Most of us know the standard suggestions about precautions to take around the house for the safety of our dogs.  But here are a few dangers that you might not be aware of:



1 - Paper shredders.  Many of us have paper shredders in our homes. I had my paper shredder just sitting beneath my desk - it turned on  with the light  switch on the wall. I didn’t think anything of it. But there are increasing numbers of pets, both dogs and cats (especially young ones), that have been terribly injured by putting their feet or tongues into a shredder.    I now leave my shredder unplugged.  Tucker isn’t a puppy, but I’m not taking any chances.  I don’t use it that often, so  it’s not a big deal to plug it in when I only when I need it and can monitor it carefully.

2- Home made play dough.  While not all of us have small children in our homes, we should also be aware of dangers that our dogs can encounter when in the homes of family or friends.  There are dozens of recipes for home made play dough; many contain very large amounts of salt. The high sodium content can be dangerous if your dog eats the play dough. And remember that to many dogs, it is (as a good friend describes it) “an edible world”.  A report in the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care concluded that “home made play dough ingestion can be a serious and life-threatening problem.”



 

3- Cocoa Bean Mulch.  Cocoa mulch is widely used for landscaping.  It has an attractive smell and many dogs will eagerly eat large amounts.  Cocoa bean shell mulch contains caffeine and theobromine.  These toxins can increase the dog’s breathing and heart rate, sometimes causing irregular beating of the heart.    As reported on PetEducation.com,” theobromine deaths have been reported after ingestion of 52 mg per pound of body weight.  (Cocoa bean mulch can have levels of this substance over 800  mg/oz.)  You can always decide to use a different landscaping mulch at your own home, but  be aware of this danger when your dog is at the homes of others.



4- Paintball Pellets.  This outdoor activity is becoming increasingly popular.  Participants shoot opposing team members with pellets of paint to eliminate them and win the game.  The ASPSA Animal Poison Control Center reports seeing an increase in the number of incidents where pets have consumed these paint-filled pellets. A package of these pellets can contain 1,500 or more.  Again, who knows why a dog would eat huge numbers of these, but they do.  Clinical signs, including vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle tremors can occur in dogs who have eaten as few as 10 pellets. In severe cases, the results can be seizures or even death.



5- Gorilla Glue.  I have a bottle of this in my home. I kept it on the bottom shelf of a cabinet in our mudroom.  (Those of you not in New England would call this a entry, but live here for only a short time - especially in the spring - on a farm, on a dirt road - and you would understand this term.)  When mixed with water, gorilla glue increases dramatically in volume.  Then, it sets up  rock hard.  Just imagine what this would do in a stomach of a dog who has licked up a spill, or chewed into the plastic bottle.  Tucker isn’t a puppy and isn’t a chewer, but I still moved the glue to the work bench in the basement - well out his reach.



If you think that your dog has ingested any toxic substance call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 1-888-426-4435 (there is a fee for their services.)  Remember, you can keep this and other emergency numbers in your Ruff Wear K-9 First Aid Kit (www.thesensibledog.com/ruffwearfirstaidkit), for easy access.