Autumn is now well and truly here – crisp mornings and falling leaves amid an abundance of rich colours. The heat of summer is a distant memory and getting out for a brisk woodland walk of a weekend is a popular choice for many. Although cats may be thinking about staying indoors by the fire and shunning their usual wanderings, Autumn is a great time for dogs – sticks everywhere, piles of leaves and maybe even the odd Sunday lunch…? But at the risk of sounding like a party-pooper, there can be hidden dangers out there which are worth being aware of.
Dangers out and about
1. Conkers, acorns and fruit
Dogs love exploring and for many, this can include exploring by taste. In Autumn, many fruits and seeds that used to be out of reach high up in the trees, become very accessible when they fall. Seeds such as conkers and acorns can pose a real danger to scavenging pups as not only are they toxic, but if swallowed, can easily cause a blockage in the intestines. Conkers contain aesculin, a poison which can be highly irritant to the gastro-intestinal tract and result in drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea. Acorns contain gallotannin which, even in small doses, could cause liver and kidney damage.
Windfall fruit can also pose a problem. Fallen apples or pears can become mouldy, ferment or attract wasps, all of which could be a real danger to your dog. In fact, eating any windfall fruit, even if freshly fallen, could cause a stomach upset.
2. Sticks
Dogs love sticks – chewing them, fetching them, carrying them. And yes, this is something they’ve done for many generations, but as vets, we will often see what happens when it goes wrong. Chewing sticks can cause them to splinter which can result in painful wounds in the mouth. Sometimes, fragments of the stick can even get stuck deep within these wounds and become incredibly difficult and frustrating to treat, often requiring multiple surgical explorations and advanced imaging to find every tiny little splinter of wood. Annoyingly, bits of wood often don’t show up on X-ray! Throwing sticks can also be incredibly dangerous as all it takes is one awkward landing or catch and the dog could end up with serious injuries, or even impalement.
3. Leaf piles
Although leaf piles in themselves are not dangerous, it’s what they can hide that we need to be careful of. Discarded rubbish such as glass or wood can cause cuts and abrasions to the legs. Mouldy food or fruit as described above can be toxic to dogs and result in tremors or seizures. Hidden holes in the ground or even large objects such as rocks could easily cause physical injury to exuberant pets.
4. Mushrooms and other fungi
We all know foraging for mushrooms can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, dogs don’t know this, and because mushroom identification can be tricky, it’s safest to assume that any mushroom they might eat could be toxic. Effects can range from simple stomach ache or upset through to severe neurological issues. If you notice any unusual symptoms in your dog after a woodland walk, always get them checked by a vet as soon as possible, and if you see them eating a particular mushroom, a photograph can be useful to help to try to identify the species.
5. Harvest mites
Although not toxic or poisonous, these little critters can be very irritating. They are tiny orange mites that can be picked up by your dog (or cat) around this time of year. They tend to congregate between the toes or inside the ear pocket and can be seen by the naked eye as clusters of orange dots. To the pet, they can cause intense itching so it’s always worth checking them over after being outside.
6. Darker evenings
Sadly, come the end of October, we lose our lovely light evenings. However, dogs still require walking, and some cats enjoy hunting under the cover of darkness. Walking in the dark is often perfectly safe but it can be a good idea to make some small adjustments such as using reflective or light up collars, leads or harnesses on your dog to make them more visible to cars. Carrying a torch can enable you to identify potential dangers ahead and keep both you and your dog safe. Cat owners may consider keeping their pet indoors more as it gets darker, but if that’s not possible, then providing them with a reflective collar will also help with their visibility.
Dangers around the home
1. Candles and open fires
Although it was only a matter of weeks ago that we were all complaining about how hot it was during one of our many heatwaves this summer, now many of us are thinking about putting the heating on. For some, this may mean firing up the wood burner, but it pays to be extra vigilant with pets around it. Just like young children, they don’t always appreciate the danger of getting too close. To complete that cosy feel, many people start to light candles, but one wrong jump or step from a curious cat could mean singed paws, fur or whiskers. Even worse, if they were to knock one over, it could actually start a serious fire.
2. Halloween treats and early Christmas food
Although Halloween has been and gone, there may well still be sweets and chocolate lying around. It’s at this time of year too that many people start preparing for Christmas, buying mince pies, making a Christmas cake and gathering the traditional boxes of Christmas chocolates. But unless placed well out of reach, these can all be very tempting for a hungry pet. Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that dogs and cats are unable to metabolise. The toxic dose varies depending on the type of chocolate with dark chocolate being much more dangerous than white chocolate.
Mince pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding all contain raisins which can be notoriously problematic for pets despite there being no fixed toxic dose. This is because some pets seem better able to tolerate them and others are very susceptible, plus the amount of toxin per raisin varies dramatically, so ingestion of any amount warrants a vet visit as soon as possible.
Christmas nuts can be another cause for concern with effects ranging from severe toxicity (macadamia nuts) to stomach upsets and pancreatitis due to their high fat content (walnuts and Brazil nuts). Popular at this time of year are treated nuts like salted peanuts, but again, the high fat and salt content can really upset their digestion. Intestinal blockages are also a real concern, especially with smaller dogs.
3. Antifreeze
Often thought of as a winter hazard, antifreeze warrants a mention now as it’s use starts to increase at the start of these colder months. Antifreeze is highly toxic to both dogs and cats, though we tend to see more cases of poisoning in cats as they roam outside and are more likely to come into contact with leaks or spillages of the liquid. Unfortunately, many brands are highly palatable to animals, and it doesn’t take much to cause severe symptoms such as vomiting, increased thirst, difficulty breathing, inappetance and seizures. Speed is of the essence when it comes to treatment as once more than 12 hours have passed since ingestion, many cases end up proving sadly fatal.
Remember, remember the 5th of November… and the day after… and the day after that…
Fireworks are a big problem for many owners and their pets every year, and although traditionally, they were only let off on Bonfire Night itself, now it seems that the risk period runs from the start of November through to New Years’ Eve. Fireworks can be terrifying for dogs and cats and can cause real problems with stress and associated conditions (such as urinary tract issues in cats). Unfortunately, if startled, a pet may panic and run potentially resulting in an accident or getting lost.
Always ensure that your pet’s microchip details are up to date as if the worst does happen, it’s the best chance you have of getting them back. At home, make a cosy space for them to retreat to if scared and you can try playing music to help mask the sound of the fireworks. Occasionally, you may need to speak to your vet about using calming medications to help them through the season.
Generally, this time of year is a lovely time to be out and about with your dog or cosied up indoors with a cat on your lap. But it’s worth being aware of the dangers that can be found around to ensure you and your pet stay safe this Autumn.
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