SUMMER

As the calendar moves towards summer, pets are often left in the yard for longer periods of time. This allows a curious puppy or enthusiastic dog to become exposed to many harmful substances. Outside pets should be confined to a safe area or supervised at all times. Bottle, bags, and other containers should be tightly closed and locked away in the garage or basement.

Heat and humidity: While not poisonous substances, heat and humidity from summer weather can be deadly to pets. Most pets don't perspire like humans, but 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 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.

Pets should not be left in a car on a hot day or allowed to ride in the back of open trucks. Pets left in cars quickly develop heatstroke as the temperature inside the car reaches 160° in just a few minutes. Dogs riding in the back of open trucks can suffer from heatstroke as well as sunburn or thermal burns from the truck's hot metal areas. Rocks, dirt, and other pieces of flying debris can injure the dog's eyes and face.

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. Consult with your veterinarian before using flea and tick product on very young or old pets, pregnant or nursing pets, or those with a chronic illness.

Mushrooms: It is wise to keep mushrooms out of the pet's yard and play area. Many mushrooms are not harmful, but there are a few that are deadly and it is very, very difficult to tell them apart. If your pet eats any portion of a mushroom, contact your veterinarian or the Pet Poison Helpline immediately. An entire mushroom or at least a good portion of it should be placed in a labeled brown bag and refrigerated for later identification by a trained mycologist. Signs are not specific and may not develop for hours to days.

Firecrackers: Many pets are frightened by the noise from fireworks and should be kept in a safe, quiet environment when fireworks are used. Some pets, however, seem to enjoy the commotion and physically chase or chew on fireworks. Depending on the product, this 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.

Plants: Many pets chew on plants in the yard and garden. Fortunately for dogs, who seem to enjoy eating grass and then vomiting, most grasses are non-toxic. Holiday ornamental plants such as poinsettias and Easter lily are often put outside for the summer. Ingestion of poinsettia stems and leaves may cause some mild gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting but is not deadly. Ingestion of all parts of the Easter lily causes depression, vomiting and diarrhea in cats. Left untreated most cats die of kidney failure. Tulips (bulbs), Lily of the valley, oleander, kalanchoe, and azaleas are spring and summer plants that can be deadly to pets if ingested in large enough quantities. Dogs should be watched carefully when these plants are being cared for.

Rodenticides: Summer is the time when pets dig up or discover long forgotten rodenticides brought to the surface by melting snow or spring rains. Whatever the case, once found they are harmful to pets. Several different types of rodenticides are found on the market, but those containing strychnine and zinc phosphide are the most deadly. Generally these products have been placed below ground to kill gophers or moles and are found by dogs that dig or forage under buildings. Ingestion of these products is a life threatening emergency. There are a number of products designed to kill rats and mice in and around your house and garage. As a rule, this type of product contains an anticoagulant and can be deadly if not treated appropriately. Fortunately, an antidote is available for ingestion of anticoagulant products.

Fertilizers, Herbicides and Fungicides: The most commonly used lawn care products are fertilizers, herbicides and fungicides. When applied according to package instructions, or by a qualified lawn care service, most of these products are not harmful. Pets are primarily poisoned by contact with concentrated products. This may occur from inappropriate storage, failure to read package instructions, or by intentionally using more product than needed. Dogs are especially good at finding poorly stored containers, chewing them up, and eating or drinking the contents. Ingestion of large amounts of fertilizers usually causes moderate to severe gastric upset and in some cases, gastrointestinal obstruction. A few fertilizers contain heavy metals such as iron which can result in serious poisonings if enough is ingested. Make sure your pets do not go on lawns or in gardens treated with fertilizers, herbicides or fungicides until the time listed on the label by the manufacturer. If you are uncertain about the usage of any product, contact the manufacturer for clarification before using it. Always store pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides in areas that are inaccessible to your pets, and be sure to read the label carefully for proper usage and storage instructions.

Insecticides, pesticides and snail & slug killers: Pet owners should be especially vigilant when using these products as they have a higher degree of toxicity. Dogs may be exposed by digging up treated earth, chewing on pellets, or rooting around ant mounds shortly after insecticides are applied. Snail bait containing metaldehyde should be used with extra caution around pets; methomyl containing fly baits and disulfoton or disyston containing insecticides also require special attention. Pets ingesting any of these products should be seen immediately by their veterinarian.

Grass Seed and Mulches: Most grass seed and mulch products are generally not associated with toxic problems in pets. Cocoa bean mulch is perhaps the only mulch type product currently known to cause poisoning in dogs. This mulch is made from the hulls of cocoa beans and - when fresh - has a rich, chocolate aroma associated with it. Some larger breed dogs have actually eaten several pounds of the mulch, more than enough to develop poisoning associated with the chocolate remnants. Signs include vomiting and diarrhea along with muscle tremors and seizures. These over eager dogs should be kept away from the mulch until the aroma has dissipated. Generally a heavy rainfall or thorough watering is all that is required.