10 tips to keep your pets safer this holiday season.
Did you know that during the holiday season, more pets come to the clinic with ailments associated with dietary indiscretion? Dietary indiscretion is when one of our four legged friends eat foods that are not a part of their normal diet. At Halloween, we see pets with gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhea after they have accidentally discovered the left over Halloween candy. Large amounts of chocolate candy, can cause chocolate toxicity. Pets may swallow parts or pieces of Halloween gifts, which can become lodged in a tummy or intestine and cause a blockage. Quite often, surgery is needed to remove and repair the blockage.
During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays it is very tempting for house guests to offer special treats to your pets when visiting. Foods that are high in fat such as turkey, dressing, mash potatoes and gravy can cause your pet to have tummy and intestinal issues and can lead to a life threatening condition known as pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and can result in your pet having to be hospitalized.
Have a safe and happy holiday season!
Keep all candy and treats out of reach of your pets. (This means behind a closed cabinet or pantry.)
Teach young children to not feed pet candy or watch closely so that your pet does not steal candy from your child's hands .
Avoid playing games like fetch with small toys that are not pet friendly.
When preparing holiday treats, try not to leave pet unsupervised with open food containers or food preparation materials on low counters or tables.
Bones are not suitable for pets. Poultry bones (cooked or uncooked) can cause tummy upset and can splinter in the intestine leading to life threatening disease.
Strongly persuade visiting guests and family members to not feed the pets. Small bites here and there can have an additive effect. If they do not honor your request, let them know that “he who feeds the dog, pays the vet bill”.
Please avoid giving your cat dairy products like warm milk or egg nog. While your furry feline may love the treat, dairy products can cause tummy problems.
Keep electrical cords used for holiday décor safely out of your pets sight. Electric shock or life threatening electrocution can result from cords that are bitten.
Christmas tree tinsel, garland, and package ribbon can be viewed as great cat toys. If ingested, these items can cause bowel obstruction requiring surgery. General rule of thumb, no shiny string decorations if you have a mischievous feline on the prowl.
Christmas trees can be stabilized to ceiling or wall with invisible fishing line to prevent curious cat climbers from knocking the tree over.