Don't Forget Pet Safety this Fourth of July

Independence day is only a week away, and chances are you have some outdoor fun in your plans. If you have pets, there are some potential hazards that the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals wants to point out. The ASPCA's Animal Poison Control Center offers a few tips:

• Don't let your pet get into alcohol. Dogs (cats too) can be poisoned by drinking alcoholic beverages that are left unattended. Put the drinks out of reach.

• Don't use sunscreen or bug repellent on your pet unless it's specifically labeled for use on animals. Ingesting sunscreen can cause drooling, vomiting and diarrhea – guaranteed to ruin any party. DEET in bug repellent can cause neurological problems. 

•  Keep matches and lighter fluid out of reach.

• Avoid giving party food to your pet. Any change in diet, especially for older dogs, can cause indigestion and the dread diarrhea. Some seemingly innocuous foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes (and raisins), salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to your pet.

• That festive glow-in-the-dark jewelry? Probably not a good idea for Spot. The glowing substances inside usually aren't all that toxic, but if Spot likes to chew on things, the goo and plastic could cause some digestive problems. (See "sunscreen" above)

• Keep citronella candles, coils and oil products out of reach. 

• You know not to set off fireworks anywhere near your pets, right?