We all want to keep our furbabies safe and healthy. Dogster Kristy Sweetland, furmom to Seva and Finlay, will be providing weekly tips and warnings from the Pet Poison HELPLINE to make that job easier. As a veterinary technician with the Pet Poison HELPLINE she’s going to help us all stay more on top of what’s dangerous for our furry family members.
Joy note — I’m running this week’s column a day early so we can all be warned about these products BEFORE the 4th.
Fireworks!
The 4th of July, I would venture to guess, is not a dogs favorite holiday. The loud noises, unusual smells, and strange visual sights cause some dogs to become extremely agitated on our countrys celebratory day of independence. Encourage others to keep their dogs in mind when joining in the revelry of the holiday. Do what you can to minimize your dogs stress level. Most importantly, keep all types of fireworks out of your dogs reach.
The toxicity of fireworks varies greatly depending on the agent used to produce the final product. We can see many different injuries including burns to the face, mouth, eyes or body. Other potential effects from the ingestion of fireworks include shallow breathing, abdominal pain, vomiting, severe diarrhea- sometimes bloody, and tremors or seizures. Depending on what product our pet finds to chew on, kidney or liver failure can occur.
In a nutshell, the effects of ingesting these can be serious. Do everything in your power to prevent your dog from chewing on fresh or spent fireworks. Contact a poison control center or your nearest veterinary hospital if you fear ingestion has occurred, and remember that on the 4th of July extra TLC may be required to keep your beloved pet free from stress.
