Taking precautions when it comes to toxic intake might be best

Friday, 27 August 2010 20:16

Although we all know that there are certain substances pet dogs should not have access to, unless we are able to chaperone them every minute, it can be difficult to monitor their intake.

Scavengers by nature, it is very hard to talk a pooch out of chowing down on a dangerous item - which is why we must be sensible about it, Dr Pete Wedderburn has implied in a piece for the Telegraph.

Using the example of grapes and raisins - which are perfectly healthy choices for most humans but can present a serious risk of fatal organ failure to a select few pooches - Dr Wedderburn explained that owners may prefer to rely on their furry friend's size when it comes to assessing the damage a sneakily-pilfered grape may do.

"The general rule of toxic dose per kilogram of body weight applies, so [a] German shepherd would be at much lower risk than a tiny terrier," he observed.

However, even an inkling of fear can be too much for some owners, so it is always best to be on the safe side by visiting a veterinarian.

The same could go for cats, which are in mortal danger of seemingly innocuous objects such as an Easter lily.

Animal Friends are a specialist pet insurance company providing dog insurance and cat insurance to British pet owners since 1999 and we now offer horse insurance too.

Posted by Chris