The Summer season comes with fun outdoor activities along with home and garden projects. Your time spent relaxing with friends, picnicking, watching fireworks, and even working in the yard can potentially expose your pet to toxins – some may surprise you!
The Summer season comes with fun outdoor activities along with home and garden projects. Your time spent relaxing with friends, picnicking, watching fireworks, and even working in the yard can potentially expose your pet to toxins – some may surprise you!
POOL CHEMICALS
Just like humans, pets enjoy the cool refreshment of swimming in a pool! Many pets don’t only swim in the water, but oftentimes will drink the chlorinated water, too. While chlorinated pool water is relatively safe, certain concentrations can cause serious injury. If your pet consumes chlorine in its concentrated form (e.g., powder, tablets, etc.) prior to being placed in the pool, pets can experience severe corrosive burns that will injure their eyes, skin, mouth, and esophagus – and some injuries can be permanent.
When chlorine is diluted in pool water, it no longer poses a corrosive risk but can still cause irritation and vomiting if too much water is consumed. And if the pool’s chlorine levels are too high or too low, the untreated water can contain algae, parasites, and other bacteria that can pose other threatening dangers when ingested! As a safe rule of practice, keep all pool chemicals stored out of your pet’s reach and check the chlorine levels before letting your dog near the water.
POOL CHEMICALS
Just like humans, pets enjoy the cool refreshment of swimming in a pool! Many pets don’t only swim in the water, but oftentimes will drink the chlorinated water, too. While chlorinated pool water is relatively safe, certain concentrations can cause serious injury. If your pet consumes chlorine in its concentrated form (e.g., powder, tablets, etc.) prior to being placed in the pool, pets can experience severe corrosive burns that will injure their eyes, skin, mouth, and esophagus – and some injuries can be permanent.
When chlorine is diluted in pool water, it no longer poses a corrosive risk but can still cause irritation and vomiting if too much water is consumed. And if the pool’s chlorine levels are too high or too low, the untreated water can contain algae, parasites, and other bacteria that can pose other threatening dangers when ingested! As a safe rule of practice, keep all pool chemicals stored out of your pet’s reach and check the chlorine levels before letting your dog near the water.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
Toxic algae can grow in both fresh- and salt-waters throughout the warm regions of the world. Blue-green algae becomes concerning when algae accumulates on the surface of the water during hot, dry weather. Affected water may have the appearance of pea soup because of the thick layers of algae on the surface.
BLUE-GREEN ALGAE
Toxic algae can grow in both fresh- and salt-waters throughout the warm regions of the world. Blue-green algae becomes concerning when algae accumulates on the surface of the water during hot, dry weather. Affected water may have the appearance of pea soup because of the thick layers of algae on the surface.
SALT WATER TOXICITY
If your dog loves to play in the ocean or on the beach, heed caution. Dogs don’t realize that salt water is dangerous, and excessive intake can result in severe hypernatremia, or salt poisoning. While initial signs of hypernatremia include vomiting and diarrhea, salt poisoning can progress quickly to neurologic signs like walking drunk, seizures, progressive depression, and ultimately, severe brain swelling. Hypernatremia needs to be treated very carefully with IV fluids by your veterinarian.
SALT WATER TOXICITY
If your dog loves to play in the ocean or on the beach, heed caution. Dogs don’t realize that salt water is dangerous, and excessive intake can result in severe hypernatremia, or salt poisoning. While initial signs of hypernatremia include vomiting and diarrhea, salt poisoning can progress quickly to neurologic signs like walking drunk, seizures, progressive depression, and ultimately, severe brain swelling. Hypernatremia needs to be treated very carefully with IV fluids by your veterinarian.
SUMMER COOKOUTS
Barbecues are an age-old tradition during the summer with rich savory meats, seasonal corn-on-the-cob and sweet desserts potentially made with sugar free Xylitol (aka birch sugar which is very harmful to pets). Dogs would love to take part too, but unbeknownst to many pet owners, these common barbecue foods can make dogs sick or can form a severe foreign body in the dog’s intestines.
GRAPES OR RAISINS
Grapes or raisins can present significant concerns when dogs ingest them. Ingesting grapes can result in anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, and potentially severe acute renal failure for dogs and cats.
FIRECRACKERS
Pet and fireworks do not mix. It is best to keep your pet in a safe and quiet environment – away from anywhere fireworks are being used. Many pets are frightened by the noise from fireworks whereas others seem to enjoy the commotion and physically chase the fireworks or chew-on the spent firework debris. Depending on the product, ingestion can result in thermal or chemical burns to the paws, mouth, face, and gastrointestinal tract or other problems such as bone marrow depression and kidney failure.
FIRECRACKERS
Pet and fireworks do not mix. It is best to keep your pet in a safe and quiet environment – away from anywhere fireworks are being used. Many pets are frightened by the noise from fireworks whereas others seem to enjoy the commotion and physically chase the fireworks or chew-on the spent firework debris. Depending on the product, ingestion can result in thermal or chemical burns to the paws, mouth, face, and gastrointestinal tract or other problems such as bone marrow depression and kidney failure.
ANIMAL BITES
- The more time your pet spends outside, the more likely they are to encounter snake bites and bee-stings, two of the more popular summer dangers!
- Snakes can be found hiding in your garden, in taller blades of grass, and even in dark corners of your garage. Whether the snake is venomous or not, your dog or cat should avoid the serpent — and not assume it’s okay to have as a snack! If a pet is bitten by a snake, swelling can/will occur and your veterinarian should be contacted right-away.
- Bee stings are much harder to avoid during the summer months! Treatment for excessive swelling may require an over-the-counter prescription recommendation from your veterinarian. If the injection site becomes irritated and your pet starts pulling out fur or scratching the spot, take your pet to the vet right away!
ANIMAL BITES
- The more time your pet spends outside, the more likely they are to encounter snake bites and bee-stings, two of the more popular summer dangers!
- Snakes can be found hiding in your garden, in taller blades of grass, and even in dark corners of your garage. Whether the snake is venomous or not, your dog or cat should avoid the serpent — and not assume it’s okay to have as a snack! If a pet is bitten by a snake, swelling can/will occur and your veterinarian should be contacted right-away.
- Bee stings are much harder to avoid during the summer months! Treatment for excessive swelling may require an over-the-counter prescription recommendation from your veterinarian. If the injection site becomes irritated and your pet starts pulling out fur or scratching the spot, take your pet to the vet right away!
HOT SURFACES
With rising temperatures, asphalt sidewalks and roads heat up considerably faster. If your walkways are too hot to walk barefoot for you, then it’s too hot for your pet’s paws! To prevent payment burns, avoid black pavement/asphalt, walk in shade, and consider adjusting your schedule so they are not walking during the hottest hours of the day!
HOT SURFACES
With rising temperatures, asphalt sidewalks and roads heat up considerably faster. If your walkways are too hot to walk barefoot for you, then it’s too hot for your pet’s paws! To prevent payment burns, avoid black pavement/asphalt, walk in shade, and consider adjusting your schedule so they are not walking during the hottest hours of the day!
HEAT AND HUMIDITY
While not poisonous substances, heat and humidity from summer weather can be deadly to pets since most pets don’t perspire like humans. Instead, they use their lungs to get rid of excess heat. As the ambient temperature and humidity rise, their ability to cool in this manner fails and they can suffer from heat stroke.
Common signs of heat stroke include rapid heart rate, heavy and noisy breathing, dazed appearance, glazed eyes, drooling or vomiting, and collapse. If your pet shows any of these signs bathe him with cool, not cold, water and seek immediate veterinary care.
HEAT AND HUMIDITY
While not poisonous substances, heat and humidity from summer weather can be deadly to pets since most pets don’t perspire like humans. Instead, they use their lungs to get rid of excess heat. As the ambient temperature and humidity rise, their ability to cool in this manner fails and they can suffer from heat stroke.
Common signs of heat stroke include rapid heart rate, heavy and noisy breathing, dazed appearance, glazed eyes, drooling or vomiting, and collapse. If your pet shows any of these signs bathe him with cool, not cold, water and seek immediate veterinary care.
FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS
Take the time to read the product label before applying topical flea and tick products to pets, especially cats. There are a number of “spot on” products on the market labeled “for use in dogs only”. While safe when used according to package directions, inappropriate use of these products on cats can result in illness and death.
FLEA AND TICK PRODUCTS
Take the time to read the product label before applying topical flea and tick products to pets, especially cats. There are a number of “spot on” products on the market labeled “for use in dogs only”. While safe when used according to package directions, inappropriate use of these products on cats can result in illness and death.
COMPOST BINS OR PILES
When composting, make sure you do so appropriately. Your compost shouldn’t contain any dairy or meat products, and should always be fenced-off for the sake of your pets and wildlife safety. These piles of decomposing and decaying organic matter and molding food products have the potential to contain tremorgenic mycotoxins, which are toxic to both pets and wildlife. Even small amounts ingested can result in clinical signs within 30 minutes to several hours.
BAITS
Slug and snail baits are commonly used on the West coast and in the warmer months. They are available in a variety of forms (pellets, granular, powder, and liquid) and toxic to all animals.
Surprisingly, most veterinary professionals aren’t very familiar with mole and gopher baits, which typically contain zinc phosphide. Other types may contain bromethalin. Neither of these active ingredients have an antidote and both can result in rapidly developing, life-threatening symptoms and immediate, emergency treatment is required.
BAITS
Slug and snail baits are commonly used on the West coast and in the warmer months. They are available in a variety of forms (pellets, granular, powder, and liquid) and toxic to all animals.
Surprisingly, most veterinary professionals aren’t very familiar with mole and gopher baits, which typically contain zinc phosphide. Other types may contain bromethalin. Neither of these active ingredients have an antidote and both can result in rapidly developing, life-threatening symptoms and immediate, emergency treatment is required.
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