Fall Safe: 10 tips to keep pets out of harm's way in autumn
Who doesn’t love fall? Crisp air, colorful leaves, cool evenings. Even pets probably think it’s the perfect season as they romp through piles of leaves and enjoy scents kicked up by stronger fall winds. It seems like a benign time of year — not too hot, not too cold — but it has its own challenges and hazards for pets and their people.
Fleas and ticks are still active. Even if it’s starting to get cold where you live, they can hunker down and survive. Don’t lay off parasite preventives, especially if your pet spends a lot of time outdoors playing in your yard or hiking with you.
Fall is a fabulous time to hike with your dog, but it’s also hunting season. Put a bright orange vest on your dog — and wear one yourself — so that neither of you is mistaken for game.
Leaves fall in fall, and so do acorns. Some dogs will eat anything on the off chance it might be tasty, but the tannins in acorns can cause stomach upset, including vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, according to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. Keep them raked up if you have a dog with indiscriminate tastes.
Leaf piles are fun to jump in, but if they get damp, they can promote growth of potentially toxic fungi and molds that your dog could ingest accidentally — or just because he thought they might be edible. Rake and bag them for disposal. The smoke from burning them pollutes the air with gases that are irritating and toxic to pets, wildlife and people.
Fall flowers often used in seasonal decorations or found in gardens include autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) and chrysanthemums. Autumn crocus, not to be confused with the nontoxic spring crocus, can cause serious problems in pets who nosh on it, ranging from vomiting and diarrhea to weakness, multiorgan failure and death. Chrysanthemums are less toxic, but you still don’t want pets nibbling on them, as the effects can include vomiting, diarrhea, drooling and wobbliness.
If your sweaters have been in storage, you may have placed mothballs in with them to prevent insect damage. Be sure cats, dogs or other pets don’t sniff them out or ingest them. Mothballs, in all of their forms — cakes, scales, powder, cubes and spheres — are pesticides that slowly release a gas vapor to kill and repel moths and other insects, according to the Pet Poison Helpline. The chemicals, which are toxic to pets, too, can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or if eaten, absorbed through the stomach and intestines. Signs of poisoning include mothball breath, vomiting, gums that are pale or brown, weakness, lethargy, difficulty breathing, tremors, seizures, and liver or kidney failure. Get rid of mothballs in your home and use cedar blocks or a cedar chest instead.
Speaking of sweaters, cooler weather can mean your thin-skinned dog — think Chihuahuas, greyhounds and hairless breeds — needs a sweater, too. Senior dogs benefit from the extra warmth as well.
Scented candles and potpourri smell great to us, but the fumes they produce and the oils they contain can be irritating and even toxic to pets. Choose electric or beeswax candles, and provide scent by simmering citrus peels, cinnamon and whole cloves on the stove.
Rats and other rodents seek the warmth of homes in fall. Even if you don’t put out rodenticides, your neighbors may, and that’s bad news for pets who accidentally ingest them. Rodenticides can prevent blood from clotting and cause breathing difficulty, a rapid heart rate and lethargy. If you think your pet has ingested rat poison, get to the vet right away — don’t wait for signs to develop. Use traps instead of poison, and ask neighbors to do so as well.
It’s getting darker earlier out there. Use a glow-in-the-dark collar to make sure your dog can be seen outdoors or while you’re on walks.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Pet Connection: Autumn is beautiful but can pose dangers to pets
