Pet Poisons in Your Home

by Petside Team

There may be common foods and substances in your home that could poison your pet- ones you didn't even know were dangerous! Read on for a full list of common household products that are poisonous, and possibly even fatal to pets.Use this list to help recognize potentially dangerous foods and substances in your home.

When pet proofing your home, be sure to get down to your pet's level to see their point of view. While everything may look safe from your perspective, your pet may be able to get into areas you can't see.

Also, keep your pet confined to a crate or small safe area when you aren't home. Most pet poisonings occurs when people are not in the house.

Dangerous Foods

• Alcoholic beverages
• Artificial sweetener (xylitol)
• Avocado
• Bones
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Fatty foods
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Macadamia nuts
• Nuts still in shell
• Onions and onion powder
• Raisins
• Salt
• Spoiled foods
• Yeast dough

Unsafe Outdoor Substances

• Animal toxins (venomous toads, insects, spiders, snakes and scorpions)
• Antifreeze
• Blue-green pond algae
• Citronella candles
• Cocoa mulch
• Compost piles
• Fertilizers
• Fly baits containing methomyl
• Ice melting products
• Outdoor plants and plant bulbs
• Swimming-pool treatment supplies
• Slug and snail baits containing metaldehyde

Dangerous Medications

• Anti-cancer drugs
• Antidepressants
• Cold medicines
• Diet Pills
• Pain killers
• Vitamins

Household Hazards

• Batteries
• Electrical cords
• Fabric softener sheets
• Flea products
• Lilies
• Liquid potpourri
• Mothballs
• Pennies (Especially Post-1982 because of a high concentration of zinc)
• Pine oil cleaners
• Polyurethane Glue
• Poisoned pests
• Rubber bands
• Rat and mouse bait
• String
• Yarn

Holiday Hazards

• Christmas tree water
• Glass ornaments
• Ribbons or tinsel

Substances that are not poisonous, but may cause gastrointestinal upset:

• Cat litter
• Glue traps
• Glow jewelry
• Poinsettia
• Silica gel
• Toilet bowl water
• Water-based paints

What to Do if Your Pet is Poisoned

If you suspect your pet has been poisoned, call your vet immediately. Determine what substance was ingested and read the product's label for a list of ingredients and any instructions in case of accidental ingestion. If your pet is vomiting or has diarrhea, you should bring a sample of the product to help your vet determine the correct treatment.

You should also keep a fully stocked pet first-aid kit in your home as well as an emergency handbook. Be sure you are up to date on your pet's age, weight and allergies.

If you need help, you can also call the National Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. There may be fees for this service.

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www.thewoofgang.biz

Farewell, Super Rizzo!

Becoming a full-time, professional pet sitter has been one of the greatest decisions I've made in my life!  Not only is it an emotionally and spiritually satisfying career choice, but, I get to be outside in our (mostly) great California weather every day!  I also get regular exercise!  And, my clients are always wagging their tails or rubbing up against me!  What's not to like?!


I must admit, there ARE down-sides to pet sitting. One of them is when I lose a pet as a client, either when they pass over 'The Rainbow Bridge', or, when one of my client's parents moves away.  This was the case this past week, when I had to bid farewell to one of my favorite furry friends, 'Super Rizzo'!


Rizzo's mom is originally from Hawaii, and, when she came to her senses and realized that it was time to go BACK to Paradise, she naturally decided to take Rizzo with her (as opposed to leaving Rizzo with me, which would have been cool)!


'Super Rizzo' was one of the most energetic, friendly, playful pups on my client list.  He was always a pleasure to spend time with!  He is a miniature pinscher with a BIG heart!  Of course, being a teensy dog who ALSO has "big guard dog tendencies", he always protected the homestead appropriately when I arrived, by barking VERY ferociously!  Then, once I got about 5 steps in the door, and he got a good sniff of me, you could see the realization dawn in his, big, brown eyes ... "Hey!  That's the guy who walks me!" ... and he instantly became all tail wags and face licks.  It was AWESOME to receive such a warm welcome!


I'm pretty sad he's leaving town, but, am hopeful that he and his mom will invite me to Hawaii for a visit someday! :)  Rizzo was an awesome furry friend, and spending time with him always made me smile.  He was alert, interested and on his best behavior when we went for walks, and was often the target of many compliments from passers-by.  Rizzo is one handsome pooch!  See for yourself:

I'm going to miss you, My Friend!  Farewell, Super Rizzo!

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To visit my Website, go to:

www.thewoofgang.biz

Fetch, Kitty!

So, we've had our blog for less than a week, and already, we're fighting the urge to make each and every post about our cat, Leela.  :)  Just like every pet parent who has gone before us, our fur-faced kid had wiggled her way in to our hearts and caused us to become all manner of gushy-lovey-dovey about her.  We can't help ourselves.  We <3 her more than anything!

Of course, it helps that she's cute.  :)  But, more than that, she's somehow managed to begin a transformation in to an amalgam of our human personalities mixed with her kitty traits.  Leela came to us a rescue kitty, and, at 2 years old, she had already done a fair bit of living.  Of course, she was more than a little shy when we first brought her home.  But, the past year has strengthened the bond between us, and she's come completely out of her frightened kitty shell.  She's now running the house and showering us with all the fur-faced love and affection that we can stand (which is a lot)!


In the past year, she's gone from "Shy Rescue Kitty" to "Princess Leela", and is slowly morphing in to "our kid", picking up traits from both of us, some of which have been quite surprising!  (More on this later.)  Our latest surprise, however, came in the form of Leela's ability to follow commands ("Sit!") and, most recently, play "Fetch!" 


Coree was working on the computer when she felt something drop at her feet.  It was one of Leela's "toys", a rubber bracelet that she's become quite fond of.  So, being a properly trained human, Coree picked it up and tossed it, thinking that this was what Leela might want.  Sure enough, Leela ran after it, retrieved it, and brought it right back, dropping it at Coree's feet again.  How cute is that?!

Of course, thereby ensued an hour-long session of "train the human to play fetch".  :) 

Who's being trained here?  :)


Fetch, Kitty!

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To visit my Website, go to:

www.thewoofgang.biz

Schnappsie, The Wonder Dog!

We have recently had the pleasure of working with a new client who, by themselves, have been a breath of fresh air!  They are educated, concerned, interested dog parents who are dedicated to providing their pet with the proper doggy education.  This is exciting for us, as these traits are sometimes a rare thing in our business.  It's no wonder, then, that their scruffy, rough-and-tumble street rescue dog, "Schnappsie", is turning out to be such a pleasure to care for and train!


Schnappsie came to them from the Mean Streets of Los Angeles, where, more than likely, she was battling for every scrap of food and doing her doggone best to find a safe, warm place to lay her dog-tired head at night.  There's no doubt that she had a rough "puppyhood"!  This is why it's such a wonder that she's blossomed in to the happy, smart, eager-to-please bundle of energy that we are caring for today.  It's obvious that something "magical" has happened!


That "magic" came in the form of her new Dog Parents.  Schnappsie is obviously loved!  Her new owners' dedication to showering Schnappsie with plenty of affection and patience while helping her to overcome her rough start in life has made all the difference!  They are loving, kind, and patient with her, but also firm and "no nonsense" (which we know all adolescents need!).  During a recent visit to their home with a trainer, mom and dad were both fully engaged in the conversation, asking questions, and ALSO eager to please!  Who says you can't teach an old dog parent new tricks?!  :)


The end result of that short training session was a dog who, for all intents and purposes, was a happy, well-adjusted, VERY intelligent pooch!  She showed no outward signs of her "street dog" experience at all!  And, even more astounding, her ability to learn new tricks was AMAZING!  The trainer even commented:  "She's SO smart!  I could have her running a course and spinning in circles in one afternoon!"  Wow!  All of this from a dog who, had she not been rescued from the streets, would probably not have had a chance to provide so much joy.


We're so grateful that there are folks out there who are willing to look past a dog's scruffy exterior to find the heart of gold underneath!  If you're considering buying a "designer dog", or have your heart set on an adorable purebred, don't do it!  Schnappsie is one of the happiest, most intelligent, eager to please dogs that we've seen in 6 years of pet sitting, and that says a lot!  All she needed was a chance to shine!


Recipie for the PERFECT Dog:


1 Part Street Smarts
2 Parts Willingness to Learn
1 Cute Face (couldn't hurt!)
1 Heaping Helping of Dedication
2 Big Squeezes of Love and Patience
2 Parents Consistent With Training

Enter:  Schnappsie, The Wonder Dog!

Schnapsie, The Wonder Dog!

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To visit my Website, go to:
www.thewoofgang.biz