The holiday season has officially arrived. Now is the time of hustle and bustle getting ready for holiday parties and gifts. While spending time with friends and family, including our four-legged companions, we need to be on our mistle-‘toes’ to make sure we stay on top of safety hazards to keep our holidays bright.
This time of year we must be very careful to keep on the lookout for any Antifreeze Spills. While sweet tasting to pets, Antifreeze is very deadly to those that have ingested it and requires immediate medical attention. If you think your pet has stepped in it, wash the paws with soap and water. Thoroughly clean up any spills that occur immediately and keep bottles out of reach of pets.
Salt and ice can get caked into fur and paws, so wipe your pet’s paws and belly when they come in from frigid or icy weather.
Holiday decorations may look good to us, but they are often too tempting for pets to leave alone. Swallowing glass, metal, ribbons, and tinsel, to name just a few, can lead to serious medical emergencies, and even death. Snow globes and artificial snow also contain chemicals that can be harmful to pets if ingested.
The festive holiday plants ivy, holly, mistletoe, hibiscus, poinsettia, lilies, and Christmas greens may be toxic to pets that eat them. So make sure they are up and out of reach of little mouths and paws.
The holiday commotion of parties may frighten your pet and cause them to run away. Designate a secure quiet room for your pets to get away from the crowd and noise. Make sure your pets are wearing a collar with a current ID tag on it, in the event they do run away. You can also have your pets microchipped for a permanent identification that can’t be lost or taken off.
Lastly there are those pets that want to be in on all the holiday feasting going on at the party. Fatty holiday meats can cause a number of gastrointestinal problems, while bones can cause bowel obstructions or choking. And remember just as with Halloween, holiday chocolates are not to be on the good dog or cat list! Try looking online for some pet- friendly treats that you and the kids can make. This way the whole family can join in helping your pet share in the fun of the holiday season feast.
And once you’ve all eaten more than you should have and are feeling guilty, try taking a walk with your pet (those that go out on a leash) to burn off some of those extra calories, in the crisp winter air. You can take a shorter walk than you would in the summer and still burn off almost as many calories, because your bodies burn more calories in the winter just to keep warm. So less can be more!
From all of us here at Lyndhurst Animal Clinic, have a Wonderful, Joyous and Safe holiday season!
