it's Freddie Girl!: Pet Toxins

First of all let me make a correction...this was posted on AOL on 02/11/09 instead of 02/01/09. The information in this post came from Fiona Fisher, D.V.M., veterinary expert at JustAnswer.com, who practices in Ontario.

Now, GRAPES and RAISINS can cause kidney failure in dogs and cats. It has something to do with a chemical in the fruit's skin. Raisins are worse because they contain a concentrated supply of toxins. (so no raisin bran for me!)

BREAD DOUGH can expand quickly because of our body heat. This can result in severe abdominal pain and bloating. In some cases death can occur if enough dough is eaten. (So all those times you lovingly call me Muffin and stuff like that, just call me that, don't turn me into one!)

CHEWING GUM, this is really because of the artificial sweetener, XYLITOL. This sweetener can cause a low-blood sugar crisis in pets. In fact, just one pack of gum can kill a dog, warns Fisher.

Eating MACADAMIA NUTS can cause tremors, weakness, unsteadiness, depression, a rapid heart rate, and a dangerous rise in body temperature that can lead to other complications. Macadamia nut toxicity is scary and dangerous, but most dogs recover within a few days, says Fisher.

NICOTINE is highly toxic and can cause seizures, coma and death. (Mommie catches me with cigarette butts in my mouth a lot...I think this is enough to make me kick the habit. So all you people out there that throw those butts on the ground...STOP IT! Go find a garbage can to throw them in...thank you very much!)

CHOCOLATE is a deadly treat to dogs. Caffeine-like stimulants in chocolate known as methylxanthines can produce vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination, hyperactivity, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, seizures and even death, cautions Fisher. (boy, that's a whole lot worse than Mommie not being able to zip up her pants!)

ALCOHOL ingestion can lead to seizures, heart arythmia, vomiting, coma and death. So all you humans who think it is cute to give us a drink...STOP IT! I think this is enough to make me NOT want to be a BREW DOG! So be careful where you put your drink down and try not to spill it on the floor...we are fast and we don't know any better...we like to taste!

PAIN RELIEVERS made for humans should never be given to pets. Especially IBURPROFEN and ACETAMINOPHEN...one tablet can kill a cat. So if we are in pain don't give us anything until you talk to "your Dr. Josh". Also be really careful when you are taking one yourself and don't drop it on the floor...if you do, get it before we do!

TEA can be dangerous too, depending on the type of tea you are drinking. CAFFEINE in your tea (and I guess any other drink containing it) is toxic to both cats and dogs. Depending on how much is consumed and the size of your pet, ingesting it can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, coma and even death.

ONIONS are toxic to dogs and cats whether they are raw or cooked. When ingested, onions can cause hemolytic anemia, a condition that destroys the red blood cells in the bloodstream. Dogs with onion poisoning may become lethargic and have difficulty breathing. A large amount of onions would need to be consumed to pose a serious threat to your dog, but cats are highly sensitive to onion toxicity.

Well, there you have it. People...memorize this list and please do your best to take care of us. When we see something, we just lose our mind and try to get stuff in our mouth as fast as we can. We are quick too! So, next time, no matter how much we beg for something on this list, we will try to understand when you say "NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT...IT'S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD". Just don't try to trick us by saying that when it is something safe for us to have...we love our treats!

Thank you so much to www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/feature/_a/pet-toxins...and to Dr. Fiona Fisher, D.V.M., veterinary expert at JustAnswer.com....and to Jennifer Fields for posting it on AOL. When Mommie and I saw this article we thought we just had to share the information in it with our readers who may not have seen it before.

Thanks for reading everybody, and thanks to all the pet owners and pet lovers out there who do their best to take care of me and all my animal friends.

Have a good day....love, Freddie Girl