by Dr. Bernstein
Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean that we should be less diligent about what's lying about the house that could be harmful to our pets.
Many food, medical, and decorative items can be dangerous for dogs. Many people are aware that chocolate can be toxic. Different types of chocolate pose different risks. A 20 pound dog might get away with devouring a pound of milk chocolate, but 2 ½ ounces of unsweetened chocolate would be fatal.
Antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is apparently sweet and very deadly: 1 ½ oz. can kill a 20 lb, dog, and 1 teaspoon can kill a cat.
Spoiled foods commonly cause illness in pets. This can be due to contamination with several types of bacteria or molds. Some moldy nuts produce a debilitating nerve toxin
Often overlooked are the hazards posed by many herbal and "natural" products. Following is a partial list of these items that have caused illness or death in dogs: Aloe, Chamomile, Camphor, cayenne pepper, cinnamon oil, Ephedra, eucalyptus oil, garlic, ginseng, lily of the valley, malaleuca (tea tree oil), mistletoe, nux vomica, pennyroyal oil, sassafras, senna, vitamins A and D, oil of wintergreen and witch hazel.
Poisoning by eating grapes and raisins is a poorly understood condition. Under certain (unknown) circumstances 1 oz. of raisins or 10-12 grapes can kill a 20 lb. dog.
The artificial sweetener, Xylitol, is found in sugarless gum and candy. Ingestion by dogs (not humans) can cause a life-threatening drop in blood sugar, followed by destruction of the liver. 8-10 sticks of gum can kill a 65 lb. dog.
While we're on the topic of eating, don't forget to keep the non-digestibles away from your pet. This includes ALL bones and flavored strings (from roasts) and cloth that may be flavored with gravy. These can traumatize the gastrointestinal tract and cause obstruction.
Now that's out of the way, let's keep our New Year's resolution and you and your dog get out there and get some exercise!
A MESSAGE FROM 
EAT, DRINK & BE CAREFUL 
