Now that fall is here, it’s important to keep your pet’s health and wellness in mind. Your pet is probably looking forward to the cooler weather, but it brings a few potential hazards with it! Here, your Dallas, GA veterinarian tells you about a few common autumn hazards to keep your pet away from. 

Pesticides and Rodenticides

When the temperature drops, insects and rodents tend to seek warmth and shelter inside our homes. You might combat the problem with pesticides or rodenticides. It’s important to remember that these products are poisons, designed to kill what comes in contact with them—you don’t want your pet ingesting anything toxic. Choose pet-safe pesticide products whenever possible, and place them in areas where pets can’t reach. 

Sweet Treats

Halloween and trick-or-treat are just around the corner. It’s a safe bet you have more chocolate and sweet treats in your home this time of year than usual. Remember that chocolate of all kinds can poison pets easily, and many candies are sweetened with an artificial sugar called xylitol that is highly toxic to animals. Store all sweets where your pet can’t gain access, and use extra caution on trick-or-treat night. 

Wild Mushrooms

While only a small percentage of wild mushrooms and toadstools are toxic to pets, you don’t want to risk it. Even mushrooms that aren’t toxic to pets could have been sprayed with weed killer or other chemicals that your four-legged friend shouldn’t ingest. Play it safe and keep your pet away from mushrooms during autumn, their peak season. 

Acorns

Did you know that acorns can prove very dangerous for pets? For one, they’re a choking hazard and could cause an intestinal blockage even if they do make it down the windpipe. Secondly, acorns can poison pets who swallow them! The toxic ingredient is thought to be tannic acid, which can harm the liver and kidneys. To put it simply, you don’t want your pet sniffing around acorns while outdoors in the fall—keep them far away. 

Antifreeze

We often add antifreeze to our cars’ radiators as the temperatures drop in order to keep them running properly. Antifreeze often contains ethylene glycol, a toxic alcohol that can poison pets easily. Use antifreeze with extreme caution and clean up spills immediately.

Would you like more tips on keeping your pet safe as autumn rolls on? Contact your Dallas, GA vet clinic. We’re always here to help!