Toxic Ingestion

Protect Your Pets from Ingesting Toxic Items

Pets love to eat human food and chew on all sorts of plants and other items. Unfortunately, many of these items and many human foods can be toxic to pets. Learning which items your pet needs to stay away from, and what to do if you find your pet has ingested one of them, is critical to keeping your pet in good health. Alexander At The Park Veterinary Hospital in Durham, NC, can help you in both cases.

Pets Don't Have the Same Digestive Qualities as Humans

Many human foods are favorites of pets, but a good number of other foods that humans can easily eat are not good for animals. Chocolate is likely the best-known human food that is harmful to pets. Garlic and onions are two others, and these are tricky, as they can show up in yeast breads that cats might try to steal and pizza pieces that dogs might beg for.

Some food additives that are harmless to us can also cause problems for pets. Giving your dog a spoonful of plain peanut butter can be a nice treat, but some peanut butter now contains xylitol, a sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs and that may be less than optimal for cats. Many other foods are also bad for both.

Some foods are OK for some animals, but not others. Dairy for dogs and spinach for cats, for example, are OK in limited quantities for some pets, but not others. Check with your veterinarian about whether your dog or cat can safely have these foods.

Pets love to chew on houseplants, too. Dumbcane and lilies, as well as many others, are very bad for pets. If you have pets, check with your vet about which plants to avoid having in your home.

Act Fast if You Find Signs of Toxic Ingestion

If you find that your dog or cat has ingested something he shouldn't have, call Alexander At The Park Veterinary Hospital at (919) 484-9900 right away. Make an appointment with our emergency vet in Durham and get help for your pet.

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If you have an emergency, please call Triangle Veterinary Referral Hospital on 608 Morreene Rd at 919-489-0615.

Monday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-4:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

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