Post by Kim on Jul 9, 2010 16:53:05 GMT -5
Foods we enjoy can be a problem for your pet. Rich, fatty foods, like gravy or grease, can cause problems ranging from stomach upsets to diarrhea. Alcohol can cause serious intoxications in pets, and many pets are attracted to it. Clean up glasses right away. Ferrets are often attracted by the sweet taste of drinks. Chocolate, coffee, and tea all contain dangerous components called xanthines, which cause nervous system or urinary system damage and heart muscle stimulation. Problems from ingestion of chocolate range from diarrhea to seizures and death. Unsweetened baking chocolate and dark chocolate are the worst culprits, but all chocolate, fudge, and other candy should be placed out of your ferret's reach. Uncooked meat, fish, and poultry can contain disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli, and parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii. These uncooked foods should not be given to your ferret. For your own health, as well as your pet's, wash utensils that have been in contact with raw meat, and cook meat thoroughly. Bones from fish, meat, or poultry can also cause problems if swallowed. Even small bones can splinter causing lacerations (tearing) throughout the intestinal tract. So, no matter how big or how little they are, be sure to keep bones away from your pet. Tobacco products can be fatal to pets, if ingested. Signs of poisoning develop within 15 to 45 minutes and include excitation, salivation, vomiting, and diarrhea. Pets may develop seizures, collapse, and die from cardiac arrest. Keep cigarettes, cigars, tobacco, nicotine gum and patches, and ashtrays out of the reach of pets. Empty ashtrays frequently since cigarette butts contain about 25% of the total nicotine in a cigarette. Uncooked yeast dough can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines. Remember, ferrets have an exceptional sense of smell – juices on plastic or aluminum foil left on countertops are very tempting. If ingested, plastic or foil wrap (cellophane candy wrappers or food wrap) can cause choking or intestinal obstruction. Meat-soaked strings from rump roasts are also enticing. Ingestion can cause a surgical emergency called a 'linear string foreign body' in the intestines. To be safe, put away food immediately and pet-proof your garbage. Garbage contains all kinds of other hazards for your ferret such as plastic wrap and bags, 6-pack beverage holders that could cause strangulation, fat trimmings and bones.