Whether you fancy a garden filled with daylilies, tiger lillies or Easter lillies, realize the pollen from these beautiful blooms could leave your cat fighting for life. One of Dr. Abernathy’s four legged patients pounced on a lily plant and things quickly went downhill. Because the owner brought the cat in right away, Dr. Abernathy successfully treated the ensuing kidney failure. When dogs eat raisins, garlic or onions, it can cause toxicity, says Dr. Granger. Because dogs notoriously scrounge around for leftover foods in the garbage can, she recommends moving trash cans to a pantry behind closed doors or into the garage, especially when you’re not home. While cats are less likely to have a sweet tooth, dogs seem to be drawn to the stuff—xylitol in particular, says Dr. Abernathy, is extremely dangerous for dogs. The fake sweetener can leave Fido with more than a tummy ache. She says xylitol can cause dangerously low blood sugar levels. “People don’t realize it’s in their household and in medications. A dog recently ingested melatonin, which is not harmful, but I was stunned at how much xylitol was in the product,” says Dr. Abernathy. Just like with kids, pets can easily get into trouble when no one is looking. If you suspect your pet is having some kind of toxic food reaction, seek veterinary treatment right away.
WATCH FOR THESE SIGNS OF TOXICITY IN YOUR CAT OR DOG • Hiding behavior • Not drinking or eating • Less energy than normal • Vomiting • Diarrhea • Salivating September/October 2016
— Source: Dr. Granger LongmontMagazine.com
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