I’ve done a variety of posts on plants, medications, and foods that are poisonous to dogs.
Recently I did a post on the Saco Palm, a plant that contains arsenic and is deadly to dogs. There are many plants which are dangerous to dogs but I had never heard about this particular one. I was made aware when Dogster member Mica contacted me warning about the dangers and asking that I share the story of her pal Tallulah Belle, who almost died from ingesting the plant.
We all know smoking is bad, but did you know that it can kill your dog? In USA Today writer Mary Brophy Marcus discusses the dangers of nicotine.
Smoked or unsmoked cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, and snuff, even in small amounts, can be toxic, say the veterinarians at McLean Animal Hospital in McLean, Va.
According to their website, a lethal dose of nicotine in dogs can be about 20 to 100 mg. Cigarettes tally 10 to 30 mg of the chemical, and cigars can contain 15 to 40 mg.
It’s important to keep products used to help quit smoking, gum and patches, away from your dog. They also have the potential to be toxic. Regular sugar free gum is something else every pet owner needs to know about. The gum contains Xylitol which makes the pancreas release a tremendous amount of insulin all at once, it puts the dog into extreme hypoglycemia.
Lastly, if you’re a gardener beware of cocoa mulch. I almost used it once because it claims to be more bug resistant, but after doing some research on the product I found out it can kill a dog if ingested. Dogs are attracted to the mulch because it smells like chocolate but it’s dangerous because it contains Theobromine. A chemical substance which is in all chocolate, especially dark or bakers chocolate which is toxic to dogs.
It’s always a good idea to have the number to poison control and your vet’s office handy. In case of an emergency every minute counts and you don’t want to waste any time trying to track down a phone number.
