Posts in Category: Pet Toxins

Owning a pet comes with a lot of responsibility. Along with providing holistic pet care, food, water, shelter, and plenty of love and affection, it’s also important to know the basics when it comes to pet first aid so you can help your furry friend if unexpected medical issues arise. Brush up on these essential pet first-aid tips and techniques: 

Our animal friends are naturally curious and many are motivated by anything that resembles food. Pair that with the fact that they are limited to exploring their world mostly with the mouth, and some human items can become quite dangerous.

One of the most dangerous areas for pets in our homes is the medicine cabinet. Many items in there are toxic or otherwise hazardous and big animal no-nos. Knowing what items are dangerous, which ones to never give a sick pet, and how to secure your medicine cabinet is an important part of pet safety and things The Whole Pet Vet Hospital & Wellness Center wants you to know. 

With all of the attention on how harmful most pesticides are, many of us have switched to organic and eco-friendly products for the lawn and garden. But when those biting, itchy pests arrive, it’s all too easy to grab some pesticides to keep them from invading our homes and bodies. Unfortunately, many pest control products are also harmful to other animals, including pets.

Several pet owners have asked the team at the Whole Pet Vet and Wellness Center about some pet-friendly insect control options and we are happy to help! Here are some of our favorite solutions to pet friendly insect control.

Chocolate is something many of us enjoy, and chocolate is usually the staple sugar around Valentine’s Day and other holidays. Chocolate is also an ingredient in many desserts, drinks, and food items. But chocolate in all forms is poisonous to pets. 

The Whole Pet Vet Hospital and Wellness Center is here to explain why chocolate toxicity can occur, the symptoms to watch for, and how to better protect your fur friend.

Chocolate Toxicity

Chocolate contains two chemicals which are toxic to pets. These are caffeine and theobromine.

Essential oils have recently gained popularity in aromatherapy, with people using them as home remedies for common ailments such as nasal congestion, anxiety, sore muscles, and skin conditions. Plant oils and scents are also included in many different products for use around the home, such as cleaners, shampoo, and even toothpaste. So it begs the question – are essential oils and pets a safe combination?

Essential Oils Basics

What exactly are essential oils? Simply put, they are plant compounds that have been carefully extracted and distilled, leaving microscopic droplets that can impart the properties of the plant itself.

Essential oils are described as highly volatile, meaning they can powerfully affect our minds and bodies. They enter the body through contact with the skin, or through inhalation or ingestion.  Because they are absorbed into the bloodstream, essential oils can affect the organs rapidly. Used properly, they can have therapeutic effects.

It’s important to know that essential oils can also be toxic to our pets, without an understanding of how to use them correctly. Since the compounds they contain are biologically active, they can cause a myriad of dangerous side effects and even organ damage if used improperly.