From the ASPCA:
“Winter holiday pet safety”
December abounds with holiday
celebrations, and nothing can spoil good cheer like an emergency trip to the
veterinary clinic. These tips can help keep your winter holiday season from
becoming not-so-happy – for your pet and for you.
Plan in advance
Make sure you know how to get to
your 24/7 emergency veterinary clinic before there's an emergency. Talk with
your veterinarian in advance to find out where you would need to take your pet,
and plan your travel route so you're not trying to find your way when stressed.
Always keep these numbers posted in an easy-to-find location in case of
emergencies:
Your veterinarian's clinic phone
number
24/7 emergency veterinary clinic
(if different)
ASPCA Poison Control Hotline:
1-888-426-4435 (A fee may apply.)
Food
Keep people food away from pets.
If you want to share holiday treats with your pets, make or buy treats
formulated just for them. The following people foods are especially hazardous
for pets: Chocolate is an essential part of the holidays for many people, but
it is toxic to dogs and cats. Although the toxicity can vary based on the type
of chocolate, the size of your pet, and the amount they ate, it's safer to
consider all chocolate off limits for pets. Other sweets and baked goods also
should be kept out of reach. Not only are they often too rich for pets; an
artificial sweetener often found in baked goods, candy and chewing gum,
xylitol, has been linked to liver failure and death in dogs. Turkey and turkey
skin – sometimes even in small amounts – can cause a life-threatening condition
in pets known as pancreatitis. Table scraps – including gravy and meat fat
–also should be kept away from pets. Many foods that are healthy for people are
poisonous to pets, including onions, raisins and grapes. During the holidays,
when our own diets tend toward extra-rich foods, table scraps can be especially
fattening and hard for animals to digest and can cause pancreatitis. Yeast
dough can cause problems for pets, including painful gas and potentially
dangerous bloating. Quick action can save lives. If you believe your pet has
been poisoned or eaten something it shouldn't have, call your veterinarian or
local veterinary emergency clinic immediately. You may also want to call the
ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 1-888-426-4435. Signs of pet distress include:
sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting, or diarrhea.
Decorating
Greenery, lights and Christmas
trees can make the holidays festive, but they also pose risky temptations for
our pets. Christmas trees can tip over if pets climb on them or try to play
with the lights and ornaments. Consider tying your tree to the ceiling or a
doorframe using fishing line to secure it. Water additives for Christmas trees
can be hazardous to your pets. Do not add aspirin, sugar, or anything to the
water for your tree if you have pets in the house. Ornaments can cause hazards
for pets. Broken ornaments can cause injuries, and ingested ornaments can cause
intestinal blockage or even toxicity. Keep any homemade ornaments, particularly
those made from salt-dough or other food-based materials, out of reach of pets.
Tinsel and other holiday decorations also can be tempting for pets to eat.
Consuming them can cause intestinal blockages, sometimes requiring surgery.
Breakable ornaments or decorations can cause injuries. Electric lights can
cause burns when a curious pet chews the cords. Flowers and festive plants can
result in an emergency veterinary visit if your pet gets hold of them.
Amaryllis, mistletoe, balsam, pine, cedar, and holly are among the common
holiday plants that can be dangerous and even poisonous to pets who decide to
eat them. Poinsettias can be troublesome as well. The ASPCA offers lists of
plants that are toxic to dogs and cats. Candles are attractive to pets as well
as people. Never leave a pet alone in an area with a lit candle; it could
result in a fire. Potpourris should be kept out of reach of inquisitive pets.
Liquid potpourris pose risks because they contain essential oils and cationic
detergents that can severely damage your pet's mouth, eyes and skin. Solid
potpourris could cause problems if eaten.
Hosting parties and visitors
Visitors can upset pets, as can
the noise and excitement of holiday parties. Even pets that aren't normally shy
may become nervous in the hubbub that can accompany a holiday gathering. The
following tips will reduce emotional stress on your pet and protect your guests
from possible injury. All pets should have access to a comfortable, quiet place
inside if they want to retreat. Make sure your pet has a room or crate
somewhere away from the commotion, where your guests won't follow, that it can
go to anytime it wants to get away. Inform your guests ahead of time that you
have pets or if other guests may be bringing pets to your house. Guests with
allergies or compromised immune systems (due to pregnancy, disease, or
medications/ treatments that suppress the immune system) need to be aware of
the pets (especially exotic pets) in your home so they can take any needed
precautions to protect themselves. Guests with pets? If guests ask to bring
their own pets and you don't know how the pets will get along, you should
either politely decline their request or plan to spend some time acclimating
the pets to each other, supervising their interactions, monitoring for signs of
a problem, and taking action to avoid injuries to pets or people. Pets that are
nervous around visitors should be put it in another room or a crate with a
favorite toy. If your pet is particularly upset by houseguests, talk to your
veterinarian about possible solutions to this common problem. Exotic pets make
some people uncomfortable and may themselves be more easily stressed by
gatherings. Keep exotic pets safely away from the hubbub of the holidays. Watch
the exits. Even if your pets are comfortable around guests, make sure you watch
them closely, especially when people are entering or leaving your home. While
you're welcoming hungry guests and collecting coats, a four-legged family
member may make a break for it out the door and become lost. Identification
tags and microchips reunite families. Make sure your pet has proper
identification with your current contact information – particularly a microchip
with up-to-date, registered information. That way, if they do sneak out,
they're more likely to be returned to you. If your pet isn't already
microchipped, talk to your veterinarian about the benefits of this simple
procedure. Clear the food from your table, counters and serving areas when you
are done using them – and make sure the trash gets put where your pet can't
reach it. A turkey or chicken carcass or other large quantities of meat sitting
out on the carving table, or left in a trash container that is easily opened,
could be deadly to your family pet. Dispose of carcasses and bones – and
anything used to wrap or tie the meat, such as strings, bags and packaging – in
a covered, tightly secured trash bag placed in a closed trash container outdoors
(or behind a closed, locked door). Trash also should be cleared away where pets
can't reach it – especially sparkly ribbon and other packaging or decorative
items that could be tempting for your pet to play with or consume.
When you leave the house
Unplug decorations while you're
not around. Cats, dogs and other pets are often tempted to chew electrical
cords. Take out the trash to make sure your pets can't get to it, especially if
it contains any food or food scraps.
Holiday travel
Whether you take your pets with
you or leave them behind, take these precautions to safeguard them whenever
you're traveling. Learn more about traveling with pets. Interstate and
international travel regulations require any pet you bring with you to have a
health certificate from your veterinarian – even if you are traveling by car.
Learn the requirements for any states you will visit or pass through, and
schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to get the needed certificate
within the timeframes required by those states. Even Santa's reindeer need to
get health certificates for their annual flight around the world. Pets in
vehicles should always be safely restrained and should never be left alone in
the car in any weather. Proper restraint means using a secure harness or a
carrier, placed in a location clear of airbags. Never transport your pet in the
bed of a truck. If you're traveling by air and considering bringing your pet
with you, talk with your veterinarian first. Air travel can put some pets at
risk, especially short-nosed dogs. Your veterinarian is the best person to
advise you regarding your own pet's ability to travel. Pack for your pet as
well as yourself if you're going to travel together. In addition to your pet's
food and medications, this includes bringing copies of their medical records,
information to help identify your pet if it becomes lost, first aid supplies,
and other items. Refer to our Traveling with Your Pet FAQs for a more complete
list. Boarding your dog while you travel? Talk with your veterinarian to find
out how best to protect your pet from canine flu and other contagious diseases,
and to make sure your pet is up-to-date on vaccines.
^ These are very good tips to use
for your pets over the holidays. ^
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