Articulate Animals Blog, Kelly Krueger, Animal Communicator

Animal Communicator Kelly Krueger puts voice to your pet's thoughts, needs, and emotions.

Posts Tagged poisonous foliage

More Household Dangers for Pets

Aug 31

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets | No Comments

There are hazards for our pets throughout our daily lives, some of which I mentioned in a previous post, Household Dangers for Pets. Some of these hazards are obvious and talked about frequently; others may come as a surprise. Whether this is a reminder or new information, I hope it will help to keep your pets safe.

Chemicals around the house - garages and the cabinet under the kitchen sink often contain chemicals which can pose danger for pets. Drain cleaners, car antifreeze, pool/spa chemicals, insecticides and rodent poisons are all dangerous for animals, potentially causing chemical burns, respiratory issues, and gastrointestinal upset. If your pets are allowed to roam your property freely, consider what possible hazards may be in the garage or shed and keep those areas off limits to your furry companions.

House plants - some plants are highly toxic for animals if ingested. My plant nursery was great about checking their plant catalog for every variety of house plant I was buying to make sure the leaves, stems, roots, and flowers did not pose a danger for animals. I have worked with a number of animal communication clients whose pet is ill and the animal provides an image of a leaf or flower which they’ve ingested. While plants are excellent house-warming gifts, do your host a favor and gift only plants that are safe in the presence of domestic companions. The ASPCA website has an excellent list of toxic and non-toxic plants.

Home improvement products – DIY home improvement projects can be fun and fulfilling, but those weekend projects can pose a danger for your pets. Liquid adhesives, solvents, and paint are all very dangerous to pets if ingested, and can also be a problem if absorbed through their paws or skin. Be aware of the nail strips when new carpet is laid, and remember that some carpet, varnish, and paints can out-gas for quite some time after the installation. Pets are smaller and more sensitive than humans and we should do our best to limit their exposure to any toxic fumes.

Be aware of toxins and hazards around your home, yard, and garage and keep them out of reach of your pets, and children too!

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Household Dangers for Pets

Aug 4

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Frequently Asked Animal Questions, Health & Well Being for Pets | No Comments

I have a few posts discussing dangers for our pets: snakes, poisonous mushrooms, and hazards around the holidays with ribbons, ornaments, Halloween candy, and toxic seasonal plants. These kinds of dangers are fairly well known but I, for one, get in a routine and can let my guard down.

I won’t attempt to mention all the various household dangers in this one post, but there are a few hazards which I think are worthy of a mention. Please talk with your veterinarian and do some research on what may pose dangers to your beloved animal companions.

Foods – there are several foods which are toxic to some species. Chocolate is one of those food items found in many homes and it is imperative that we keep chocolate and candy out of the reach of pets. Other common household foods and cooking ingredients include garlic, onions, raisins, grapes, alcohol, coffee and coffee beans, some nuts, and the stems and leaves on garden tomatoes.

Cleaning products - in addition to obvious cleaning products such as detergents, bleach, and disinfectants, cleaning products may contain other chemicals that can harm our pets. Check the label for warnings and lock them up. Better yet, don’t use them if a *poison* label is present. A floor cleaner, for example, may leave a residue on the floor which your pet will walk through and then may lick their paws. Use caution if a product lists ammonia, acids, calcium hypochlorite, turpentine, and phenols in their ingredients list.

Medications – all human medications should be kept well out of the reach of children AND animals. Basic over-the-counter pain relievers can cause serious kidney problems if ingested by an animal and can even be fatal, according to a list of the 10 most poisonous meds for pets complied by the ASPCA, and decongestants can elevate heart rates and cause seizures. Keep medications locked up and out of reach, especially if you have a particularly curious cat or a dog that loves to counter-surf your nightstand or bathroom counters!

Use common sense and “pet proof” your home. It will save much heartache later!

See more household dangers in part two, More Household Dangers for Pets.

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Worthwhile Animal Articles

Apr 9

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Health & Well Being for Pets, Pet Nutrition, Products & Animal Resources, Recommended Reading about Animals | No Comments

I’ve mentioned articles I enjoyed reading in the Animal Wellness Magazine previously and this issue, April/May 2010, follows suit with good information for both cats and dogs.

April/May 2010 issue

“Toxic Talk” by Sara Jackson discusses plants and foods which can be toxic to house pets, and then goes one step further with lists of household cleaning products and medications which are dangerous to animals. These latter two categories of toxic danger are not always in the forefront of our minds, so I appreciate the reminder and ways to keep pets safe within their home environment.

It is not uncommon for animals to have skin allergies, and the “Forget the Steroids” article by Jean Scherwenka is very helpful in understanding allergies and possible treatments.

My favorite article in this issue is “Turning Over a New Leaf” by Juniper Russo Tarascio. We don’t often think of offering our animal companions leafy greens as part of their diet, but this article lists a number of green vegetables along with the significant dietary benefits provided by each. There are also tips on how we might get our beloved companions to eat their greens. I mentioned to a friend who’s cat has ongoing digestive issues that certain greens have properties which help digestion. “Great” she replied, “but how do you suggest I get her to *eat* rather than just *play* with the leafy greens?” Those of you who have had an animal communication consultation with me know that I believe strongly in the innate ability for animals to intuitively know what they need. Sure enough, when offered a few chopped up greens in her food bowl, my friend’s kitty gobbled them up. She knew immediately the usefulness of the greens in helping her tummy feel better.

If these articles seem like they are speaking to you, I encourage you to pick up the current issue next time you are at the pet store or supermarket.

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Homeopathic Remedies for Animals

Jun 26

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Health & Well Being for Pets, Products & Animal Resources, Recommended Reading about Animals | No Comments

I have been a proponent and beneficiary of Homeopathic Remedies for many years now. While the healing derived from homeopathics can be subtle and is generally noticed over a period of  time, I have personally experienced positive outcomes for both physical and emotional maladies.

Can homeopathic remedies be used safely and effectively with animals? Absolutely! My homeopathic practitioner has identified appropriate remedies for my own animals with success, and several of my clients have mentioned their veterinarians who work with homeopathic therapies for their animals.

Homeopathy is an art as much as – perhaps more than – a science. There are different philosophies on how best to identify and administer homeopathics. Some believe there are as many appropriate ways to administer remedies as there are individuals needing a remedy. The fact is, homeopathic remedies are readily available at most holistic grocery stores and can be self-administered with basic information on proper dosage and combinations.ani_well_mag

I was pleased to see an article in the current issue (June/July Volume 11, Issue 3) of a popular magazine, Animal Wellness. If you are interested in the full text of the article, I encourage you pick up a copy. The article “Top 10 Homeopathic Remedies” discusses the properties of homeopathics and provides a list of “…remedies for some of the most common acute conditions in dogs.”

In brief, the article discusses these ten indicators and a possible appropriate remedy for each:

  1. Aconitum Nepellus – fear trauma, and can be helpful for preventing shock in an emergency
  2. Apis Mellifica – bee and insect bites, hot spots, vaccine reactions
  3. Arnica Montana – pain, bruising, and blunt trauma
  4. Arsenicum Album – vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness due to illness especially at night
  5. Hepar Sulphur – skin, ear, or gum infections
  6. Nux Vomica – vomiting which is followed by retching or colic; life support remedy while on the way to the vet if your dog has eaten a toxic substance (see my previous blog post “Summer Foliage Dangers“)
  7. Phosphorus – nosebleeds, cough, vomiting, diarrhea
  8. Rhus Toxicodendron – restlessness caused by joint pain (arthritis)
  9. Ruta Graveolens – ligament injury, sprains
  10. Silicea – abscesses, vaccine reactions

The article goes in to important detail about the above remedies and relevant indicators. I list them here in brief simply to illustrate the types of uses to which homeopathics may be applied. While we can pick up homeopathic remedies at the supermarket, there are complexities to homeopathic therapies. Check with your veterinarian to gain their insights and to determine if homeopathy is right for your animal’s particular condition.

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Summer Foliage Dangers

Jun 24

Posted by Kelly Krueger in Health & Well Being for Pets | 1 Comment

We’ve been having a wonderfully wet spring and early summer here in Colorado. Mountain wild flowers are thriving and the temperatures are ideal for nature hikes. Unfortunately, with all the beauty and lushness comes some dangers for our pets.

Foxtail

As I’ve been out doing my routine “spring cleanup” around my property I’ve seen a lot – I mean a LOT – of wild mushrooms in the wetter areas. I don’t recall mushrooms being so obvious in years past, and it’s given me some pause as I take the dogs out for walks. My guys are not foragers as a general rule, but they certainly are curious and notice new smells. I communicate to them regularly about only eating what I provide for them, but springtime is a particularly challenging time with all the new, fresh smells to explore.

possibly poisonous Amanita mushrooms

Now that I’ve become aware of the burgeoning mushroom population, I am careful to go explore with them. My girl-dog likes to dig a little hole in which to do her business (so tidy of her!) and that’s fine, but I’m being diligent now to watch where she’s digging to make sure it is for this purpose and not uncovering some potentially harmful fungus.

There are other summertime ingestable hazards as well as dangerous weeds for dogs and cats. Every region has their own native toxic vegetation of which responsible pet guardians should be aware. In this Rocky Mountain region, for example, Foxtail (a type of weed/grass) is abundant and can burrow its way into animal eyes, skin, and paws. The offending foxtail seed is very difficult to remove and if left unchecked, can cause painful sores and a nasty infection.

File:Mallorca Mushroom.jpg

poisonous Jack-O-Lantern mushroom

A quick search on the Web for toxic or poisonous vegetation in your region will bring up several resources, most with helpful pictures of the offending item. Prepare for the summer season with good information about what to watch for in your area, and also be prepared with your emergency veterinarian phone numbers easily accessible. If  you even slightly suspect that your pet has ingested something toxic, get them to the vet right away for induced vomiting and observation.

A partial list of symptoms indicating your pet may have ingested something toxic includes vomiting and/or diarrhea, lethargy, excessive salivation, abdominal pain, and signs of hallucinations. If your pet has wandered into an area known for Foxtail or other dangerous weeds, check carefully for any visible barbs. You may need professional care to help remove these barbs with surgical equipment.

As with anything, awareness is the name of the game. Enjoy your hikes and let your pets roam in the yard if that is their normal routine, but do watch for possible dangers lurking during the summer months. Toxic foliage, dried weeds that can lodge in their eyes, snakes….. ugh, snakes. That sounds like another blog post!

Enjoy your summer.

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