Where did the time go? The holidays are just around the corner. Holiday gatherings, good food and cheer can quickly be dampened if have to take your pet to the emergency clinic. Let’s talk about some tips to prevent injury so you and your pet can have a joyous holiday season.
Keep human food safely away from your pets
The aroma of delicious food can be very exciting and enticing for your pet. If human food is accessible, your pet can polish off a tray full of beautiful holiday treats in a split second. Keep human food away from pets especially the following which could be harmful if ingested by your pets:
- Chocolate treats are a staple during the holidays. What is delicious for us can be toxic to dogs and cats. Toxicity depends on the amount and the type of chocolate ingested, but it is best to never let your pets eat chocolate.
- Sweets and baked goods can cause stomach upset and may cause your pet to vomit and have diarrhea.
- Holiday foods tend to be extra rich since it is the time to celebrate and splurge. Foods such as cheeses, hams, roasts, steaks, gravy, dips and sauces are very rich. If your pet eats fatty rich foods, they can develop pancreatitis which can be life-threatening.
- Yeast dough from holiday bread can cause painful gas distention of the stomach and intestines and can cause dangerous bloating.
Holiday Parties
Pets are creatures of habit. They are comfortable with their home environment: the people in your home, the noise level, aromas and movement. When you have a holiday party, visitors and the excitement of the party can upset your pet’s balance. The following are tips to help reduce stress for your pet and help ensure a safe party for your guests and your pet.
- Inform your guests that you have pets. If your guests have any medical issues with pets, they will need to know ahead of time should they have any medical precautions they need to take.
- Prevent escapes especially when your guests are arriving and leaving. Watch the doors to make sure your pet does not leave. Your pet may be nervous from the guests, and try to escape to find a safe place.
- Provide a safe place for your pet to go to. If your pet is upset by the hubbub of the party, put them in a quiet room away from the guests and check on them regularly to make sure they are okay. If your pet has severe anxiety from the gathering and noise of guests, your veterinarian may prescribe medication to help your pet cope with this situation.
- Post-party cleanup should be done immediately. All foods, party favors should be disposed to prevent your pet from ingesting it. Be extra careful that foils, plastic wraps, plastic/paper containers that were used to cover or hold food are out of your pet’s reach. Because the smell of food is on these items, your pet may eat them and it can cause severe stomach upset or blockage.
Decorations
Beautiful holiday decorations are festive but can be tempting for our pets for foul play.
- Tinsel and holiday decorations are tempting for cats. Cats like to play with tinsel and sometimes accidentally swallow it. Once ingested, tinsel may cause intestinal blockage requiring surgery. The bright ornaments can attract pets to play with them and may break them causing cuts on the paws and mouth. Some people decorate with food-based ornaments. Take care to avoid using edible ornaments if you have pets.
- Christmas trees should be secured safely so your pet does not knock it over and cause injury. If you are using a water additive to preserve your tree, make sure you are not putting anything that may be harmful should your pet drink it.
- Festive plants and flowers, such as poinsettia and mistletoe, are toxic to your pets if ingested. Check with the ASPCA poisonous plants and flowers list before you put them out. Holiday potpourris can elevate the holiday ambiance, but it should be kept away from pets. Some potpourris contain essential oils, fragrance or additives that can be harmful to your pets when ingested.
- Unplug electrical decorations because pets may be tempted to chew on the chord and cause electrical burns in the mouth.
Plan for Emergency
In case there is a medical emergency, ask your veterinarian for the nearest after hour veterinary emergency clinic. Everyone who will be caring for your pet should have the following information in a convenient location in case of an unforeseen emergency:
- Your veterinarian’s phone number and the name of your pet’s veterinarian,
- Nearest emergency clinic location and phone number,
- Make sure your pet is microchipped and has an ID tag in case your pet gets lost.
In the unfortunate event that your pet needs emergency care and if your family veterinarian is closed, go to the nearest emergency clinic. If it is a minor emergency, you can avoid a costly emergency fee and call Vetsavers at 972-939-0900, where our exam fee is always just $39 and we are open 7 days a week. If your pet has not been here before, your first doctor exam is free. We will be closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Let’s make the holiday safe and fun for all of us including our 4-legged family member. A happy holiday is a safe one without a trip to the emergency room.
