Have you decided to start living a healthier lifestyle? If you’re contemplating the ketogenic or “keto” diet to accomplish your goals, or are already on it, there are some things you should be aware of to best ensure that you don’t endanger the health and safety of your pets while you’re improving your own.
Topics: Dog Safety, Cat Safety, Xylitol, Foods that aren't good for dogs, Dog Food, Foods that aren't good for cats, Cat food
Like many health-conscious people these days, Melissa Wardrop is eating healthier and watching her and her family’s consumption of sugar. She’s also a very considerate person, both generally and also in terms of taking her friends' sugar-free eating habits into consideration. Sadly, it was the two “thank you” loaves of sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free zucchini bread she baked for her friends that led to the loss of her beloved family dog, Lucy, a beautiful and sweet 5 year old Lab.
Read MoreTopics: pet safety, Dogs, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Dog Treats, #IfOnlyIKnew
For the most part, peanut butter can be awesome for dogs and most dogs LOVE it! Peanut butter is great as an occasional "high value" treat, it’s useful for hiding pills, and it can even be used to distract your dog while giving them a bath or trimming their nails.
While most peanut butter brands are safe for dogs, not all types of peanut butter are safe and not all amounts of peanut butter are safe, either.
Read MoreTopics: Emergencies, Dog Health, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol, Pancreatitis, Diabetes, Toxicity in dogs, Poison control, Blog, Dog Treats, Seizures, Safe pet treats, Peanut butter, Hypoglycemia, Hepatitis
It’s been said that what you don’t know can’t hurt you, which is a silly thing to say, especially if you’re talking about your dog.
If you’ve read anything on Preventive Vet before, you’ll know that some of the biggest dangers to your dog are the things that you're not aware of yet. After all, you can't prevent what you're not aware of!
Read MoreTopics: pet safety tips, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Chewing, Pet Suffocation, Chip Bags, Dog toys, puppy proofing
Xylitol is a "sugar alcohol" sweetener that's becoming an increasingly common sugar substitute all across the country. Though it's found in a great many products (700+ and counting!), sugar-free and "sugarless" gums are, by far, the most common source of xylitol poisoning in dogs. You can help change that.
With just a share and a signature, you can help #GetXylitolOut of gum and protect thousands of dogs each year. We've even found a dog-safer replacement sweetener that the gum campanies can use — it's called erythritol, and it may even be better for your teeth, too!
Now we can do more than just raise awareness about the dangers of xylitol. We can actually get rid of one of the biggest xylitol dangers to dogs! Please sign our Change.org #GetXylitolOut petition and read on to learn more about this problem and to see what else you can do to help.
Read MoreTopics: Dog Safety, Dog Health, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol Gum, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Is Xylitol Safe, pet health
As xylitol is being used in an increasingly wide range and number of products, more and more dogs are getting sick from eating this “all natural” sugar substitute.
Read MoreTopics: Dog Health, toxicity, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Poison control
Do you know what xylitol is? Are you (fully) aware of the danger it poses to dogs? You wouldn’t be alone if you answered “no” to either, or even both of these questions. In our ongoing Pet Safety Awareness survey over 50% of the respondents weren’t aware of xylitol or the danger it poses to dogs until they took the survey! By comparison, you’d be hard pressed to find a dog owner who isn’t aware that chocolate can be toxic to dogs. Right?
Yet xylitol can be far-more-dangerous to dogs than chocolate! The picture below shows the minimum amount of dark chocolate that could cause death in three different weights of dog — compared to the minimum number of pieces of xylitol-containing sugar free gum that could have the same devastating effect.
Read MoreTopics: Dog Safety, toxicity, Dog Emergency, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol Gum, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Is Xylitol Safe, Blog, Seizures, Liver Failure, Hypoglycemia
I know, it seems a bit curmudgeonly to declare “houseguests” as a pet hazard. After all, it's Christmas! And isn't this holiday about nothing else if not spending it with friends, family, and loved ones?
It is indeed — both for you and your pets. From the perspective of the health and safety of your pets though, it truly is important for you to be aware of all the dangers that your friends, family members, and other loved ones will most certainly (albeit inadvertently) expose your pets to during this year’s Christmas festivities.
Topics: Dog Safety, Cat Safety, pet safety, toxicity, Xylitol, holiday pet safety tips, Hepatic Lipidosis, Vomiting, Poison control, Christmas pet hazards, Pet safety and houseguests, Diarrhea, Batteries
Gifts, holiday foods, and food preparation materials aren’t the only dangers your pets are likely to face during the holiday season. Along with the presents, wrapping, and large meals common this time of year, this is also often a time for a revolving door of house visitors and overnight guests. And whether those guests are neighbors and friends popping in briefly from down the street, or friends and family coming to stay from across the country, many will inadvertently bring with them toxins and other pet hazards that could ruin your holiday and deplete your bank account. With some important awareness and some simple precautions, you’ll be able to welcome your friends and family warmly and with open arms, without compromising your pet’s safety and well-being.
Topics: Dog Safety, Cat Safety, pet safety tips, pet safety, Lilies, Xylitol, holiday safety, Cats, chocolate toxicity in dogs, Dog, Dog Tips, Cat Tips, Christmas pet hazards, Pet Hazards at Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Safety, Christmas pet dangers, Pet safety and houseguests, Poinsettias
The veterinary and pet communities have done a great job educating pet owners about the dangers of certain foods to pets. You won’t likely meet a dog owner who isn’t aware that chocolate can be toxic to dogs. This is great, but it's really just the tip of the “toxic iceberg”.
There are many other lesser known substances out there that are no less dangerous to pets – and most of them you have in your house right now. Take Xylitol, for example. Xylitol is a sugar substitute that, because of its anti-cavity properties for our teeth, is commonly found in gum, mints, toothpastes (including children’s), and mouthwashes. Since it’s also considered a good sugar substitute for diabetics, xylitol is commonly used in sugar-free baked goods too, such as cookies and muffins. It’s even found in some brands of chewable vitamins - and it's now starting to show up in PEANUT BUTTER, too!
Read MoreTopics: Dog Safety, toxicity, Dog Emergency, Xylitol Dogs, Xylitol Gum, Xylitol, Xylitol Products, Is Xylitol Safe, Blog, Hypoglycemia
Please do not ask emergency or other specific medical questions about your pets in the blog comments. As an online informational resource, Preventive Vet is unable to and does not provide specific medical advice or counseling. A thorough physical exam, patient history, and an established veterinary-patient-client relationship is required to provide specific medical advice. If you are worried that your pet is having an emergency or if you have specific medical questions related to your pet’s current or chronic medical conditions, please contact or visit your veterinarian, an animal-specific poison control hotline, or your local emergency veterinary care center.
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