Autumn Pet Safety
The leaves are changing, the air is cooling off, and the kids are all back to learning. You know what that means, autumn is officially here! While this time of year presents the perfect weather to both spend time outside adventuring and spend time cuddling inside with your furry friends, there are several pet hazards that inherently come with the season. Keep your furbabies safe this season by keeping an eye out for the following dangers:
Poisons
As the weather gets colder, several types of poison enter the scene, including rodenticides, car coolants, and ice melting salts. While keeping these poisons out of paws reach is usually common knowledge, sometimes we accidentally place things in locations that are more accessible to our pets than we think. If you are using these products throughout the fall, it’s extremely important to be extra cautious about where you use them and where you are storing them.
School Supplies
If you have school-aged kids, chances are they leave their backpacks and supplies scattered around the house. While your initial thought may be to ask them to clean up after themselves to keep the house neat, it’s also a great way to keep your pets safe. Most school supplies, like pencils, erasers, pens and pen caps, can be very dangerous and potentially fatal if consumed by our furry friends. Pick a dedicated enclosed space in the house for your children to store their supplies when they aren’t using them to ensure that your pets don’t get a hold of them.
Mushrooms
Fall is great, but the mushrooms that come with it? Not so much. The majority of mushrooms growing outside are not toxic, but the ones that are can cause life-threatening problems for our pets. Because it’s difficult to distinguish the difference between the two, it’s best to just keep your furbaby away from areas where they are growing all together.
Allergies
Seasonal allergies aren’t just a human problem, our pets can suffer from them too! Common symptoms are similar to those that we experience ourselves – sneezing, coughing, runny nose, itchy skin, ear infections, and itchy, red, or watery eyes. If you notice that your pet is displaying some of these symptoms, the best course of action is to contact your veterinarian to set up an appointment for testing and to develop a treatment plan if your pet is indeed suffering from allergies.
Candy
With every fall comes a Halloween, and every year the advice remains the same: keep the (human) treats away! No human food is especially good for pets to consume, but candy and other holiday treats are definitely at the top of the “no-no” list. Keep bags, bowls, and other stashes of candy high and hidden in locations that can’t be accessed by your pets. If your pet accidentally finds its way into some (or a lot) of candy and is displaying concerning symptoms, consult your veterinarian immediately.
