10 Common Household Items that are Dangerous to your Dog

Dogs are by nature very curious animals and born predators and some can decide to eat, or at least taste test, everything in their way! Unfortunately, there are many toxic substances which are poisonous and may even be deadly to your dog. Here is a list of 10 common substances found in most homes that could harm your pooch.

1.    Antifreeze: Many people are not aware of that antifreeze kills many pets every year. It is desirable to the dog because it smells and tastes very sweet.  Ethylene glycol is toxic however, and each winter, many animals are killed by it. Make sure to keep your antifreeze out of your dog’s reach.

2.    Chocolate: Chocolate contains a substance called the theobromine which is toxic to dogs. Baking chocolate and dark chocolate is especially dangerous.

3.    Bleach: household bleach is toxic to dogs. Keep all products containing bleach out of your dog’s reach.

4.    Tylenol/Panadol: As little as two regular strength tablets can kill a small dog. Dogs lack the proper liver enzymes to break down acetaminophen.

5.    Watch Batteries: If your dog ingests a watch battery, it can cause a potentially fatal ulceration in the stomach within 12 hours. All other alkaline batteries are toxic to dogs as well but watch batteries are smallest so dogs do not even have to chew to ingest these.

6.    Moth Balls: These are very dangerous to dogs. They contain an insecticide that causes central nervous system excitement and seizures. When metabolised, ingestion of moth balls can lead to liver failure.

7.    Fabric Softeners and other detergents: All kind of domestic detergents are toxic to dogs at one level or another, but fabric softeners fall into the highly toxic category.

8.    Mouthwash: Mouthwash can contain boric acid which is highly toxic to dogs.

9.    Peach Pits: As with most fruits, the pits and the seeds are toxic to dogs.

10.    Household Plants: Many common and popular household plants are highly toxic to dogs. A partial list of toxic plants includes poinsettias, lilies, ferns, devil’s ivy, aloe, and ivy.

Try keeping all the above out of reach of your pooch. AIf you think your dog may have eaten something dangerous, contact your veterinarian immediately or take your dog to the closest emergency clinic.

You can also read our post What not to Feed Fido to see which foods may be poisonous to your pet.