As responsible pet owners, we must ensure that our furry friends are kept safe and protected from any potential harm. One of the ways we can do this is by being aware of the things they like to chew on and ensuring that these things are kept out of reach. In this article, we’ll discuss 8 dangerous items that dogs like to chew and why they can harm our furry friends.
Dogs are playful creatures who love to chew on things, but not all things are safe for them to chew on. As a pet owner, it’s important to be aware of the dangerous items that dogs are attracted to so you can keep them out of reach. Here are eight dangerous items that dogs like to chew:
1. Poisonous Plants
Dogs have a natural curiosity and love to explore their surroundings, which often leads to them chewing on different plants in the house or yard. Unfortunately, some plants can be toxic to dogs and cause serious health problems if ingested. Some of the most common poisonous plants for dogs include lilies, tulips, daffodils, sago palms, and oleander.
These plants contain toxic substances that can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, heart problems, liver failure, and even death in some cases. We must keep these plants out of reach from our dogs or remove them from our homes and yards altogether.
2. Medications
Dogs have a natural tendency to chew on anything they come across, including medication. Over-the-counter drugs, prescription medications, and even vitamins can be dangerous if ingested by dogs. The problem with medications is that they are often stored in places easily accessible to dogs, like on a countertop or in a medicine cabinet. Even a small dose of medication can be toxic to a dog and cause serious health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, organ damage, and even death. To keep our dogs safe, we must keep all medications in a secure place where they can’t get to them.
3. Cleaning Products
Cleaning products, such as bleach, detergents, and toilet bowl cleaners, contain harmful chemicals that can be toxic to dogs if ingested. Dogs are often attracted to these products due to their strong scents and may chew on them if they come across them.
Ingesting these products can cause serious health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, organ damage, and even death. To prevent accidents, it’s important to store cleaning products in a secure place where our dogs can’t get to them.
4. Batteries
Batteries contain harmful chemicals, such as lead and acid, that can be dangerous if ingested by dogs. Dogs are often attracted to batteries due to their shiny appearance and may chew on them if they come across them.
Ingesting batteries can cause serious health problems, such as chemical burns, perforations of the digestive tract, and blockages. To keep our dogs safe, we must keep batteries out of reach and dispose of them properly.
5. Electrical Cords
Dogs love to chew on electrical cords, but this can be dangerous as they can electrocute themselves. Electrocution can cause serious health problems, such as burns, organ damage, and even death. To prevent accidents, it’s important to keep electrical cords out of reach and consider using cord covers to protect our pets.
6. Foreign Objects
Dogs swallow anything they see, including foreign objects like stones, sticks, and small toys. These objects can get stuck in their digestive tract and cause serious health problems, such as blockages, perforations, and infection. To prevent accidents, we must keep small objects out of reach and supervise our dogs when they are playing.
7. Human Food
Some human foods can be toxic to dogs and cause serious health problems if ingested. Foods to avoid include chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, avocado, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and xylitol (a sugar substitute commonly found in sugar-free gum and candy).
These foods can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, pancreatitis, and even death in severe cases. It’s important to keep human food out of reach and only feeds our dogs dog-friendly treats and meals.
8. Plastic
Dogs love to chew on plastic, but this can be dangerous as they can ingest small pieces, which can cause blockages in their digestive tract. Eating plastic can cause serious health problems, such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and even death.
To prevent accidents, we must keep plastic bags, packaging, and toys out of reach and dispose of them properly. Also, to ensure your dog doesn’t get access to such harmful things, install safety gadgets like invisible dog fence kits or underground dog fences from the amazon.
It’s important to be aware of what dogs like to chew and keep them out of reach. By being mindful of these 8 dangerous items, we can help keep our furry friends safe and protected from potential harm.
If you suspect your dog has ingested anything toxic, it’s important to seek veterinary care immediately. With caution and common sense, we can help ensure that our dogs lead happy, healthy lives.
How to Prevent Any Mishap with Your Dog?
Prevention is the key to keeping our dogs safe from dangerous items that they like to chew on. Here are some tips to help prevent accidents from happening:
· Properly Store Dangerous Items
Make sure to securely store all dangerous items, such as medications, cleaning products, batteries, and plastic, where your dog can’t get to them. Consider using child-proof locks or storage containers to keep these items out of reach.
· Supervise Your Dog
Whenever possible, supervise your dog to ensure that they are not getting into anything dangerous. This is especially important for puppies and dogs prone to chewing on things.
· Provide Alternatives
Dogs like to chew on things for a variety of reasons, including boredom, anxiety, and teething. To prevent your dog from chewing on dangerous items, provide plenty of chew toys, bones, and other dog-friendly alternatives to keep them occupied.
· Train Your Dog
Training your dog to obey commands such as “leave it” or “drop it” can be very helpful in preventing accidents. If your dog is chewing on something dangerous, these commands can help you get them to drop the item before they ingest it.
· Check Your Yard
If you have a yard, check it regularly for any poisonous plants or other dangerous items that your dog may have access to. Consider removing any hazardous plants or items and replacing them with dog-friendly alternatives.
· Keep Food Out of Reach
Make sure to keep human food and containers out of reach to prevent your dog from getting into them. This is especially important for foods that are toxic to dogs
· Be Prepared
Make sure that you have the contact information for your veterinarian and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) handy in case of an emergency. This readily available information can help you quickly seek veterinary care if your dog has ingested anything toxic.
In conclusion, keeping our dogs safe from dangerous items that they like to chew on requires a little bit of caution and common sense. By being mindful of these 8 dangerous items and following the tips outlined above, we can help ensure that our dogs lead happy, healthy lives. Remember, if you suspect that your dog has ingested anything toxic, seek veterinary care immediately.