Happy
Holidays with your Pets
November
and December are traditionally a time for holiday parties and large get-togethers and meals, and many feel tempted to
share the feast with our furrier loved ones. Most vets and experts recommend against that, the reason being that many table
foods are too fatty for the digestive systems of most animals, can lead to severe stomach upsets, & can occasionally
even trigger possibly fatal pancreatic inflammation.
Below
are some guidelines for that, plus a few holiday-specific safety reminders to keep your holidays happy and fun.
To keep
your pets safe this season, please look over the following suggestions:
Never give your pets chicken or turkey bones. Chicken and
turkey bones can splinter and puncture the stomach or intestines.
Don’t
fill up your pets bowl with fatty table scraps. If you do share some, remember rice and vegetables are a better choice than
lots of meats or sweets.
Never
give chocolate to your pets; it can be toxic.
Keep
an eye on the holday table and make sure to put garbage into tightly covered cans.
Call your vet if your pet shows signs of stomach upset - diarrhea or vomiting - or if you know
your pet has gotten into a large amount of table food.
Don't feed your pets
duck, venison, pork or veal due to the high fat content. Spicy foods can also cause an upset stomach.
Holly,
mistletoe and poinsettia plants are poisonous. Make sure they are kept in places your pets cannot reach.
Both live and artificial tree needles are sharp and
indigestible, so try to keep them off the floor if your pet takes an interest in them.
Check
for evidence of chewing on the electrical cords. Pets who chew them and could get shocked or electrocuted. Hide cords
out of reach, or invest in cord covers if you have habitual cord chewers.
