Speaker: Emily Thompson, JustAnswer Expert
Emily Thompson: My name is Doctor Emily Thompson. I've been a small animal veterinarian for the past 10 years and on JustAnswer, I answer veterinary questions about dogs and cats.
Emily Thompson: Top safety tips for pet owners. I will share critical safety tips for keeping dogs safe, both at home and outdoors.
Emily Thompson: Now, I will share some essential safety measures to take when leaving your dog at home alone. It's very important to keep any dangerous items completely out of their reach. These would be things like food, medications, toxic plants. Puppies especially can chew on things that can be dangerous such as carpeting or clothing. And these can cause an intestinal obstruction or even wires which can cause electric shock. When in doubt, you can keep your dog in a crate when leaving them at home alone in order to keep them safe.
Emily Thompson: Now, I will share some tips on how to keep your dog safe when outside in the yard or garden. There can be many dangerous hazards outside for your dog, including toxic plants, wild animal excrement, stinging insects, snakes or other creatures. Make sure that your dogs don't chew on any plants or sticks outside as they can become lodged in their mouth. And puppies should never be left unsupervised when outside as they like to put everything in their mouths.
Emily Thompson: Now, I will share the best practices for keeping your dog safe on walks. Dogs love to explore their environment and it's really good for their mental and physical health. But it's important to remain prudent for some dangers that can be lying around such as trash, toxic plants, parasites or even other dogs. It's important to have your dog on appropriate flea and tick medication to protect them from parasites. It's very important to not walk your dog outside in extreme temperatures. Excessive heat can cause heat stroke or burn their paws. An extreme cold can cause frostbite. So it's important to use a winter jacket and boots when appropriate.
Emily Thompson: I invite viewers to please contact us with any questions or concerns about dog health using the link in the video description.
