Help Your Pets Enjoy Holiday Season
Keep Pets Safe Around Decorations
There's no place like (a safe) home for the holidays. In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it's easy to forget that the festivities can be stressful and even dangerous for pets. Here are some helpful and useful tips on making sure pets stay safe and healthy.
Deck the halls with tape and cord covers, fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la.
Holiday lights also mean extra cords and plugs. To household pets, these items can be quite tempting "chew toys." Taking an extra minute or two during decorating to tape down or cover cords will help prevent shocks, burns or more serious injuries.
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how anchored are your branches.
Secure Christmas trees to keep them from crashing to the ground when a good game of doggie wrestling gets going. Anchoring the top of the tree to the ceiling with a strong cord will help keep it in place around frolicking pets. Keep tinsel decorations high on the tree. Cats are inclined to eat tinsel hanging from trees, with the potential for causing an intestinal obstruction.
Rockin' around the Christmas tree, have a place to hide away.
During holiday parties, pets may not understand why their usually quiet home is now full of people and noise. Provide pets with a quiet place to retreat. This way, they can choose whether to come out and visit or not, helping them be more at ease.
I'll be home for Christmas, if I have an ID.
Keep an eye on pets when doors are opening and closing frequently. And, all pets should wear ID tags because they easily can slip out in all of the commotion.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ... are for people.
Pet parents often think they're "treating" their pets with table scraps from their holiday meals. The danger, say veterinarians, is that dogs do not have the same digestive system or nutritional needs as people. Products like turkey-flavored rawhide are made especially for pets, and make a safe, appropriate holiday treat.
Chocolate contains the heart stimulant theobromine, and in small quantities, can be toxic to dogs and cats, causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, rapid and irregular heartbeats, muscle tremors, comas and, in large quantities, even death.
Oh by gosh, by golly, don't let them eat mistletoe and holly.
Mistletoe and holly berries, as well as poinsettia plants, can be poisonous to pets, causing severe upset stomachs. Pine needles can puncture holes in a pet's intestine, causing a need for an emergency visit to the vet. Repellent sprays help keep pets away from areas and objects that may cause them harm.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful. With a sweater on, I'm just delightful.
For the most part, pets should stay warm and indoors during the cold winter months. Smaller dogs may not adjust as well to the weather change, so pet parents may consider heating pads or sweaters to keep their pets comfortable. Pet parents can ask their vet for good ideas on "winterizing" pets.
Over the river and through the woods ... for families and pets on the go.
Pet parents boarding pets during the holiday travel season should look for facilities that are clean, with a friendly staff and precise policies on health and safety issues. Visit the facility ahead of time, meet the staff, check the cleanliness, and confirm that the facility has 24-hour supervision and an on-call vet. Make sure pets are current on all required vaccinations before scheduling the boarding visit.
For pet parents traveling with their pets, research can be done in advance to find hotels that accept pets. AAA offers a travel guidebook with this information. Many products are available to keep pets safe in the car, including car harnesses and barriers for SUVs that keep pets in the back of the vehicle. For air travel, there are several different kinds of airline-approved carriers and crates.
Because travel can be a stressful experience, always have plenty of water available for pets. High stress levels and little water can accelerate dehydration. If your pet is unusually anxious, talk to your vet about either prescription or over-the-counter relaxants, to keep him or her calm for the trip.
Whether you're staying at home playing host to friends and neighbors this season, or traveling across country to spend the holiday with loved ones, your family's health and safety is important. Following these tips will help keep your four-legged family member safe and healthy, too.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how anchored are your branches.
Secure Christmas trees to keep them from crashing to the ground when a good game of doggie wrestling gets going. Anchoring the top of the tree to the ceiling with a strong cord will help keep it in place around frolicking pets. Keep tinsel decorations high on the tree. Cats are inclined to eat tinsel hanging from trees, with the potential for causing an intestinal obstruction.
Rockin' around the Christmas tree, have a place to hide away.
During holiday parties, pets may not understand why their usually quiet home is now full of people and noise. Provide pets with a quiet place to retreat. This way, they can choose whether to come out and visit or not, helping them be more at ease.
I'll be home for Christmas, if I have an ID.
Keep an eye on pets when doors are opening and closing frequently. And, all pets should wear ID tags because they easily can slip out in all of the commotion.
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire ... are for people.
Pet parents often think they're "treating" their pets with table scraps from their holiday meals. The danger, say veterinarians, is that dogs do not have the same digestive system or nutritional needs as people. Products like turkey-flavored rawhide are made especially for pets, and make a safe, appropriate holiday treat.
Chocolate contains the heart stimulant theobromine, and in small quantities, can be toxic to dogs and cats, causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures, rapid and irregular heartbeats, muscle tremors, comas and, in large quantities, even death.
Oh by gosh, by golly, don't let them eat mistletoe and holly.
Mistletoe and holly berries, as well as poinsettia plants, can be poisonous to pets, causing severe upset stomachs. Pine needles can puncture holes in a pet's intestine, causing a need for an emergency visit to the vet. Repellent sprays help keep pets away from areas and objects that may cause them harm.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful. With a sweater on, I'm just delightful.
For the most part, pets should stay warm and indoors during the cold winter months. Smaller dogs may not adjust as well to the weather change, so pet parents may consider heating pads or sweaters to keep their pets comfortable. Pet parents can ask their vet for good ideas on "winterizing" pets.
Over the river and through the woods ... for families and pets on the go.
Pet parents boarding pets during the holiday travel season should look for facilities that are clean, with a friendly staff and precise policies on health and safety issues. Visit the facility ahead of time, meet the staff, check the cleanliness, and confirm that the facility has 24-hour supervision and an on-call vet. Make sure pets are current on all required vaccinations before scheduling the boarding visit.
For pet parents traveling with their pets, research can be done in advance to find hotels that accept pets. AAA offers a travel guidebook with this information. Many products are available to keep pets safe in the car, including car harnesses and barriers for SUVs that keep pets in the back of the vehicle. For air travel, there are several different kinds of airline-approved carriers and crates.
Because travel can be a stressful experience, always have plenty of water available for pets. High stress levels and little water can accelerate dehydration. If your pet is unusually anxious, talk to your vet about either prescription or over-the-counter relaxants, to keep him or her calm for the trip.
Whether you're staying at home playing host to friends and neighbors this season, or traveling across country to spend the holiday with loved ones, your family's health and safety is important. Following these tips will help keep your four-legged family member safe and healthy, too.
Courtesy of ARA Content
