In her daily newsletter yesterday, Dr. Becker pointed out 5 potentially deadly pet poisons you may be carrying around in your purse. Because dogs, especially puppies, and cats, especially kittens are SO curious it is essential to keep your purse zippered and out of harms way.

Here are the 5 she mentioned:

1) Human medications, aspirin, tylenol, etc.

2) Asthma inhalers

3) Cigarettes

4) Hand sanitizer

5) Artificially sweetened gum or mints

I would like to add chocolate to the list.

Because these items all contain ingredients toxic to pets it is essential to keep them out of reach.

If you are worried about your dog or cat undergoing anesthesia, you are not alone. And there is cause to be concerned. That being said, anesthetizing  a pet for surgery, teeth cleaning, etc can be safe if the procedure is handled properly from pre-treatment through recovery. To find out more, please go towww.speakingforspot.comand click on Blog. Dr. Nancy Kay clearly explains all aspects of administering anesthesia and gives a highlighted area where you can click on the guidelines provided by the American Animal Hospital Association.

For many people who work long hours,  leaving their dog at home alone during the day is a difficult thing to do. And certainly, the dog should have a break  by either you coming home and spending time with him, or by hiring a dog walker to do that for you.  However, many dog owners feel that is not enough. They believe their solo dog should have a companion. After all, he gets along with other dogs at the dog park and meets other dogs very politely when on leash. Having a canine brother or sister would give him someone to play with all day.

Have you ever thought about medicating your pet with something from your medicine cabinet in the hopes of avoiding a vet visit? DON'T DO IT!!! Many of the over-the-counter medications that are safe for humans are toxic to dogs and cats and even a small amount can be life-threatening. Things like aspiring, ibuprofin, etc. are all very dangerous for our pets. Also, make sure those medications are locked away safely in a place where the animals can't reach them. A client of mine left a package of Imodium by her bedside table and when she came home from work, the package was empty and obviously had been chewed by one of her dogs.

January has been declared National Train Your Dog Month by the APDT or Professional Dog Trainers Association. I suggest you take advantage of this and check out the website they have set up.

www.trainyourdogmonth.com.

The website features training tips, free webinars and a chance to chat with a professional trainer about your particular training problem.

Go for it.

Sari