Your FAMILY could KILL your PETS!

Beware: Your friends and family could kill your pets! Not on purpose, obviously, but your environment can change from day to day with the arrival of family and friends bearing gifts, holiday foods and exotic plants and some of these are real dangers to your pets. Here’s what you need to know to keep your furry friends safe!

• Ask your guests NOT to leave their medications any place your pet can get to them, like in an open suitcase. Over-the-counter and prescription medications can kill small animals. When it comes to medication, there’s no such thing as a dog-proof cap. Cats are especially susceptible to even small amounts of acetaminophen - the active ingredient in Tylenol. Eating just one tablet can cause anemia and potential liver damage.


• Be careful in the kitchen. Grapes and raisins can cause renal failure when ingested by dogs and onions and garlic can cause severe red blood cell damage. Bread dough, if eaten before baking, can expand rapidly in the stomach and cause poisoning.


• All species of lilies should be placed out of reach of pets. Lily toxicity in cats can reach critical levels almost immediately, and lead to acute kidney failure within 48 hours. They’re one of the most poisonous houseplants that exist – both the flower and the leaves. If a cat eats any part of the plant, get them to and animal emergency hospital immediately.