Household Hazards: Your Puppy and Electrical Cords

Having a puppy can both be a joy and a pain. Raising a puppy is a big job for anybody; there are so many things to do and so many things to make sure of, and it can seem like you are constantly picking things up off of the floor and rescuing prized possessions from the sore gums of your new friend.

By nature, puppies are inclined to chew on any and everything they can get a hold of. Unfortunately, one of the most hazardous yet common items that are found in the household that puppies seem to take a liking to are the electrical cords that power various things in your home, like the television, stereo, and other such things. Most electrical cords are coded in a thick, plastic rubber but the sharp teeth of a growing puppy can easily penetrate that material and when that happens your puppy will receive the shock of its life. Sometimes this can happen and your dog will be okay, but in many cases the electrical shock that dogs can receive from chewing on a cord can cause other problems--even death.

How Do I Know If My Puppy Has Got To The Cords?

If your puppy is chewing on a cord and receive the shock that comes after, chances are they will cry out or yelp in some way. Of course, it is also obvious that your dog has been chewing on cords in the home if you are finding severed cords or pieces of electrical cord around the house.

What Are the Symptoms Of An Electrical Shock?

If your dog has been chewing the electrical cords, chances are that they will probably have some type of burn or irritated area in their mouth. The inside of the lips and the gums may be swollen, irritated, and even highly inflamed. If you find no such marks, chances are your dog got lucky. If you are able to find burns or other evidence of an electric shock to your dog's mouth, you may have more to deal with then you ever thought possible.

The Result of Electrical Shock to Your Puppy

If you feel that you are puppy may or may not have received an electrical shock from chewing on a cord in your home, be sure to keep an eye on them for several days and observe any signs of illness that they may be experiencing. If the electrical current travels far enough or long enough through your dog's body it can cause damage to the lungs and cause them to fill with liquid. If this occurs, you may notice that your dog is having a difficult time breathing. This is an emergency, as this can cause a painful death in your puppy.

Prevention is Key

Puppies chew on things; it is just a fact of life. Train your dog not to chew on things in the home, and give them toys or other things that they can chew instead. If this is a habit that you just cannot seem to kick, as is the case with many stubborn puppies, unplug cords around the house that are not in use when you are not around to supervise or create your dog would you are not able to provide proper supervision.

Poinsettia Plants and Other Holiday Greenery

While Christmas can prove an excellent time to bring some life into your home, things like Poinsettia, Holly, and Mistletoe can prove somewhat toxic to your canine companion. If they eat them, they may get a bit more sick of a stomach than you or they bargained for, so be sure to keep all holiday greenery - and other houseplants for that matter - way out of the reach of your pet.

Chocolate and Candy

Chocolate poses a significant health risk for dogs, especially concentrated cocoa or baker's chocolate. It is known to cause seizures in dogs and is difficult for them to digest, not to mention the fact that the caffeine present in chocolate can cause severe heart problems in dogs' little hearts. Just a bit shouldn't cause a problem, but too much holiday candy can be lethal for your dog. Be on the safe side and keep your dog and holiday treats as far away from one another as humanly possible.

When the holidays roll around, most people bring things into their home that wouldn't normally be found there. Lush green evergreen trees, bright red poinsettia trees, mistletoe, tinsel for the tree - these are just a few of the many facets of the Christmas season in the average American home, yet these are also some of the most deadly hazards for pets around the holidays.

Dogs are especially curious animals. They get into any and everything that they can get into, causing them to be exposed to a lot of things you might think you already put up. This is why it is even more important to keep a close eye on your holiday decorations and your furry friend during those Christmas months, because there are more hazards in their environment than ever. Here are a few of the most common Christmas-related hazards for your pooch, and how you can help keep them safe in your home.

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