Posts in Category: Pet Toxins

The weather is getting warmer and the last traces of winter are quickly fading away. What better way to welcome the new season than by cleaning and organizing your house? As you start to create to-do lists to help you clean out your home this spring, keep in mind that many of the most common household cleaning products can be extremely poisonous for pets. The team at Bowman Veterinary Hospital is here to help you understand spring cleaning and pet safety so you can get your house in top shape without threatening your pet’s health:

Having a green thumb and owning a pet are not mutually exclusive but growing certain plants, trees, flowers and shrubs does require careful consideration in (and around) a pet’s environment. This can mean that certain plants are off-limits, but the sacrifice is usually well worth it. 

Since a pet poisoning is one of the scariest experiences for pets and their people alike, it makes sense to eliminate all the possible risks inside the home and around the property.

Are you ready for the big feast and festivities this Thanksgiving? What about your pet? Pets are definitely family and the holidays are something we love them to be a part of. There are some concerns, though, when it comes to Thanksgiving foods, decor, and other items your little fur friend may get in to without precautions taken.

Here are some of Bowman Veterinary Hospital’s favorite tips for making Thanksgiving safe and happy for your pet companion.

Rattlesnakes are nothing to sneeze at. If you’ve lived in California long enough, you have probably either encountered a snake or know someone who has. Dogs are at particular risk for rattlesnake bites due to investigating grasses, shrubs, and other prime rattlesnake habitat with their noses.

Each year, the staff at Bowman Veterinary Hospital treats dogs that have been bitten by rattlesnakes. Protecting your pet means understanding their risks, preventing encounters whenever possible, and working with us to determine if the rattlesnake vaccine is appropriate for your pet.

You may (or may not) have heard of Xylitol, a sugar substitute commonly used in many foods. In fact, you may even enjoy sugar free gum, cereal, or peanut butter sweetened with the substance. But are you aware that Xylitol is toxic to dogs and cats?

We have many questions about human foods that are safe (or not) for our pets. Although Xylitol recently made the national news cycle as an ingredient in peanut butter, it’s being used in more foods than ever thanks to the low-carb diet craze.

It’s our job to raise awareness of potential threats to your pet, and we hope that giving you an idea of what Xylitol is and where it is used can help keep your furry friends safe!

Responsible pet owners have plenty of safeguards in place to protect their pets. Fenced-in yards, microchipping, vaccinations, and parasite preventives top the list of ways to keep our companions safe and sound. However, even the most cautious owner can overlook potential sources of pet poisoning that may be found in or around the home.

March is National Pet Poison Awareness Month, and our goal is to raise awareness about common pet poisons that may be lurking right under your nose!