How to Prevent a Pet Emergency
To help you be an informed pet parent, here are some resources you may find useful. There are simple, commonsense steps we can take to prevent many pet emergencies:
Simple prevention tips:
- Never leave your pet in the car alone—accidents and heat stroke can happen!
- Make sure your home and yard are secure. A microchip is an inexpensive way to facilitate a safe return if they get lost
- Pet-proof your home by keeping medications, cleaners, cosmetics, and chemicals secured and out of reach
- Keep your pet away from the pool or hot tub when it’s unattended
- In public, keep your pet leashed and under your control at all times
- Keep clothes, toys, or any objects that pets are tempted to eat out of reach because consumption can cause intestinal blockages
- Fumes from oven cleaners or cooking with Teflon pans can kill pet birds
- Block your pet’s access to electrical cords they may be tempted to chew on
Substances that are toxic to your pets:
Never give toxic substances to your pet or leave them where your pet could ingest them. These include:
- Candy, gum or foods with artificial sweeteners (particularly the sugar substitute Xylitol, which can be life-threatening in dogs)
- Onions
- Grapes and raisins
- Avocados
- Macadamia nuts
- Chocolate
- Coffee
- Alcoholic beverages
- Any drugs not prescribed for your pet
- Many cases of poisoning occur when pets consume pesticides, mulch, de-icing salts, antifreeze, gasoline, oil, or poisonous plants. Keep these substances out of reach and keep an eye on your pet when outdoors.
Despite our best intentions, emergencies can still occur.
That’s why it’s crucial to be prepared in two important ways:
- Keep a pet first-aid kit in your home and car
- Have your pet’s medical history easily available (stored on your phone, for example) if you have to bring your pet to the hospital
Additional Resources
Additional resource for poison/toxicity in pets
- American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Official website of the American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care
- American Veterinary Medical Association A not-for-profit association representing more than 80,000 veterinarians working in private and corporate practice, government, industry, academia, and uniformed services
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center ASPCA-sponsored poison control website.
- Pet Poison Helpline– An additional resource for poison/toxicity in pets
- Veterinary Partner is here to support your veterinarian and you in the care of your companion animals by providing reliable, up-to-date animal health information from the veterinarians and experts of the Veterinary Information Network (VIN), the world’s first and largest online veterinary database and community.
