We have provided some tips on keeping your pets safe during Valentine’s Day.
What Valentine’s Day Foods are Dangerous to Pets?
It is important to keep your furry loved one safe during Valentine’s Day. Make sure they don’t consume certain foods such as macadamia nuts and raisins. Other sweet treats that are dangerous to pets include dark chocolate, baking chocolate, and milk chocolate. Common candies, including candy hearts and jellybeans, use dangerous stimulants, such as artificial sweeteners and xylitol, that can put your pet’s health at risk. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages are extremely toxic to dogs and cats. Even a little bit of alcohol can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and lead to seizures or other health conditions. Fortunately, there are other treats you can feed your furry friend to celebrate a pet-friendly Valentine’s Day. These include peanut butter-flavored cakes, cookies, bars, pumpkin-flavored sweets, bananas, watermelon, etc.
What decorations should I avoid having?
Not only should boxes of chocolate be stored away, but decorations may also pose high health hazards to your pet. Any plant or flower arrangement can be dangerous as they may contain fatal flowers such as lilies, hydrangeas, primroses, etc. In addition, other festive garnishes such as gift wrapping, stuffed animals, candles, and ribbons should also be kept out of your pet’s reach as they can easily choke on them.
How can I prepare for an emergency?
If your pet ingests or encounters the things listed above, they may have an allergic reaction and even go into cardiac arrest. This can be caused by a sudden spike and drop in blood sugar, which can also lead to difficulty breathing (respiratory failure), liver failure, and an elevated heart rate. It is best to be prepared for emergency situations like this by learning the proper methods for artificial respiration and cardiopulmonary respiration (CPR) on dogs and cats. Remember to always transport your pet to the nearest veterinarian as quickly as possible during or after CPR. Calling upon an online vet or mobile vet service, may not be your best option due to the urgency of the situation. Here, you can find a step-by-step guide on giving CPR to pets.
Planning on gifting a pet to a loved one?
Animals are not disposable, nor can they easily be repackaged, regifted, or returned if the recipient is not pleased! Make sure to really think through your decision of either purchasing or adopting a pet for a loved one. There are many responsibilities that come with owning a pet, and it is important to make sure that the person whom you are gifting a pet to has the ability to care for it, financially and emotionally.