HOLIDAY VISTORS/VISTING

Increased activity and visitors during the winter holiday season can upset your pet's routine. Try to keep your pet on his regular schedule for feeding and exercise and be sure the pet gets plenty of love.A quiet room, away from the commotion with water and food available may help your pet(s) to feel more comfortable. If you are planning to take your pet with you when visiting friends and relatives during the holidays, be sure to contact them in advance to find out if your pet is welcome. Because of the excitement during the holidays, it might be best for you and for your pet to board your pet or hire a reputable pet sitter.

FOOD RELATED TEMPTATIONS

• Pets' highly sensitive noses pick up scents before humans can. Therefore, don't be surprised when Fluffy and Fido are underfoot in the kitchen while Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday goodies are being prepared. Watch those hot containers filled with turkey and ham drippings. The pets can easily tip them over causing severe scalding and burns to themselves.  
• Uncooked yeast dough can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines. Grapes and raisins contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys. Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscles of dogs.
• Remember, dogs have an exceptional sense of smell – juices on plastic or aluminum foil left on countertops are very tempting. If ingested, plastic or foil wrap (cellophane candy wrappers or food wrap) can cause choking or intestinal obstruction.  Meat-soaked strings from rump roasts are also enticing. Ingestion can cause a serious problem that may require surgical correction.  To be safe, put away food immediately and pet-proof your garbage. Garbage contains all kinds of other hazards for your dog such as plastic wrap and bags, 6-pack beverage holders that could cause strangulation, fat trimmings, bones, and pieces of ribbon or tinsel.
• Feed your pet(s) before a party so they will not be so apt to beg or steal food.
• No Bones Please: BONES ARE DANGEROUS! Avoid giving bones to your dogs or cats, particularly turkey bones. Poultry bones easily splinter easily and can cause serious injury, while bone fragments can cause intestinal blockages or lacerations causing pain and sometimes death. Though it's so tempting, don't give your pet large quantities of cooked turkey and ham during the holidays. Again, human food is too rich; overfeeding of human food can cause additional health problems and feeding human food will often lead to unsatisfactory eating habits when given pet food at their regular mealtimes. Consumption of human food can also result in pitiful begging, an aggravating habit hard to break, when the family sits down for meals. Don't feed pets the cooled drippings either. Human seasonings aren't good for pets, plus the fact that the rich stock and drippings can easily upset pets' digestive systems.
• Healthy Treats: Chocolate and other sweets should not be given to animals. Chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical that can be deadly to cats and dogs, though not harmful to humans. Theobromine in the chocolate is the culprit and there is more in dark chocolate than milk or light chocolate.  1/2 oz per pound of dog is enough to be fatal! The foil wraps on candies can cause internal injuries if swallowed - the foil can be like a razor as it is swallowed and ingested. Keep all candies and their wrappers in a secured place. The best thing you can do for your pets over the holidays is to keep them on their regular diet. Look for special animal treats instead of giving your pets cookies or sweets meant for people. Other holiday treats, alcoholic beverages, rich, fatty food scraps and bones can be harmful or toxic to pets. Keep your pet on his regular diet and caution visitors against giving your pet "special treats.

Please visit the ASPCA website for more information regarding foods that could be poisonous and dangerous to pets at www.aspca.org/apcc or call (888) 426-4435

 

DANGEROUS HOLIDAY PLANTS

We all like making our homes more festive for the holidays. We enjoy the green foliage and colorful flowers of plants. Unfortunately, many of the plants we have in our homes during the holidays can be dangerous or even poisonous to pets.

• Mistletoe
• holly,
• ornamental pepper
• Christmas rose

If ingested, holly (leaves and berries) causes stomach upset and can be potentially fatal to both dogs and cats. Mistletoe upsets stomachs and can cause heart collapse, while hibiscus may cause diarrhea. Poinsettias have an irritating sap that can cause blistering in the mouth and stomach upset.

Christmas greens such as balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir - all parts have a low level of toxicity; hibiscus - may cause vomiting or bloody diarrhea if. This is not a conclusive listing...there are many more toxic plants. It's wise to keep plants out of your pets' reach. So when you brighten up your home, place these plants well out of your pets reach, or use imitation holiday plants.

 Please visit the ASPCA website for more information regarding plants that could be poisonous and dangerous to pets at www.aspca.org/apcc or call (888) 426-4435

 

CHRISTMAS TREES/DECORATIONS

If you have a Christmas tree and pets, you may have a recipe for trouble.

• First, make sure the tree is well secured. Tinsel and other Christmas tree ornaments when ingested by a dog (or cat), can become extremely dangerous. Tinsel may cause obstruction of the intestines, and the tinsel's sharp edges can even cut the intestines. Symptoms may include: decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, listlessness and weight loss. Treatment usually requires surgery.
• Try to place decorations above paw height and use string to hang the bulbs instead of hooks, which are easily dislodged Dogs and cats may play with glass ornaments as if they were balls and serious oral lacerations can result. Sharp ornament hooks can also become imbedded in your pet's mouth or esophagus. Place ornaments that are shiny, or could be swallowed or broken high up on your tree. Larger, less intriguing ornaments can go near the bottom.
• Decorating trees with food is asking for problems. Candy canes and gingerbread people can be as enticing to your dog as they are to children.  Popcorn, raisin, or cranberry garlands are beautiful, but can cause an obstruction when eaten.
• Cords for lights should be made inaccessible to pets - especially from chewing puppies and exploring kittens. Chewing on electrical cords, including cords of lights can cause problems ranging from burned mouths, to electrical shock to death by electrocution. Unplug decorative lights when you are not there and try to use pet-proof extension cords.
• Keep in mind that the chemicals added to the water reservoir of your Christmas tree to keep your tree living longer won’t do the same for your pet. The chemicals are toxic to animals, so keep the reservoir covered. Even though you take precautions, make sure your dog is always supervised when in a room with a tree.
• Supervise all candles - pets are attracted to the bright "lights" in a darkened room. Not only could they receive serious burns, but they could knock the candles over, spilling hot wax onto furniture and carpeting. Don't leave candles unattended for their sake and for the obvious fire hazards.

GIFTS UNDER THE TREE:

• Rawhide or other edible items left under the tree can be very tempting, and remember that companies often package rawhide or other pet gifts wrapped in ribbon.
• Make sure to remove ribbons or ties before you present gifts to your dog. If played with and swallowed, yarn, ribbon, or string on gifts can cause intestinal obstruction, requiring surgery.
• Perfumes and after-shaves contain ethanol (alcohol) and perfume also contains essential oils which can be very toxic to dogs if ingested.
• Batteries for toys or other gifts can be toxic and cause intestinal obstruction. Keep in a safe place until they are ready to be inserted in the gift
• Resist the temptation to tie ribbons around pet’s necks for the holidays. The pets can tighten ribbons resulting in choking or hang themselves if the ribbon is caught on an object.

New Year's Celebrations

New Year's brings in a brand new year filled with the promise of hope, prosperity, health, and happiness. But be alert to any pet hazards such as fun noise-makers and confetti which can very easily pose a serious threat to your pets' sense of well-being and health. Noise-makers can frighten your pet causing the pet to bolt out an open door window, or leap to a precarious area in search of safety. Confetti can be ingested, wreaking havoc to the digestive tract. Keep all pets securely indoors during firework displays. The frightening noise and the danger of exploding fireworks are hazardous to your pet. A quiet room, away from the commotion with water and food available may help your pet(s) to feel more comfortable.