Sir Eats-a-Lot

Every dog owner can probably tell stories of things their pets have eaten that were never meant to pass through the digestive system. However, our hopes are that once dogs get through their "puppy" stage, the habit of eating any accessible item will fade away. Unfortunately, that's not the case for some dogs. Yesterday at camp, Patrice, Robyn, and I shared stories of the strange and unusual things our dogs have found appetizing. Sinatra, Patrice's dog, has an appetite for all things in the pantry -- like protein bars, spaghetti, oil, and flour. He eats the boxes and wrappers, too. Someone must have told him there are starving kids in China...
My dog, on the other hand, likes to eat non-food items that she finds around the house. This past week alone, I have had to call Poison Control twice because of things Lola was able to sneak into her mouth before it was too late. I caught her grabbing a pill I had set on the desk to take before I went to bed, and today she woke me up with Orange Flower perfume breath. Apparently she got a hold of a sample perfume bottle I didn't even know I had. Luckily, both times the friendly folks at Poison Control said she hadn't ingested anything dangerous.

When you find your dog eating something potentially hazardous, it can be a nerve-wrecking situation. Your dog probably doesn't time his snack-fests with your vet's office hours, so you may not know who to call. The ASPCA has a poison-control phone line, but they ask for a $60 fee before they will do a consultation. You can try calling an emergency vet, but sometimes they won't give you information over the phone. What I've found to work best is calling the Pittsburgh Poison Center's emergency hotline. They are knowledgeable, fast to respond, and free. If you need to contact them, their 24-hour phone number is 1-800-222-1222. Hopefully you will not need to use their number, but it doesn't hurt to keep it in a handy place, just in case.