Hello everyone!
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we set our blog aside to focus on how best to keep our instructors safe and to ensure business continuity. Life has returned to normal for us here now, and what better time than to relaunch the blog than March, which is Pet Poison Prevention Awareness month.
CAN YOU BELIEVE WALKS ‘N’ WAGS IS 25?
Where did the years go? It seems like just a few months ago we were pounding the pavement with paper fliers, building a web site, and establishing pet industry contacts.
A lot has happened in these 25 years, but one thing has not changed: our unwavering passion for helping keep animals safe in our communities.
As a “Thank you” for sticking by us all of these years, we are extending a 25% discount on our independent online learning Pet First Aid and OFF THE GRID courses. This special discount offer is only valid until March 31st.
Snap the savings up now using code WNW25 at checkout at www.walksnwags.org
PET POISON PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH
This month, we’d like to share with you 3 Pet Poison tips. As you are well aware, the internet is literally packed with pet health information. Not all of it is accurate, or sometimes the information is true but is missing a few helpful details.
So, today we are here to clear a couple of things up. Let us know if you learn anything new!
Not ALL lilies are toxic to cats
Recently, in our local Buy Nothing Group, someone was giving away a beautiful bouquet they had been given, and it contained lilies. They were clear that it had to go to a “no cats” home. It was encouraging to see that education on lilies is spreading, since prevention is the best form of pet first aid.
We are told over and over to stay away from lilies when it comes to our pets. And for good reason, as the reality is, most of us literally have no clue which kind of lilies we are buying or giving as gifts. So, the safest choice is indeed to stay away from lilies. But did you know that NOT ALL lilies are toxic to cats?
According to Pet Poison Helpline, the lilies that are toxic to cats include: Easter lilies and “Lilium and Hemerocallis species and commonly referred to as Tiger lilies, Day lilies and Asiatic lilies.” Having said that, they also note that “other types of lilies – such as the Peace, Peruvian and Calla lilies – are usually not a problem for cats and may cause only minor drooling.”
Remember, when it comes to toxic lilies, it’s EVERYTHING to do with the plant that is toxic. The leaves, petals, stem, pollen and even the water. This is why it’s important to not have them in your home. Even if the flowers are stored up high, the petals can fall, the pollen can blow…it’s just not worth risking.
So, in summary, since prevention is the best form of Pet First Aid, we suggest avoiding any lilies if you have cats. We’re just saying, if your pet does somehow ingest a lily plant, stay calm and try to identify the plant. This will help to determine next steps when you are speaking to a pet poison professional.
Cats and dogs can’t share all medication
By now, you likely know that not all human medication is safe to administer to your pets. But, did you also know that dogs and cats have a number of differing medications? One common error made by pet owners is using their dog’s flea prevention medication on their cats. Some flea medications, especially the ones that have Pyrethrin as an ingredient.
What is Pyrethrin? According to preventivevet.com, “Pyrethrins and the related — but more potent — chemically-derived pyrethroids are widely-used insecticides in flea and tick prevention products for our pets (more commonly dogs). They are also widely used around our homes in products such as bug sprays and for pest control. They kill insects by preventing their nervous system from functioning properly.”
Cats metabolize differently than dogs, and the consequence of exposure can be serious, or even fatal. The most common sign you will see is your cat experiencing tremours. If this happens, keep the cat calm, and phone a Pet Poison Centre or veterinary office immediately for help.
Remember, a cat can also be exposed to topical flea medications by sharing a bed with a canine friend. Be mindful when using these products if you have both dogs and cats in your home.
Not all chocolate is created equally
The unthinkable happened last year, when our 11 lb dog Stanley somehow wrangled our teenage son’s bedroom door open and ate half of a chocolate peanut butter snowman. Fortunately, by using the packaging, we were able to obtain the product information when we called the manufacturer (impressed with them!). This helped to determine appropriate course of action.
Chocolate is made from many ingredients, with the one of them being toxic to dogs: Theobromine. Theobromine comes from the cacao plant and according to Merck Veterinary Manual, “Clinical signs of chocolate toxicosis usually occur within 6–12 hours of ingestion. Initial signs may include polydipsia, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and restlessness. Signs may progress to hyperactivity, polyuria, ataxia, rigidity, tremors, and seizures.”
The thing is, the amount of theobromine in chocolate products varies. In general, there is more in dark chocolate, less in milk chocolate, and very little in white chocolate. Keep in mind what else is in the product ingested. In Stanley’s case, it was a lot of peanut butter, with a thin coating of milk chocolate around it. We were lucky!
If your pet does ingest chocolate, try to gather together the remnants of the packaging and determine what exactly they ate. Contact a Pet Poison Helpline and if possible, phone the manufacturer to see if they can help with ingredient information.
Pet poisoning is something we as pet owners have a lot of power over, but if the unthinkable happens, here are the resources for the 2 helplines:
Pet Poison Helpline 855-764-7661
ASPCA Animal Poison Control 888-426-4435
THANK YOU!
Before signing off, we just want to send one last “Thank you” for your ongoing support over the years. We have a terrific team here, and they wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for you choosing Walks ‘N’ Wags as your first choice for Pet First Aid training!
Now that our blog is relaunched, we’ll be back every now and then to check in. Until next time, stay safe!