Autumn Pet Safety Tips

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Inserra Kelley Sewell normally gives its readership all sorts of safety and health tips to keep you and your loved ones safe and health.  Today, since it is Pet Safety Month, and the start of another Autumn season, we will talk about our animal friends since they are family too for many of us.  Fall weather brings some cooler air, changing leaves, and many fun festivals in addition to Halloween.  The same things we look so forward to can bring dangers for our furry friends.

With cooler temperatures, rodents are prone to trying to get into our homes so it is not uncommon for households to put out some rat poison products and traps to catch the unwanted visitors.  The poisons meant to keep those pesky rodents can also kill our beloved pets, so use them with extreme caution.  Another poison for pets used in the cooler weather of Autumn is engine coolant often changed this time of year.  The ethylene glycol containing products are very toxic for our pet friends, so pet owners might consider switching to propylene glycol containing nontoxic coolants.    

Those back to school supplies for the kids can also bring dangers for pets who ingest things like pencils, markers, and glue.  They might not be toxic enough to be fatal, but can still make a pet experience uncomfortable gastrointestinal pain or even blockages, so they need to be kept where pets cannot get to them. 

With Autumn comes mushrooms that can be toxic to pets so be sure your pets are not able to roam where mushrooms grow. Outdoor fun for pets can also involve bites by hibernating creatures such as snakes, so be on the alert and cautious when your pets are outside in the great outdoors. 

Halloween is a day looked forward to every year by the human population, but it can be yet another dangerous Autumn factor for pets.  Chocolate is poison for dogs, as is the xylitol containing sugar-free candies.  Tipped over Jack-o-lanterns with real candles inside can burn pets or be knocked over them by pets to start a fire.  Pumpkins, corn cobs, and other Autumn/Halloween items can also make pet sick.  Costumes worn by pets can injure your pets if they choke on something such as a button or other small piece on the outfits, or they might make it difficult for them to breathe or move freely.  This, as well as scary Halloween noises and sights, can unduly stress your pets out so be sure to keep them protected and as calm as possible.

A stressed out dog might get loose and run away, so be sure that your pet has identification tags, and perhaps even a microchip to keep from losing your pet this time of year. 

Pet ownership is an important responsibility that should not be taken lightly for our loyal, furry or feathered friends.  Inserra Kelley Sewell, personal injury attorneys, are here to give you and your loved ones’ health and safety tips, as well as danger warnings, for the entire family, including the animal members.