MAINE (WABI) – WABI’s Pet Health segment is back for the month of October.
During the Fall season a lot of people are cleaning up camps but there’s a couple of incidents. Dr. Ai Takeuchi, the co-medical director of Eastern Maine Emergency Veterinary Clinic and her staff have seen an uptick of.
“We’re seeing a higher number of rat poison ingestion recently, and we think it’s because people are closing up their camps,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“They’re all busy working while their dog is kind of bored, and they’re getting into the wrap bait that the owners are going to put out. So, there are three different types of rodenticides. It is very important to know what kind you bought for, because some have antidotes and others don’t, and the timing of the ingestion is really important for treatment.”
She recommends leaving your pet at home or in a pet-proof area during cleanup.
“We’re also getting into that time of year where antifreeze poisoning is also common,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“As we’re closing up camps, RV’s, boats. Antifreeze is toxic. It smells really sweet, and if the toilet bowls open with antifreeze in it we do have some accidental ingestion. So that’s another thing we want people to keep an eye on.”
WABI asked about Halloween tips regarding costumes, candy and more.
“So spooky season is so exciting for everyone, but there are some safety tips to make it more enjoyable,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“Just remember that chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, and anything sugar free. You need to be careful of sugar free candies that are being handed out. We’ve had a couple dogs get into even just the wrappers and have a foreign body. So, we go in and have to remove all the wrappers.”
If you are out trick or treating with your dog and cat, they recommend that they remain visible and they’re wearing something that glows in the dark or is reflective.
“We don’t want to have any hit by car accidents,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“We want to make sure it’s clear even dogs that are friendly with children, people, or adults in general, can be scared by some of the costumes and big face masks and things. So just be sure that they’re not scared. We do get a couple bite wounds and dog fights, where there’s redirected aggression, where they’re scared, and they bite the dog that’s next to them.”
Now it’s onto the costumes which are very cute, however you need to keep a close eye on your pet.
“Some of them don’t have the breakaway collar, so we have had some cases where they get stuck on something, and they can have some choking,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“We’ve had a couple angry cats and dogs when they weren’t under direct supervision, eating their Halloween costumes, and that’s turned into a scary trip to the ER. So those are things to worry about.
Lastly if you’re trick or treating keep these tips in mind.
“People forget that when you’re opening the door to trick or treaters that your cat or your dog could run out, and it’s kind of a high traffic crazy sort of night,” said Dr. Takeuchi.
“Just make sure your pets that you don’t want outside are squared away in a different room. If they’re not going to be, make sure that they have their ID tags on them and collar so we can get them home to you safely.”
For more information on the clinic or if you have any questions follow the link to their website.
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