs.

Hand Sanitizer  is great for quickly disinfecting your hands when you don't have access to soap and water, but they contain alcohol which is harmful for dogs.

Coins, especially pennies, are very toxic due to the zinc they contain. Zinc poisoning can lead to destruction of red blood cells, liver damage, kidney failure and heart failure, so it's very serious. Signs of zinc poisoning include weakness, pale gums (anemia), vomiting, increased breathing, increased heart rate, discolored urine, jaundiced gums, lack of appetite, and collapse/unconsciuosness.  A penny that is not removed will kill a dog.  Diaper rash cream containing Zinc Oxide, zippers, and staples are examples of other items that contain zinc and are dangerous for Fido.

Tinsel, like the kind people adorn Christmas trees with, is dangerous, though not toxic.  If your pet swallows it, tinsel or other stringy items like rubber bands, cassette tape ribbon (you'd be surprised what a dog can find and chew!), hair and craft ribbons,or any kind of string can get caught in your dog's throat and choke them.

Vaporub, which contains camphor, is toxic to dogs and causes skin irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.  It's quickly absorbed into the skin and should never be applied to an animal. Other products like IcyHot and Carmex lip balm also contain camphor.

Brown Recluse

Spiders, Snakes, and other creatures are also dangerous (to both humans and dogs!).
The Brown Recluse and Black Widow spiders are to be avoided.
Brown Recluse spiders are various shades of brown and feature a violin shape near it's head.  They are common in the southern midwest area of the US and can also be found in the southwest.  Vomiting, fever, lethargy, and open skin wounds are signs to watch for.  There isn't an antivenom, so treatment is usually supportive care (fluids, antibiotics, pain relief, etc.) Black Widows are found all over the United States and are black with a red or orange hourglass shape on their underside.  Immature female black widows are brown and their hourglass shapes darkens with age.  Males are brown and do not have the hourglass, but are not considered toxic.  Signs of a black widow bite are cramping, walking as if drunk, drooling, tremors, lameness (from pain) and the bite is treated with antivenom, IV fluids anti-seizure medications, etc.  Seek veterinary care immediately is you suspect either of these spiders has bitten your dog.


Even more serious is the bite of a coral snake, which is extremely dangerous to dogs and are found in the southeastern United States. Bites can be fatal without immediate first aid and vet care.  Signs of a coral snake bite include acute paralysis, respiratory difficulty and failure, and collapse.  Immediate emergency veterinary care is required - a coral snake bite is life threatening.

coral snake - wide red and black sections bordered by yellow.

Rattlesnakes are found across the US, and some examples are the Eastern diamondback, Mojave, and Timber rattlesnake.  Dogs are usually bitten in the face or front legs and feet.  Signs of a rattlesnake bite are skin injury, difficulty breathing, blood not clotting, and even cardiovascular shock.

Timber Rattlesnake

Eastern Diamondback rattler

Toys, especially those with small movable parts,  can be dangerous if your dog is a chewer.  Not only might the coloring or paint contain chemicals hazardous to dogs, but your dog could chew a piece off and choke on it.  The part that comes off might be metal or contain zinc and be poisonous to Rover.

Sources:
The Humane Society
VetStreet
Pet Poison Helpline