Pet emergencies can cost thousands

Yet only about 1 percent of Americans have pet health insurance.

these suggestions to help protect your pet from the poisons in the garden so it doesn’t end up like little Mickey.

Vegetables that can be dangerous if ingested by pets include onions and chives, which can cause red blood cell destruction; rhubarb leaves, which contain kidney-damaging oxalic acid; and members of the nightshade family such as eggplant, tomatoes and potatoes, which contain deadly alkaloids.

When building your flower beds, avoid cocoa bean mulches. Their chocolaty smell is very enticing to pups, but just like chocolate, cocoa bean mulches contain theobromine, which is toxic for dogs.

Gardening organically is good for the planet and your pets. The herbicides and pesticides used in some popular gardening products can potentially make your dog sick. If you do choose to use these products in your garden, try to prevent your dog from digging in or eating or licking the treated areas.

If it’s impossible to keep your pets’ paws from prying, consider installing some type of fencing to keep your pet out of harm’s way.

To learn more ways to keep your pets safe, visit www.pet poisonhelpline.com. If you feel your pet has ingested something harmful, call the Helpline at (800) 213-6680 in Minneapolis, where staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The emergency poison control center charges $39 per call, including unlimited follow-up consultations.

Doctors are also warning of heatstroke in pets now that the weather is getting warmer. Pets should be kept in cool, shady areas on hot days, making sure they stay hydrated. If a pet owner notices heavy panting, red gums, excessive drooling or lethargy, owners should take the pet to the emergency clinic immediately while trying to cool the pet down with a fan and some cool, not icy, water.