There are several pet safety concerns that can be easily overlooked. Keeping
them in mind can help prevent potential problems. I recently experienced
one of these problems with my cat Jake. While sitting at a window, he became
overly excited by some birds that landed in a nearby tree and went through
the screen and out the window. Fortunately, he caught himself on the overhang
and I was able to pull him in. I didn’t consider the potential for
birds to entice him out this window, as he normally sits in another window.
Small animals can prove to be too much excitement for many pets. Whether
it is a cat popping out a window screen to get to a bird, a dog busting through
a screen door to chase a squirrel, or a dog on a leash that drags their owner
across the park as they pursue another dog, many pets that are typically
well behaved will lose control when they have the opportunity to chase a
small animal or another pet. Knowing the potential for this can keep pets
safer as precautions can be taken to keep pets better contained or restrained.
It also helps eliminate the headache of trying to retrieve a pet that is
pursuit of another animal.
A risk that particularly affects cats is that they can pick dangerous spots
to hide or to curl up and sleep. For instance, recliners can be dangerous
for cats as they can crawl underneath for a nice sheltered place to sleep
and end up being hurt by the mechanism of the chair. There are a variety
of spots particularly in garages and attics that cats can crawl into that
can be quite dangerous. While it can be tough to track a cat’s movements
throughout a house blocking the most dangerous spots can be helpful. Small
dogs can also experience some of these risks too, and even larger dogs can
occasionally get themselves into spots that are hazardous. For instance,
one shared risk pets experience is their need to keep toes and tails clear
of rocking chairs.
Another problem typically effecting dogs more than cats is that they may
eat things they are not supposed to. Bones are one of the most common things
that dogs eat that can cause them problems. Anything sharp, like the jagged
edge of a broken chicken bone, has the potential to cause tears in the stomach
or intestines. The other problem is that if the bone is swallowed whole it
could cause an obstruction which is also quite dangerous. Similarly swallowing
fabric can cause an obstruction, which puppies are particularly prone to
do. Also eating items that have either gone bad or are toxic obviously can
cause serious problems too. Getting into the trash can cause stomach distress
and is often the source of many of these problems. For cats eating certain
household plants is a problematic. A common yet important warning for all
pet owners is to keep antifreeze out of the range of pets as many pets are
attracted to the taste yet it is extremely toxic. In the case of digestive
problems contacting a vet as soon as the problem is evident, as rapid treatment
can be crucial. Some awareness of these lesser known risks can help prevent
potential problems.
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