The 7 dangers of autumn for our animals

5- nuts

Nuts and other nuts that are often found on the ground in the fall are not necessarily dog friends! Almonds, pecans, pistachios will cause stomach aches. Nuts, especially their bugs, contain a toxin that causes seizures. Be especially wary of macadamia nuts (Macadamia integrifolia and Macadamia tetraphylla) which cause weakness, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain and pale mucous membranes in dogs. According to a 2016 study by two Italian researchers, although fortunately no dog would have died after ingesting Macadamia nuts, care is nevertheless necessary for 24 to 48 hours.

It should also be noted that beechnuts (beech fruit, almond-shaped) consumed in large quantities are toxic for dogs, because they are composed of tannins and trimethylamine. On the other hand, many wild animals make a feast of it!

6- The trees of the season: chestnut, yew, holly …

When walking, many dogs find sticks everywhere! While it is of course necessary to ensure that it does not swallow too much wood (to avoid intestinal obstruction), it is also necessary to identify what type of tree it comes from. The leaves and buds of the horse chestnut tree are poisonous (see also paragraph on chestnuts). The same goes for yew, whose twigs and fruits are toxic to herbivores, birds, dogs and rabbits, and holly whose “ leaves and berries are toxic to all species ” although ' because of the pungent nature of the leaves, it is the berries that are most often involved in cases of poisoning, ”notes the Nantes poison control center.

7- The hunt

Another danger – unnatural this one – also calls for the most extreme attention at this time: the hunters… who can also make your walk into hell. Because if hunting is, by definition, a mortal danger for wild animals, it is also for our pets. This is evidenced by the multiplication of hunting accidents: from dogs to cats killed or injured by shotguns , including horses killed by shotguns … there is no lack of examples. Also, to avoid any accident, wear fluorescent clothing and also attach to your dog in fluorescent accessory. Watch out for the signs that delimit the hunting areas and stay on the trails.

In summary, it is important to remain vigilant so that the walk with your animal remains a shared moment of relaxation and does not end in an emergency at the vet.