Pet Danger Zones Inside Your Home

Unfortunately, even the most safety-conscious pet owners have a few danger spots at home. It’s simply unavoidable! The trick is being aware so that your pet can stay healthy. Below, your Pickerington, OH vet tells you about the most dangerous spots in your home for a pet.

The Kitchen

Toxic foods like onions, garlic, chives, grapes and raisins, caffeinated foods, alcohol, chocolate, candy, and much more are found in your kitchen. There are also plenty of sharp objects and hot surfaces like the stovetop, coffeepots, and boiling pots of water. Even the trash presents a few hazards—old food can make a pet sick, and fruit pits, twine, aluminum foil, and more could cause intestinal obstruction. Always keep a close eye on your pet if they venture into the kitchen!

Supply Closets

Various cleaning products—household disinfectants, toilet bowl cleaner, tile scrub, floor cleaner, furniture polish, carpet shampoo, and more—can poison a pet who manages to ingest them. Keep your pet elsewhere when using cleaning chemicals, and close supply closet doors tightly when not using the products inside.

The Medicine Cabinet

Prescription pills, and even common medications like aspirin and cough syrup, can harm a pet who swallows them. Never allow your pet access to the medicine cabinet, and store your pet’s own medications in a separate area so that human and animal medicines don’t get mixed up.

The Garage

It’s easy for pets to get trapped in garages, and they’re chock-full of harmful substances like pesticides, fertilizers, sharp objects, paints, cleaning products, and more. If a pet decides to hide under a car while the vehicle is started, disaster could quickly follow! Take steps to keep your pet out of the garage at all times.

The Fireplace

Pets who decide to chow down on ashes can get sick. Plus, it’s all too easy for a pet to swipe a tail or paw through an open flame, causing serious burns. If your home has a fireplace, or if you set up portable heating devices to ward off the chill, make sure your pet doesn’t get too close.

Balconies

It’s best not to let your pet have access to high balconies or ledges. It’s simply too easy for them to slip and fall off, potentially injuring themselves quite seriously.

Would you like more tips for keeping your pet safe at home? Contact your Pickerington, OH animal hospital for further advice.