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March is Pet Poison Prevention Month and the BC SPCA is offering tips on how to keep your furry friends as safe as possible.
When it comes to “pet proofing” your house, it’s important to be aware of potentially poisonous items that may harm your pet.
From food to plants there are a number of edible and non-edible household items that are toxic for your furry friend.
Knowing about these hazards can help make your home a safer place for your pet.
While cats and dogs differ in what can be harmful to them, some items encompass both species such as marijuana and edibles containing cannabis-infused butter or oil.
According to the BC SPCA, marijuana, if ingested, can adversely affect a cat dog’s nervous system and heart rate. Products made with concentrated THC – the psychoactive component in cannabis – such as cannabis butter, are often very attractive to a pet, but are even more dangerous and can cause seizures, coma and even death.
Edibles can also contain chocolate or xylitol, which can have additional harmful effects.
Signs of possible toxicity show up anywhere between five minutes to 12 hours after exposure. Depending on the amount of marijuana the dog has been exposed to, symptoms of poisoning can last from 30 minutes to multiple days.
Pets should also be kept away from a variety of cleaning products, human medication and certain common house plants can be toxic to a four-legged family member.
And with tick season beginning, pet owners should be careful about how they keep those nasty insects away.
When an issue arises like flea or ticks, there may be temptation to give the same prescription, or over-the-counter, flea or tick medication that they purchased for their dog to their cat.
However, using the wrong flea medication can poison cats and is a huge no-no, says BC SPCA Senior Manager of Animal Health, Dr. Hannah Weitzenfeld.
“Check your flea or tick medication label carefully. Giving medications labelled for dogs to your cat, or any other animal, can cause serious illness such as seizures, or even death,” she said.
For a full list of hazards to avoid, visit the BC SPCA website.