Toxic Love: Keep Pets Away From Romantic Gifts
UPDATED: 11:40 a.m. EST February 12, 2003
Love is in the air, and everywhere you look are advertisements for gifts to your loved one.
Not to spoil the mood, but these very gifts meant to entice your sweetheart can cause your pet great harm. So here are some safety tips to protect your furry loved one this Valentine's Day.
Tip No. 1: As surprising as it may be, pets love undergarments. The fancier the better and especially after you've worn them. It's true -- every year dogs and cats undergo extensive surgery to remove leopard- or heart-printed panties and bras from them.
The problem starts after that sizzling romantic interlude where panties and bras are ripped off and thrown on the floor. Along comes Fido or Morris, who, wanting to get involved in all the excitement, start playing with these toys. The next thing you know, they have swallowed them.
But when ingested, lingerie causes bowel or stomach obstructions, which can be deadly and must be surgically removed by your veterinarian.
So the point is, go ahead and have that passionate interlude, but remember to pick up your undergarments before your cat or dog has time to get to them.
Tip No. 2: Not only will pets eat undergarments, but they also love things that sparkle. Diamond bracelets, rings, and necklaces will often end up in your pet's stomach if you're not careful.
Luckily most of these items will pass through your pet and be eliminated without too much harm to your pet or the jewelry. The only thing is that you have to search for it through -- you guessed it -- your pet's stool. So a jewelry box is a good investment and if your loved one pops the question this Valentine's Day, keep the diamond on your finger to avoid an engagement at the vet clinic.
Tip No. 3: Love letters are abounding this month with fancy paper and pens. But like all paper objects, puppies, kittens, cats and dogs will chew, eat and swallow through the most romantic phrases to cause stomach upset and even intestinal obstructions.
Most of the time pets will pass the paper and the only harm comes from the loss of some pretty romantic verse. Still, it is better to store your love notes in a safe place away from your four-legged friends.
Tip No. 4: Planning a nice candlelit dinner for your loved one is great, but cats and dogs are intrigued by the dancing flames, and not only will whiskers get burned, but sometimes the hot wax will burn even the cutest paws and face.
Be careful to monitor the candles and try to keep them away from any curious pets in the household.
Tip No. 5: Roses are red, violets are blue; watch out, kitty -- some flowers are dangerous to chew! That's right, certain plants and flowers are toxic to your pets. And the freshness packets that come with some floral arrangements seem quite interesting and even tasty to your cat and dog, causing serious stomach upset.
The best thing is to keep all of your beautiful floral arrangements away from your pets by placing them up high where they can't taste them. Remember anything new in the household is up for examination and scrutiny by your curious furry loved one.
Tip No. 6: Chocolate is the food for lovers, but it is very toxic to dogs and even a small amount can cause serious consequences and even death. Those cute heart-shaped kisses can be the kiss of death for your dog because chocolate contains methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobomine and caffeine that causes constriction of arteries, increased heart rate, and central nervous system stimulation.
This can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, increased urination and eventually cause excitability, increased respirations and heartbeat, stiffness, seizures, and exaggerated reflexes.
Certain types of chocolate contain higher amounts of this alkaloid; baking chocolate is the highest with white chocolate being the lowest. A potential lethal dose in a 15-pound dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Cardiac failure, seizures, coma and even death can occur if the pet is not treated within four to six hours after ingestion. So be very careful with all of your Godiva chocolates and Hershey's kisses and remember to contact your vet immediately if you suspect your pet has gotten into the "sweets."
Remember, an ounce of prevention is way better than an ounce of ingestion. If you want to include that special animal in your life this Valentine's Day, go buy a heart-shaped doggy or kitty treat or even a red feathered or squeaky devil toy to show your pets how much you really care!
Not to spoil the mood, but these very gifts meant to entice your sweetheart can cause your pet great harm. So here are some safety tips to protect your furry loved one this Valentine's Day.
Tip No. 1: As surprising as it may be, pets love undergarments. The fancier the better and especially after you've worn them. It's true -- every year dogs and cats undergo extensive surgery to remove leopard- or heart-printed panties and bras from them.
The problem starts after that sizzling romantic interlude where panties and bras are ripped off and thrown on the floor. Along comes Fido or Morris, who, wanting to get involved in all the excitement, start playing with these toys. The next thing you know, they have swallowed them.
But when ingested, lingerie causes bowel or stomach obstructions, which can be deadly and must be surgically removed by your veterinarian.
So the point is, go ahead and have that passionate interlude, but remember to pick up your undergarments before your cat or dog has time to get to them.
Tip No. 2: Not only will pets eat undergarments, but they also love things that sparkle. Diamond bracelets, rings, and necklaces will often end up in your pet's stomach if you're not careful.
Luckily most of these items will pass through your pet and be eliminated without too much harm to your pet or the jewelry. The only thing is that you have to search for it through -- you guessed it -- your pet's stool. So a jewelry box is a good investment and if your loved one pops the question this Valentine's Day, keep the diamond on your finger to avoid an engagement at the vet clinic.
Tip No. 3: Love letters are abounding this month with fancy paper and pens. But like all paper objects, puppies, kittens, cats and dogs will chew, eat and swallow through the most romantic phrases to cause stomach upset and even intestinal obstructions.
Most of the time pets will pass the paper and the only harm comes from the loss of some pretty romantic verse. Still, it is better to store your love notes in a safe place away from your four-legged friends.
Tip No. 4: Planning a nice candlelit dinner for your loved one is great, but cats and dogs are intrigued by the dancing flames, and not only will whiskers get burned, but sometimes the hot wax will burn even the cutest paws and face.
Be careful to monitor the candles and try to keep them away from any curious pets in the household.
Tip No. 5: Roses are red, violets are blue; watch out, kitty -- some flowers are dangerous to chew! That's right, certain plants and flowers are toxic to your pets. And the freshness packets that come with some floral arrangements seem quite interesting and even tasty to your cat and dog, causing serious stomach upset.
The best thing is to keep all of your beautiful floral arrangements away from your pets by placing them up high where they can't taste them. Remember anything new in the household is up for examination and scrutiny by your curious furry loved one.
Tip No. 6: Chocolate is the food for lovers, but it is very toxic to dogs and even a small amount can cause serious consequences and even death. Those cute heart-shaped kisses can be the kiss of death for your dog because chocolate contains methylxanthine alkaloids in the form of theobomine and caffeine that causes constriction of arteries, increased heart rate, and central nervous system stimulation.
This can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, increased urination and eventually cause excitability, increased respirations and heartbeat, stiffness, seizures, and exaggerated reflexes.
Certain types of chocolate contain higher amounts of this alkaloid; baking chocolate is the highest with white chocolate being the lowest. A potential lethal dose in a 15-pound dog is only one pound of milk chocolate. Cardiac failure, seizures, coma and even death can occur if the pet is not treated within four to six hours after ingestion. So be very careful with all of your Godiva chocolates and Hershey's kisses and remember to contact your vet immediately if you suspect your pet has gotten into the "sweets."
Remember, an ounce of prevention is way better than an ounce of ingestion. If you want to include that special animal in your life this Valentine's Day, go buy a heart-shaped doggy or kitty treat or even a red feathered or squeaky devil toy to show your pets how much you really care!Content provided by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles. For more information, visit spcaLA.com.
