Emergencies can happen to pets just as people, and sometimes it’s necessary to get Fido or Fluffy to the ER, stat.

With summer around the corner, there are many dangers that pet owners need to be aware of in order to prevent harm. One example: poison.

Toxicity is a year round threat to household pets, and pet owners need to ensure that materials that are toxic are far out of reach. Foods that are toxic include chocolate, onions, raisins, coffee and yeast.

“If an animal ingests an excessive amount of chocolate, it might begin having seizures,” says Dr. Brooke Smith, a veterinarian in College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. “Pet owners should take precautionary measures to ensure that an animal cannot obtain chocolate.”

Animals cannot only be poisoned by foods — prescription drugs made for humans, plants and chemicals can also be extremely toxic. Pain medicines such Tylenol, Advil or Aleve can be potentially lethal for animals, so medicine bottles should be kept well out of reach of both dogs and cats, Smith says.

“Some owners may be tempted to give their pets human medicine to alleviate pain, but even very small amounts of prescriptive drugs can be lethal,” reports Smith.

Another common unfortunate occurrence that can haunt a pet owner is the possibility of a dog or cat being hit by a car. To prevent this dreadful scenario, dogs should be kept on a leash every time they are permitted to leave the property. Pet owners should check fenced-in areas to ensure that the animal has not built an escape hole and that the fence is sturdy, and owners should make sure that animals have proper identification just in case an emergency situation arises, Smith notes.

The great outdoors also pose a great risk for animals, especially in the summer. Outdoor animals that are permitted to wander through tall grasses or wooded areas run the risk of being bitten by snakes, and some bites can be fatal if not treated quickly, Smith explains.

“The outward sign that an animal has been bitten by a snake is swelling of the area,” notes Dr. Richard Stone, a veterinarian at Texas A&M.

Heartworms are also more commonly spread in the summer, because of the prevalence of mosquitoes. Pet owners should take preventative measures by giving their pets a monthly pill that will reduce the likelihood of infection. If heartworms are permitted to develop, the end result could be cardiac failure for the animals, Stone says.

With summer temperatures getting warmer and warmer each year, pet owners need to pay special attention to their pet’s body temperature. Heatstroke is common among animals that are left outside for extended periods of time, and animals are at a higher risk for heatstroke when temperatures rise above 80 degrees. With higher temperatures, pet owners should make sure that pets have access to water and shade, which will help the animal regulate its body temperature, Stone adds. If an animal shows signs of heatstroke, it is important for the owner to try and cool the pet’s body temperature while transporting it to the veterinarian.

If an animal is in a traumatic state due to being hit by a car or being poisoned, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) may be used to save the animal’s life, and it needs to be performed as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately, CPR has a low effectiveness on animals, so it is important that pet owners try to prevent traumatic incidents from happening by being aware of the common animal poisons and hazardous situations,” Smith notes. “I recommend using the Web site aspca.org to gather more information.”

He adds that another helpful resource is the American Red Cross website, which has a book of common pet emergencies and what to do in these situations.

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Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the World Wide Web at http://tamunews.tamu.edu/.

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