Doggie No-No's:
Household hazards to avoid

Some common sense:
Just because it is on the internet, does not make it so. Just because it is not on the internet, does not make it so. Some of the best medical information can only be found on private and pay-for-use databases.

Use critical thinking:
Does the advice come from someone trying to sell you something, or do they have something personal to gain? Question it.

Risk:
Is there any? What do you gain by taking the risk? What might you lose? Is it really worth it?

"A vet said so:"
Yes, and they said the world was flat and Woo-suk Hwang said he cloned human stem cells too. My best advice is to research and check with several vets who specialize in the particular area and who are in the forefront or research and treatment. Not all vets will agree, not all vets are qualified, not all stay current. not all care. Some have other priorities. Barring that ever elusive crystal ball, if it is a matter of avoiding something that may be harmful to your pet, avoid the risk unless you feel your pet's quality of life will suffer without the item in question.

• Grape seeds are toxic to dogs. No raisins or grapes.
• Chocolate can kill a dog. Don't take a chance to see if yours is one that is sensitive to it! "I gave my dog chocolate all the time and it has never made him sick before." is one of the stupidest things I ever heard the owner of a dead dog say.
• Cocoa Mulch: This popular garden product is pretty and smells great. It is made from the husks of the cacao bean, it contains theobromine, like chocolate, which when ingested, in varying quantities for differently sensitive dogs, can kill within hours.
• Onions and Garlic: Toxic to all dogs, cats and livestock, offending agent: thiosulphate. There are safer and more effective flea controls that will not enter the blood stream whose dosage and concentration can be better monitored. Use caution with folk remedies that have no verified dosing data and may be toxic or interactive.
• Nuts: Especially macadamia and walnuts have a variety of ill effects including tremors, weakness and paralysis primarily of the hindquarters and bladder stones.
• Tobacco is toxic to dogs, eaten or inhaled (and people too!)
• Radiator and transmission fluid left in the drive, even a tiny puddle.
• Any chemical or cleaner left to puddle that a dog might find attractive to lap up can be toxic. Many can be toxic by inhaling or from residue left from cleaning water and food bowls, kennels and bedding.The best plan is to use cleaners specially made for kennel care and rinse well. Rabbits are sensitive to any aromatic oils in cleaners.
• Any medication not prescribed by the vet, even simple things like over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Make sure you don't drop any! Make sure you use veterinary prescribed drugs exactly as prescribed and only for the animal they are prescribed for. Consult with your vet before purchasing any medications or preparations from other sources to make sure there will not be adverse reactions with existing medications or health conditions.
• Snail bait...just don't! It looks like kibble!
• Any kind of rodent bait or poison, even after the rodent has consumed it, even the "cardboard-box" type traps. Most baits/killers are anti-coagulants. They keep the blood from clotting and the animal bleeds to death, often by thinning the blood to a point that the veins can no longer contain it. A cat or dog that eats or nibbles on a rodent that has been killed this way can easily meet the same death. Use the old fashioned snap traps and keep them away from paws! (and the rodents they might catch, you never know what disease they might carry!)
• Rawhide: There is some difference in opinion about rawhide. I only allow my dogs to have the sort that has been ground up and looks like hamburger, and only occasionally. The office manager (for 25 years) at my vet tells me that most of the surgeries they do on stomachs and intestines are to correct perforations made by rawhide and chicken bones. Both "splinter" into sharp pieces when broken and chewed.
• Therefore, ditto chicken bones!
• Dog toys: Choose them well. The most common reason for veterinary abdominal surgery is that the animal has swallowed a foreign object, often from his own toy. If Cuddles is a prim little gal that likes to prance about and give her squeakie a tweek now and then, you can relax and indulge in some of the softer, less expensive toys. But if Brutus loves his toys, buy only the best and toughest toys. Look for the hard rubber and canvas, no small legs and arms, no button eyes he can chew off and swallow. If he chews his toys up an swallows the squeakers,avoid the ones with the little outside squeak valves that he will get to fast and remove the toy the minute he "breaks into" it and can start swallowing the pieces. No small balls or toys. If he likes to chew your shoes, no leather toys; your socks and other such items, no sheepskin. If you have children, train them to keep any toy that Brutus might tear up and swallow pieces of, or swallow whole, where he can't get to them! No matter how appealing the bargin bin at Walmart is, use extreme caution when buying any toy, especially the cheap ones, the cost of surgery WILL out weigh any savings!
• Mushrooms of any kind growing in the lawn etc.
• Poinsettia, philodenrdron, many lillies, dumb cane, pothos, mistletoe and yew berries and many other plants can cause vomiting, pain , diarrhea, seizures, coma and death. Research the commonly know culprits and "dig" deeper if your dog is prone to eating the plants and other organics in your yard. Often for these dogs a nice, safe, plant-free run is best when they are without supervision. (And might reduce your headaches due to chewed plants and furniture!)
• Fruit pits: Pears, apples, plums, peaches, apricots and similar fruits contain high levels of cyanogenic glyosides, (cyanide). They are dangerous to humans and other animals as well.
• The leaves of rhubarb and the leaves and stems of tomatoes are toxic for similar reasons. So is broccoli in large amounts. Ditto, potato peels and green potatoes. Evolution psychologists theorize that the innate knowledge of dangerous chemicals in some foods (often fruits and vegetables that we consider to be healthy) is what makes them so unappealing to children. What is in the vegetable may not be toxic to the adult, but could be to the small child...and the dog!
• Insecticides: Even for a healthy animal chemicals used to kill household and garden pests (even fleas) can make your dog sick and even kill him. Consult your vet and never use different types of pesticides in the same proximity of time or space, even flea control.
• Xylitol sweetener often found in sugar-free gums and candies has been reported by the ASPCA.

NOTHING TAKES THE PLACE OF A WELL-RESEARCHED, TRUSTED VET WHO REFERS TO A TRUSTED NETWORK OF SPECIALISTS WHEN NECESSARY!
Develop that relationship before you NEED it.

Learn WHERE your Animal Emergency is and KNOW how to get there.

Pack an emergency bag for your pets too! Leashes, meds, food, treats, bedding, bowls, water, folding kennel, first aid, bandages for feet. In an emergency or disaster, many shelters will not be prepared to house your pets.