Holiday Pet Safety Tips

The holidays are usually seen as time to be spent with family and friends, feasting on the wonderful food that we prepare.  Our pets feel the excitement and salivate with aromatic smells of cooking food, too.

Please don’t be tempted to feed the “table scraps” to Fido as you may be headed to the emergency vet as Fido is experiencing a potential acute pancreatic attack or a bone piercing his intestines. Not fun!

Here are some very simple safety rules to follow during the holiday season that will keep your pets safe:

• No cooked bones! Cooked bones are brittle and can puncture stomachs and intestines.
• No fatty foods! There are too many instances where people think they are doing their pet a favor by feeding high fat content food and “scraps” from the holiday dinner table. High fat foods can cause acute pancreatitis, which is very painful.  Bloody diarrhea and restlessness are just a couple cues that will ensure an emergency visit to the vet.
• No sweet or spicy food!
• No access to counter surfaces!
• Keep garbage cans well secured.
• No pets in the kitchen. This will prevent you tripping over them and spilling hot gravy on them.
• Be aware of your pet’s ability or inability to adjust to new people and other people’s visiting pets. All this is stressful for them – and you. Provide a safe haven for them that will keep them safe and out of trouble. 
• Supervise visiting children. You pet does not know them and they do not know your pet’s little habits that you’ve become comfortable living with and take for granted. They may not heed the pet’s warning to stay away which could escalate into a bite. Avoid a confrontation by providing a safe haven or constant supervision.  

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday!