Saturday, March 29, 2008

Poisonous Plants and Your Dog

It is always a shock when pet owners come home to find their dog sick and their favorite houseplants chewed to pieces. There are many safe plants that can be kept with dogs but there are some vary common houseplants and even outdoor plants that are extremely poisonous and potentially be lethal to dogs.

Understanding which houseplants should not be kept in the house or within reach of your dog is important. The following is a list of the most common houseplants that are toxic. Remember to check any plant with the nursery or with your vet to make sure that they are not poisonous:

Most Philodendrons
Chinese Evergreens
Cordatum
Corn Plant
Devils Ivy
Golden Pothos
Marble Queen
Peace Lily
Nephthytis
Most Dracaena
Taro vine

There are also many bulbs that are stored over the winter in houses that are poisonous if consumed by a dog or even used as a fun toy. These include most the garden bulbs such as lily varieties, tulips, elephant ears, gladiolas, hyacinth, iris, crocus and amaryllis bulbs. Lily of the Valley is very toxic both as a bulb and as a plant.

Common garden plants that are found both inside and outside that are potentially deadly to dogs include Dieffenbachia, Foxglove, Morning glory, Nightshade, Onions, Tomato plants and most of the varieties of ivy.

Shrubs in the garden or the yard can also be problematic. Trees and shrubs such as:

Avocado
Yew
Macadamia Nut
Schefflera
Bamboo
Oleander
Mistletoe
Yucca
Sago Palm

Many pet owners dont realize that Aloe Vera can potentially be poisonous to dogs if consumed in large quantities. There are many other species of plants that can cause allergic reactions, rashes and skin and mouth lesions in dogs if the animal is exposed to the plants at certain times in the plants growth. Often the either the leaves, flower or bark is poisonous but perhaps not all three. For example, grape vines themselves are not poisonous to dogs but the grapes can be extremely toxic.

Safety Tips

Take some time to research the various houseplants and garden plants that your dogs may potentially be exposed to. It is not always necessary to completely remove the plants; rather they may just need to be placed above the dogs reach. Puppies are more prone to chewing and mouthing items than are most mature dogs, so by monitoring how your dog behaves around your house and garden plants you can predict if you will have to remove the plants or if the dog will not bother them. Remember, however, that even dogs that dont chew or play with plants may decide to do so at some time, so it is usually best to try to keep these plants out of the areas of the yard or house that the dog has access too when unsupervised.

If you believe that your dog has ingested a poisonous plant, or any type of plant, and is exhibiting signs of pain, nervous problems, salivating, drooling, vomiting or diarrhea immediately contact your vet and have the dog examined. Be sure to bring the plant in with you to help the vet identify the poison that was consumed.

Kelly Marshall is a popular contributor at http://www.ohmydogsupplies.com - where you can find dog beds, dog steps, pet ramps, and more unique dog gear that you'll never find at your local pet store.

Make Easy Money Fast By Placing Ads

You can make easy money fast by placing ads . Whether you are promoting a new business opportunity or a new product, placing ads offline and online can greatly help your sales. There are a number of different things that go into placing ads from where you place your ads to your ad content.

First we will go over your ad content. When placing your ads you want an ad title that jumps out to the reader. Go over ads in the newspaper and other places that ads are posted. Read the catchy titles that jump out at you. That will give you a better understanding of what ad titles should look like. Next you want to test out your ad titles, so track every ad you put out there. Once you have your results then use the most effective ad titles in your main ad marketing campaign. Next you should work on the subject for your ads. The subject should not give away to much information, just enough to arouse curiosity.

You can place your ads offline and online they both work effectively. I would suggest using both methods. Placing your ads offline is pretty simple. Most people just post their ads everywhere but in reality you should target where you place your ads. If you are marketing a business opportunity then place your ads where people are, who would be interested in your type of opportunity. The same goes with your product, place your ads in places you would find your target market. Conventions and swap meets are pretty good places to place your ads. Placing your ads online is easier because you can post your ads in more places in less time. When placing your ads only to get sales place your ads everywhere available online. If you wanted to get more links for your website then I would suggest placing your ads in high ranking classified ad sites. Every week you should replace your old ad with a new one if allowed because the older ads tend to get dropped towards the bottom of the ad site.

The more ads you place the easier it will become to make easy money fast by placing ads .

Eric Fields wrote Make Easy Money Fast By Placing Ads. To learn more marketing techniques go to http://leadgeneration100.blogspot.com/.

Getting Money From A Reverse Mortgage

A reverse mortgage allows homeowners over the age of 62 to cash in on the equity of their home.The homeowner can use these funds in anyway they want.Some have used the money for extended term care or home improvements.Homeowners usually run into very little difficulty in securing these funds.The funds are practically free because with the exception of the fees, more than likely, the mortgages will not be paid back over the course of the homeowners life.

There are several payment options to choose when receiving funds from a reverse mortgage. In most cases you can choose one or more of them based on your needs.

* Getting your money in a lump sum: Most often the money from a reverse mortgage is paid in a lump sum. You will receive one payment which equals the value of your home.

* Getting a specific amount paid over the course of a number of years: With this option the homeowner will receive payments over a specific course of time, 10 years for example. This could be a great help in managing funds over a period of time.

* Getting a specific amount paid to the homeowner every month until they die or permanently move out of their home: Receiving monthly payments gives the homeowner a sense of security in knowing that their money will not run out before they die.

* Getting a line of credit. Funds can be provided as a line of credit and be paid back to the lender. A specific amount could be taken out to make repairs or to pay a bill as the funds are needed.

Getting the right type of terms for your needs is totally up to you.Give thought to what your needs are, how much funding is required and how soon you will need the funds. Some homeowners have gotten a lump sum and transferred it into a savings account until needed. The funds are yours and you can do whatever you want to with it with no restrictions.

Tom Atkins is a staff writer at http://www.finance-journal.com and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including http://www.debt-journal.com.