Head nurse Katy Kirkham has some dark night poison advice for pet owners
September 21, 2020
The dark nights are starting earlier, and the temperature is dropping… Winter is coming. As we move through the seasons, head nurse Katy Kirkham, wants owners to be aware of how environmental changes and their own routine can potentially be hazardous to pets.
Note down our Emergency Number just in case: 01327 350239
Pest poisons – If you’re having a pre-winter tidy-up in your garden and shed, make sure rat poisons, slug pellets, and insect/weed killers are out of your pet’s reach.
Antifreeze – With winter on the way, now is when people tend to refill their cars with antifreeze, which is highly toxic, but surprisingly tasty to pets (especially cats). Clean up spillages thoroughly and keep the container in a cupboard or behind closed doors – remember, cats can climb.
Conkers & acorns – These common autumnal seeds of horse chestnut and oak trees are toxic to dogs. Whereas severe poisoning is rare, vomiting and intestinal blockages can happen if eaten.
Blue-green algae – Just because it’s Autumn, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s too cold for blue-green algae to survive. Be careful walking your dog near rivers, streams, and lakes in the dark when you may not be able to see the algae.
Toxic fumes & smoke – When it’s darker and colder outside, we tend to keep pets indoors for warmth and safety. However, standalone electric/gas heaters, open fires, and candles can be harmful to pets due to toxic fumes and/or smoke.
Bonfires – These won’t poison pets (unless you’re accidentally burning toxic materials on them), but they won’t do them any good if they inhale the smoke or have been napping underneath – always check before striking the match.
Flea treatments – Post-summer, pre-Christmas, can be a very busy time. If you own different types of pets, make sure you give them the correct flea treatments as they’re not ‘one size fits all’ and toxic poisoning can happen.
Share our dark night advice with your pet-loving friends and help to reduce the number of poorly pets this season.
If you do have a pet health emergency, call 01327 350239 straight away.
