What you don’t know could poison your dog

By now, we all know that dark chocolate, grapes and raisins, and the chemical xylitol can be dangerous for our dogs. But there are many other things that you may not realize can be poisonous to Fido.

Foods

You may love guacamole, but avocados contain a chemical called persin, which can cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs. Plus, chewing on the pit risks a potentially fatal stomach or intestinal obstruction.

Then there’s that raw bread dough rising on your kitchen counter: the yeast in dough produces carbon dioxide, causing the dog’s stomach to expand and bloat. Ultimately, this bloating can rupture the stomach lining, cause severe cardiovascular and diaphragmatic damage, and 25 percent of the time, lead to death.

Alcohol

If you think it’s funny to let your dog lap up a bowl of beer, think again. Alcohol poisoning happens much more quickly in dogs than in humans, simply because they’re smaller. Alcohol can cause a dog to experience dangerous drops in blood sugar, blood pressure, and body temperature, and when severe intoxication occurs, the result can be seizures and respiratory failure.

Household and outdoor items

Again, we all know how deadly antifreeze can be to our dogs, but did you ever think about things like fire logs? Or swimming pool compounds? Or fertilizers? All contain chemicals that can be toxic to our dogs.

Some firestarters contain heavy metals which could cause heavy metal toxicity; if ingested, the compressed sawdust and wax in fire logs can result in an intestinal obstruction.

Undiluted pool chemicals like chlorine bleach tablets are corrosive, causing severe ulcers in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

Many dogs are drawn to the smell of fertilizers, which contain elements like iron, copper, and zinc, as well as herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides. While consumption of small amounts may only result in mild stomach upset, larger ingestions can result in severe poisoning.

House and garden plants

Dozens of plants can cause problems if your dog eats them, like the popular azalea and rhododendron, which can result in vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, and even cardiac failure. And never allow your dog to eat growing mushrooms unless you’re absolutely, totally, one hundred percent sure they’re edible. (Obviously, the same goes for you!)

Many dogs love apples, and that’s great … but did you know that an apple’s seeds contain a form of cyanide? Same goes for apricot, cherry, plum, and peach pits, so be sure to pick up any fallen fruit around your trees so your pup won’t be tempted to snack.

And since it’s now legal in California, many folks have marijuana around the house. If your dog eats your stash, however, he can suffer central nervous system depression, vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate and even seizures and coma.

Nine time outs of ten, dogs won’t even bother with any of these foods, plants, or substances—but remember the adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and make sure to keep these potentially deadly items far from your pup.

Joan Merriam lives in Nevada County with her Golden Retriever Joey, her Maine Coon cat Indy, and the abiding spirit of her beloved Golden Retriever Casey in whose memory this column is named. You can reach Joan at joan@ joanmerriam.com. And if you’re looking for a Golden, be sure to check out Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue.

Loretta Torres began her latest letter claiming that the price of crude oil so far this year has doubled from $26 to around $50.

Who do you suppose she blames? That would be President Biden, who she opposed in the campaign and insists was fraudulently elected. She says Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline was the cause of this price hike. Let’s look at her claims.

Crude oil prices are listed by various indices and for both futures and spot prices. Futures prices are volatile and speculative. If we stick to

WTI spot price comparisons for 2021, an increase of about 25%, far from the 100% Torres claimed, was found.

So, was Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL responsible for this increase? Probably not. Keystone XL cancellation didn’t interfere with the flow of crude on the already existing Keystone and so didn’t reduce crude supply. What probably caused the recent price increase was Saudi Arabia’s announced intention to cut back its oil production. Also, approval and distribution of efficacious COVID vaccines have raised expectations for a more normal worldwide economy with increased energy demands.

We can agree to Torres’ repeated calls for America to wake up to reality, but not necessarily her reality.

— Dave Weiner, Chico