|
The fall is the time for families to perform routine maintenance jobs around
the house, especially on the exterior. Surfaces may be freshened up with new
paint or driveway sealer, expandable foam insulation may be used to seal cracks
or crevices, and gardens and lawns may receive a fresh application of mulch or
fertilizer. Out in the garage, you may be putting winter antifreeze into your
car, preparing your lawn mower for winter storage, or tuning up the snow blower
in preparation for the months to come. All of these activities can cause
potential injury to the family pet, or to animals that are roaming in the
neighborhood.
If an animal walks through or brushes against substances such as fresh tar or
driveway sealer, caulking, paint, or pesticides, the material may get stuck to
its fur or skin, or even be absorbed through the skin into the body. The natural
response to a pet that has something stuck to its skin or fur is to lick or chew
the affected area to remove the substance. This presents a risk if the material
is toxic or irritating. Fluids that are used in machinery or cars can also be
toxic - used fluids may be toxic due to the presence of contaminants or
byproducts of combustion, while some fluids such as radiator antifreeze contain
ethylene glycol, which causes kidney failure, but tastes good!
Dogs, and especially puppies, like to chew objects that they find lying
around. There has been a rise in illnesses associated with puppies that have
chewed on containers of expanding foam and swallowed the non-expanded product.
After swallowing, the material expands in the pet's stomach, causing a
life-threatening obstruction that requires immediate surgery. Chemical
fertilizers can be poisonous when taken internally, while some pesticides are
not only toxic but also irritating to skin. Cocoa bean mulch (made from cocoa
bean husks) can be toxic if eaten, and unfortunately its wonderful chocolate
aroma may prove to be too much of a temptation to many pets - this mulch
contains the same toxins that are found in chocolate. Another concern with mulch
that has come to light in recent years is the potential that it may be
contaminated with Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA). In the past, CCA was used as
a wood preservative for ‘pressure-treated; wood; its use has been phased out
over the last decade. However, as this wood ages and is replaced, it may be
recycled into landscaping mulch. Except to young puppies, most mulch is not
particularly tempting as an item to chew or eat. However, caution should be
observed around young pups if you do not know whether your mulch is free of CCA.
Finally, home treatment of your pet after exposure to one of these hazards
may pose additional risks. You may think it's okay to use a solvent such as
paint thinner to remove paint or tar from your pet's skin or hair. While this
sort of treatment may be okay to use on an adult person, you should always
remember that pets lick themselves! Thus, anything that has a poison label on
the container, or a warning not to take the product internally, should NEVER be
used on an animal's skin or fur. Animals have become seriously ill from
ingestion of solvents such as mineral spirits, paint thinner, turpentine, etc.
If you do need to remove oil-based materials such as tar or paint, or sticky
substances such as tree sap, a better choice is to use something that is
relatively benign, such as mineral oil or lard. Better yet, call our clinic for
specific advice as to what to use. And, if you are concerned that your pet may
have been exposed to one of these hazardous materials, you should seek advice
sooner rather than later.
Caution: These news items, written by Lifelearn Inc., are
licensed to this practice for the personal use of our clients. Any copying,
printing or further distribution is prohibited without the express written
permission of Lifelearn Inc. Please note that the news information presented
here is NOT a substitute for a proper consultation and/or clinical examination
of your pet by our clinic veterinarian.
|
