Medications can be harmful to your felines
The bathroom, though perhaps the smallest room in the house, may extend the largest dangers to our felines. Often because of the dangerous contents.
Medications, both over the counter and prescription, are often huge problems if we become careless or absent-minded where we leave them. I know my felines are off-in-a-dash at the sight of a small round, rolling anything on the floor.
We can run into some real potential problems if we develop bad habits about taking our meds. If you leave them out on a counter or night stand you are inviting our felines to investigate. Our felines watch our behaviors and as soon as we leave something unattended, they are on it to own it.
Today, I would like to have a discussion on safe practices regarding the disposal of unwanted medications and to identify some of the medications that are the most lethal for our pets.
The American Veterinary Medical Association identifies the worst possible ways to dispose of medication. They ask us to never pour or flush medication down drains or toilets. If we use this practice, we are contaminating our drinking water. A wide-range of drugs can be found in our rivers, streams and drinking water.
To dispose of medications safely, look for a federal or locally authorized drug disposal site. These locations will give you advice on authorized take-back events, mail-back programs and collection receptacles.
You can also inquire with your veterinarian or pharmacist about such sites. They will be able to tell you if they have state or federal authorization to collect pharmaceuticals for disposal. Your local environmental authority, department of public health or drug enforcement office may all offer programs or suggestions for disposal.
If your medication does not contain a controlled substance, you may be advised to put it in the trash with a few precautions.
You should remove your personal information and taint the medication with a substance that makes it unusable, for example, something like litter-box material or waste from the box. Then you will need to seal the meds with a leakproof container.
Next, you need to be aware of what the most toxic pills are for our pets in case you cannot locate a dropped pill.
The Animal Poison Control Center of the ASPCA has identified its most common medication complaints, ones they deal with on a daily basis. A few of these medications are common enough that they might be in your cabinet.
The Poison Control Center identifies Ibuprofen as the most common human medicine ingested by pets, especially the coated variety because it has a sweet taste. This drug can cause stomach ulcers and kidney problems.
Another dangerous human pain medication is Tramadol. Even if a veterinarian would prescribe this short-term for your pet, the dosage would be pet-appropriate, not a lethal human dose. The wrong dose of Tramadol could cause dizziness, vomiting (with luck) and ultimately seizures.
Acetaminophen is another common pain reliever that can cause liver damage and damage red blood cells to the extent that they can no longer carry oxygen. Naproxen is also a common drug for pain relief. Stomach ulcers and kidney failure are associated with this drug.
The Poison Control Center goes on to list common anti-anxiety drugs and sleeping pills as health risks to our pets if ingested. A safe rule to follow might be that no human medication is safe for our felines unless your veterinarian suggests it. That means safety is key. Meds need to be made unattainable to our felines.
Featured felines:
• Bonnie and Clyde are siblings that came in together when their owner passed away. They are a bonded pair that need to be adopted together. Both of them are quite friendly. Unless you see them together they can be hard to tell apart. Clyde is just a little bigger and has a white eyelash above his right eye. Bonnie has much more golden eyes. Although these two sport infamous names, they are not going to rob any banks, but they just might steal your heart.
• Jake, aka Renegade or Renny, came to the shelter very afraid of people almost to the point of being feral. Our volunteers saw something else in him and spent several months working with him. He eventually stopped hissing at everyone and started to accept food and treats handed to him on a back-scratcher, then in a tray and then by hand. He came around and eventually people could pet him. He has moved into our cat room No. Five. This handsome guy is still shy and might be a little hard to spot when you enter the room, but, if you do, he doesn't mind a little petting and sometimes even likes to be brushed.
Buddy's Birthday Celebration
Yes, we are finally 21! Join Buddy from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, at Chandler's at the Schaumburg Golf Course, 401 W. Roselle Road, Schaumburg, for our 21st birthday celebration.
This year, Buddy celebrates America by honoring veterans and servicemen and women. Those on active duty will receive a free admission. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Your donation includes a buffet, dessert and two drink tickets.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is a nonprofit (501c3), all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter. For information, call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.