March is pet poison prevention month and so we thought this would be a good time to review common products that may be poisonous to your cats and dogs.
Foods / Drinks
Common foods and drinks that are poisonous to dogs include:
- Avocados
- Cherries, Grapes, and Raisins
- Mushrooms, Onions, and Garlic
- Xylitol (look for this in gum, in sugar free waters and sodas, candy, etc.)
- Chocolate
See more on this extended list from GoodRX.
For cats, the list is similar:
- garlic, onion, chives
- dairy (they’re lactose intolerant)
- alcohol
- grapes and raisins
- chocolate
- fat trimmings
- dog food
See more on this list from WebMD.
PLANTS can be quite deadly for cats and dogs as well. This is always tough when well-meaning house guests gift you with a plant.
For DOGS and CATS, almost any bulb plant is poisonous. Lilies and poinsettias are particularly harmful. Even common desert plants, like Aloe can be dangerous to your pets. With cats, especially, you have to be wary, because cats are so curious. They’ll rub on a plant, sniff it, bite it, and end up poisoning themselves if they chew on the wrong thing.
This link from the AKC shows a much more detailed list of plants that are toxic to dogs.
In addition to the items mentioned above, CATS also will suffer harmful effects from plants like lavender and philodendrons. In fact, when getting a new plant or bringing in cut flowers, it’s always best to search online first to make sure what you’re bringing in isn’t toxic for your cat.
Here’s a list from GoodRX of plants toxic to cats.
To be sure your pet doesn’t accidentally ingest something toxic, be sure to only feed him or her appropriate kibble and wet foods made specifically for your dog or cat’s needs.