Christmas, and all the December holidays, can be a very happy time for people and pets, if pet owners take care of the physical, emotional and mental well-being of their companions.
No vet wants to see their patients as sick visits or discharge papers from the emergency room the day after the holidays.
Follow these tips for more joy at Christmas and throughout the new year.
Food safety
In the kitchen while preparing food, keep pets away from food preparation areas. Onions, garlic, raisins, grapes, avocado skins and seeds, chocolate, and cooking fat/meat can cause severe pancreatitis and gastrointestinal problems and result in the death of a pet.
When pets are around, they often look for dropped food or trash from the sink or trash can. Even small amounts of toxic food, such as onions, cause life-threatening organ damage. Keeping pets out of food preparation areas is the best course of action.
Pets can also suffer injuries and burns when owners remove hot food from ovens and stoves. If hot liquids splash/splash on a pet’s fur, it usually takes up to a week to clear up. Be sure to take your pet to the ER immediately if this happens.
If your pet has ingested a possible poison, do not wait for symptoms of illness to contact a veterinarian. A quick call to the ASPCA pet toxicology phone number can often make the difference between life and death. Keep the ASPCA’s 24-hour poison line on your phone: 888-426-4435. Be sure to have a credit card ready for your phone consultation with veterinary toxicology experts.
Flower and plant survival
Many plants and flowers are poisonous to pets. Some, like Poinsettias, are mild poisons that cause gastrointestinal upset. Some plants, including lilies, are so poisonous that any part of the plant is fatal to cats. For a list of poisonous plants to avoid having in your home (with pictures), visit the ASPCA site:
- www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
- www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
Toy safety
Pet toy packaging (when pets eat food-smelling wrappers and cellophane) and the toys themselves can pose risks to pets. I do not recommend rope toys for pets, as foreign bodies in the intestines can become trapped in the intestines. If pets get rope toys, don’t let them play with them unsupervised. Throw away these types of toys if they tear or start to come loose.
Note that pet toys are not tested for toxins and heavy metals. Many pets can be allergic to rubber, dye and plastic in toys. Avoid giving your pets stuffed animals intended for children, as the stuffing can cause intestinal obstruction when consumed.
I recommend limiting the number of toys available to all pets, so you can track down missing or broken parts and dispose of damaged toys before they become dangerous.
Stress reduction
Stress from noise, visitors and lots of activity in a quiet home can result in physical pain for pets. Sometimes acute problems, such as diarrhea and stress colitis, occur within hours to days of stressful events.
Visitors who bring pets to holiday celebrations can also present subtle threats to pets at home. More serious effects of stress are increased cortisol levels, pancreatitis, inflammation and even the development of cancer.
Keep pets in a quiet area of the home when guests arrive. Play soft music, diffuse lavender and offer chew toys filled with treats.
If your pet is showing signs of hiding, yawning, drooling or bowing to visitors, keep them out of the action. And before the next holiday, talk to your vet about natural calming agents to keep everyone’s stress levels down.
Happy New Year to all readers!
Dr. Cynthia Maro is a veterinarian at Ellwood Animal Hospital in Ellwood City and Chippewa Animal Hospital in Chippewa Township. She writes a biweekly column on pet care and health issues. If you have a topic you’d like to address, email [email protected].
