Holiday Tips for a Healthy Pet.
With the Holidays soon upon us there are several things to keep in mind to keep your pet from getting into problems. Winter weather can bring on a set of problems especially if you live in a colder climate, away from Naples Florida. If you change your antifreeze keep in mind that the sweet taste is irresistible and if ingested, will cause severe life threatening kidney damage.
Dogs and Cats are not used to eating the traditional type of food(turkey, ham, and gravy) we eat around Thanksgiving and Christmas. According to my veterinarian, this food can cause inflammation of the stomach and intestines leading to vomiting, diarrhea and general sickness. Some pets are so ill they will need hospitalization for Pancreatitis. Even though it is very tempting, it is best not to feed your pet table scraps. Also, remember that chocolate can be toxic to dogs and the darker it is the more toxic it is to dogs. For example while on my usual morning walk in the neighborhood, I met a guy walking his two dogs, and as our chat went back and forth, he begins to tell me that he had to bring one of his beautiful dogs to the emergency the night before.
When he and his wife got home for an evening out, he discovered that his dog ate approximately 15 chocolate cherry treats, including the foil wrapping!, (leaving some evidence on the floor). The vet had to give the poor dog an injection to make her vomit everything up! She was very lucky! As I look down towards her, she wags her tail, knowing full well that we are talking about her.
Other potentially toxic foods are grapes, onions, garlic, raisins, macadamia nuts, chewing gum and any other sugar free candy that contains xylitol. So keep those trays of holiday baked cookies, or any other chocolates out of reach of your pets.
Any plant has the potential to be poisonous; however mistletoe, holly, and especially lilies are particularly hazardous. Some pets also can become ill by drinking the water at the base of the Christmas tree. It’s best to have fresh, clean water at all times available to your pets, discouraging them from looking for water under the tree. Friends and family members visiti ng over the holidays may leave their medication or prescription drugs/pills in areas that your pet can easily access. Pets can find these plastic containers irresistible, chewing them until they can actually get to the medication. Remind your guests to keep their medication out of harm’s way, not only from young children but from your pets also.
Holiday decorations for your tree and house are also a potential hazard to your pet when they eat them. Some of these can contain glass, metal, tinsel and ribbons. These objects can cause serious and even fatal gastrointestinal disease.
If you are having a party, find a quiet and comfortable area in your home where your pet can feel safe. Check on them frequently to make sure they are OK. Don’t forget to exercise your pet especially if you have a dog, during this holiday season. I understand too well how hectic it can get, with preparing food, buying Christmas presents, going to dinner engagements and so on. It’s bad enough that we all indulge too much at times, during the holiday season and we know how difficult it can be to get back into shape including our pets! Don’t forget a pert is not just for the holidays, a pet is for life.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!
