Keep your furry family members safe this Holiday season

Captain Lizardo in the Tree

Remember this time of year, to keep an eye on your furry family members. There are many new and possibly unrealized dangers in your home during the holiday season. There are a lot of things in your household that can harm your pets; some you may not have thought of. In today's blog I will go over some of the things that can cause real distress and danger close to the holidays. Remember, you can always comment and ask questions and I will do my best to get you the answer. If you ever have an emergency, contact your local Veterinary Clinic, or Animal Emergency center Immediately.

Human food such as candy, cookies, pie, and table scraps can cause stomach upset and other serious internal problems. Even the tiniest of bites from your feast can cause your pet to feel very sick. An article at Texas A&M University website says, "According to Dr. Black, the following foods can be particularly dangerous to cats and dogs. 'These foods may not necessarily cause toxic reactions in every case of ingestion, but it's just a good 'rule of thumb' to keep these items off your kitchen counters and under no circumstances feed these foods to your pet,'  Black said."  Cakes, cookies, pies, chocolates, pork (especially bacon), grease, fat, grapes, raisins, sugar substitutes, onions, garlic, chives, macadamia nuts, and more can be very  toxic to your pets. (Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science Texas A&M University, 2012) Keep lots of "healthy to pets" treats around like Science Diet Pumpkin and Yam treats, or even carrots or green beans. My dogs love baby carrots.

The trash can contain many things that make pets sick. Tin foil, plastic, and other food storage items can cause blockages, injuries, bleeding, and other serious problems. Corks, twist ties, Rubber bands, string, safety seals, and many other things like tape, ribbon, and wrapping paper that you may throw away during the holiday season, and other times of the year can cause similar problems. Having these items surgically removed from your pet's stomach is very costly, and may if serious enough, result in death. 

Cooked bones can splinter and cause lacerations of the throat and stomach. They can also accumulate in the stomach or intestines and cause a blockage. This will cause your animal to no longer be able to eat, or drink. Most of these situations end in the need for procedures such as enemas, hospitalization, surgery to remove the blockage, euthanasia, or even death at home if left untreated. "Cooked bones can be very hazardous for your dog. Bones become brittle when cooked which causes them to splinter when broken. The splinters have sharp edges that have been known to become stuck in the teeth, caused choking when caught in the throat or caused a rupture or puncture of the stomach lining or intestinal tract." (Vitality Science.com Holistic Pet Remedies, 2012) Make sure to take the trash out and keep your pets safe. 

Many of you will say that you have always given your pets bones, or that your parents or grandparents fed these treats all the time. Before we had the means of figuring out what was causing these animals to get sick and die, we did not know the dangers or repercussions of bones. Now that we do, I am trying to help keep your pets safe from suffering an unnecessary fate.
Holiday plants can make your pets sick if they chew on or swallow them, as well as getting stuck in their throat or stomach. "Many Christmas plants including Mistletoe, Holly, Potpourri and Poinsettias are toxic, keep them out of your dogs reach and seek immediate veterinary advice if you think your pet has ingested."   (Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue Ltd, 2009)
Candles and other open flames can be knocked over easily by a pet, starting a house fire or burning them. Also, your pets can knock things into an open fireplace, or fall in themselves. Remember, wagging tails and jumping kitties are normal in your home, and the open flame is not.
Out of this world decorations, in particular ones that were once suitable for consumption by humans, such as; candy canes and sugar cookies, can be easily discovered by a curious nose. Tinsel, glass ornaments, and lights look exquisite, but holiday fun can turn to holiday horror if your pet chews on or swallows these objects. Also, remember to anchor your tree. Animals can get excited and knock them over causing a big mess or even injuries!
Lastly, please remember to keep your pets warm and dry in the winter. They deserve to be safe and cozy as they are part of your family too! Don't leave them out in the cold! More dogs and cats are lost and hurt during winter than any other season! In cold weather times, animals have more of a chance of swallowing salt or antifreeze, or becoming lost in the snow. Remember that sometimes no matter how many layers of clothes you are wearing, you can still be cold. Your pet is no different. Just because they are "wearing a fur coat", doesn't mean they are plenty warm.
You and your pets, have a safe and happy holiday season.

Works Cited

Endangered Dogs Defence and Rescue Ltd. (2009). Christmas Tips &. Retrieved 2012, from endangereddogs.com: http://www.endangereddogs.com/EDDRSeasonalAdvice.htm
Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science Texas A&M University. (2012). Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science Texas A&M Univercity. Retrieved 12 04, 2012, from Human Treats, Poison to Pets: http://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk/human-treats,-poison-to-pets
Vitality Science.com Holistic Pet Remedies. (2012). Bad Foods For Your Dogs. Retrieved 2012, from Vitalityscience.com: http://www.vitalityscience.com/v/articles/dog-poisons.asp