Take your meds behind closed doors; keep your chewing gum supply in the cabinet.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Dogs and cats are like children in a lot of ways, explains Camille DeClementi, DVM, senior director of knowledge management at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center. The difference is, we wouldn't leave our kids home alone like we do our pets. And during that daytime downtime, pets start looking for ways to entertain themselves, meaning if we leave the wrong things lying around, it could spell serious trouble for our pet. In fact, last year when ASPCA announced the top causes of pet poisonings, human medications topped the list.

Protect your pets from the most common causes of in-home pet poisonings: # 1: Human medications # 2: Grapes, raisins, and other human foods # 3: Xylitol # 4: Lilies # 5: Certain flea and tick products # 6: Cleaning supplies # 7: Rodenticides # 8: Glow jewelry