While your living room may be one of your pet’s favorite places to hang out, it can also be one of the most dangerous! Be cognizant of these common living room dangers and make sure to follow these helpful poison proofing tips.
Learn about your plants! Some common household plants may be toxic to pets (and not people). For example, lilies (Lilium and Hemerocallis spp.) are especially poisonous to cats, so quickly eliminate them from any bouquets. The ingestion of just 1-2 petals can be fatal to a cat. Always consult our Top 10 Poisonous Plants list before buying new plants for your home.
Keep home fragrance products, such as simmer pots of liquid potpourri, well out of reach. These products may cause chemical burns if ingested.
Never spray aerosols or any heavily fragranced products around caged birds. They are especially sensitive to any airborne products.
Keep ashtrays and smoking cessation products such as nicotine chewing gum or patches out of reach. Even cigarette butts contain enough nicotine to cause poisoning in pets.
Be careful with batteries! Dogs enjoy chewing on batteries and battery-containing devices such as remote controls and cell phones. If ingested, they can cause serious chemical burns.
Hang up your purse! Pets love to dig through purses and backpacks which often contain potential pet poisons such medications, cigarettes or sugar-free gum with xylitol.
Even with the best planning and intentions, our pets will occasionally be exposed to toxic substances in the living room. If you suspect your pet has had a toxic exposure call your veterinarian or Pet Poison Helpline immediately as time is of the essence. It is not always safe to induce vomiting or administer other home remedies. Seek counsel before taking action.
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