T he following have have been written by others in order to warn pet owners from the dangers they have experienced. If you have any experience with dangerous products, please write to us so we can pass on the info to others.
Warning:
Swiffer
R ecently someone had to have their 5-year old German Shepherd dog put down due to liver failure. The dog was completely healthy until a few weeks ago, so they had a necropsy done to see what the cause was. The liver levels were unbelievable, as if the dog had ingested poison of some kind. The dog is kept inside, and when he's outside, someone's with him, so the idea of him getting into something unknown was hard to believe. My neighbor started going through all the items in the house. When he got to the Swiffer Wet Jet, he noticed, in very tiny print, a warning which stated 'may be harmful to small children and animals. He called the company to ask what the contents of the cleaning agent are and was astounded to find out that antifreeze is one of the ingredients (actually, he was told it's a compound which is one molecule away from antifreeze).
T herefore, just by the dog walking on the floor cleaned with the solution, then licking its own paws, it ingested enough of the solution to destroy its liver. Soon after his dog's death, his housekeepers' two cats also died of liver failure. They both used the Swiffer Wetjet for quick cleanups on their floors. Necropsies weren't done on the cats, so they couldn't file a lawsuit, but he asked that we spread the word to as many people as possible so they don't lose their animals. This is equally harmful to babies and small children that play on the floor a lot and put their fingers in their mouths a lot.
Warning:
Pimple Ball
O n June 22, 2008 , my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws, Inc., produces. The toy I'm referencing is the Pimple Ball with bell (Item #20227-001, UPC Code #0 4566320227 9).
W hile chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.
C hai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City ) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.
B y the following morning, Chai's tongue had swollen even more.
H e was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 , Chai had his tongue amputated.
H e was kept in after-care for an additional three days. On Sunday, June 29th, I brought Chai home from the vet with a barrage of home care instructions, to last for an additional 7 days. His next visit was to have his mouth re-examined and have the feeding tube in his neck removed.
O n the way home from the vet we stopped at Petland Discount where I purchased their product to speak to the manager on duty. Upon meeting Chai and seeing his condition, he removed all of the balls in question from the shelves. He also gave me the customer service number to their corporate headquarters to request that they refuse to continue purchasing all Four Paws products, but I have not called them as of yet.
A dditionally, I shared my story with friends who have a French Bulldog named Petunia. Upon hearing my story, their eyes widened. They explained that the same thing happened twice in one night with a smaller version of the same ball to their dog. Fortunately, they were able to pull it off before the tongue swelled, but not without tremendous effort and pain to the dog. They recalled how horrific it was to hear their dog screaming while they had to pry the ball from her tongue.
T o date, my veterinary bills total over $5,000 and I will have regular follow up appointments for some time. Additionally, Chai now requires a much more expensive form of food because of this injury, averaging approximately $200 per month.
A dditionally, I now have to re-teach my dog to eat, drink and adjust to life without his tongue. Feeding him takes me about 90 minutes twice a day and for at least this first week he is not to be unattended for more than 20 minutes at a time.
I sent this information along with the reference to the French Bulldog to Four Paws, Inc., and it is their position that there just aren't enough instances to do anything about this. I told their insurance company's case manager that was not a good enough excuse. It was inferred that my dogs value wasn't much and that his pain and suffering don't count as he is just a piece of property.
Warning:
Wellness Food
T here are dangerous, razor-like fish bones in the Wellness pet food that could cut your pet's esophagus or even your finger! Be sure to watch this video if you feed your dog Wellness dog food.
Warning:
Top 10 Things That Can Poison Your Dog
M any things can poison your dog. Some of these things may be surprising. It's important to know the regular signs of poisoning, and some of the most common poisons to your dog:
Medication
T his is the number one cause of pet poisonings, whether a bottle of medication was knocked on the floor and eaten, or a concerned owner trying to help only to overdose. It is crucial to keep all medication away and out of accessibility. Never give your dog human mediation without consulting your vet first. Symptoms may vary, but typically include dilated eyes, vomiting/diarrhea, confusion, and irregular breathing/heartbeat, seizures, coma, and death.
Pesticides
S weet smelling rat poisons that are meant to attract rodents also attract your dog. Insecticides can also be easily accessed by your dog nosing around in the garden, and his flea/tick collar can make him sick if he chews on it. It is crucial you keep rat bait in inaccessible places to your dog, and monitor him if he wears a flea/tick collar or is in the garden. Pesticide poisoning symptoms include: Fatigue, pale gums, internal bleeding, nosebleeds, blood in urine/stool, excessive drooling, breathing difficulty, muscle tremors, and death.
Antifreeze & Other Chemicals
T hese contain sweet-tasting ethylene glycol, among other dangerous chemicals, highly fatal to pets even in the smallest amounts. Keep all chemicals out of canine reach. Symptoms of ingestion include vomiting/diarrhea, dilated eyes, depression, increased thirst, kidney failure, seizures, irregular heartbeat/breathing, coma, and death.
Household & Garden Plants
M ost plants in large amounts can be potentially toxic. These common flowers are particularly dangerous: amaryllis, aconite, azalea, belladonna, buckeye, foxgloves, hyacinth, hydrangea, ivy, all species of lily, night shade, rhododendron, tulip, and yew. Symptoms of ingestion include: dilated eyes, vomiting/diarrhea, irritation around mouth, swelling of the mouth and throat, excessive drooling, excessive thirst, irregular heartbeat/breathing, muscle tremors, seizures, coma, and death.
Chocolate
T heobromine, a chemical similar to caffeine, cannot be easily metabolized by animals. Depending on the type of chocolate and your pet's size reveals how much can be deadly. Just one square of baker's chocolate is fatal to a 10 lb dog, and 2 squares are deadly to a 20 lb dog. Signs include vomiting/diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, hyperactivity, muscle tremors, seizures, cardiac arrest, and death.
Alcohol
E ven so much as a drop of beer can cause intoxication. However, alcohol poisoning doesn't come from just alcoholic beverages, but also vanilla extract, and raw bread dough. The fermented yeast of swallowed dough can cause not only alcohol poisoning, but also bloat or intestinal rupture. Symptoms include: disorientation, vomiting/diarrhea, seizure, coma, swollen stomach, seizures, coma, and death.
Onions & Garlic
I ngested in large amounts can be fatal. A chemical found in these foods, thiosulphate, causes the red blood cells in the blood stream to rupture, resulting in anemia. Baby food containing onion powder has killed puppies. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, vomiting, weakness, irregular heartbeat, and jaundice.
Xylitol
T his artificial sweetener is found in sugarless candy and gum and can be potentially deadly to your dog as his blood sugar rapidly drops. Symptoms include fatigue, staggering, irregular heartbeat/breathing, seizures, coma, and death.
Grapes and Raisins
J ust a handful of either can be fatal to some dogs. Symptoms include vomiting/diarrhea, foamy/bloody urine, irregular heartbeat/breathing, restlessness, kidney failure, and death.
Avocado
A ll products of the avocado plant are poisonous to canines, including avocado fruit and guacamole dip made from it. It destroys the heart muscle and other tissues, including the lungs. Signs of poisoning include difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, swollen abdomen, fluid build up around the heart, seizures, coma, and death.
Typical dog reactions to poison:
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Irregular heartbeat
- Dilated pupils
- Difficulty breathing
- Pale gums
- Swollen abdomen
- Muscle tremors
- Bloody/painful urination or defecation
- Bleeding from any orifice
