How to Keep Your Pet Safe During the Holidays
The holiday season brings excitement for your whole family. Decorations, presents, food, guests, and tons of fun activities fill our Decembers to the brim. While all the fun makes the season special for humans, they are full of potential for pets who are curious, playful, or easily stressed.
Festive sights, sounds, smells, and activities may tempt pets into situations that could be harmful. To help ensure your celebrations stay joyful, here are some important tips for keeping pets safe and healthy this Christmas.
To help keep the season merry and safe, consider these tips:
1. With a nick-nack paddy whack…STOP before you hurt a critter! Singing the rhyme is fine, but giving bones is not. Bones can splinter, leading to dangerous blockages or internal injuries.
2. A Side of Gravy. Rich foods such as turkey skin, sausage, and gravy can trigger pancreatitis. Smaller breeds may be especially vulnerable, but any dog can be affected. Watch for sudden symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. For a list of food your dog can eat, go here.
3. Trash mouth. Some pets love to rummage, and meat drippings make baking bags, foil pans, and skewers irresistible. Keep garbage out of reach and dispose of it promptly to avoid trouble.
4. “Angels we have heard on high.” Place fragile or hazardous ornaments high on the tree, away from curious cats and playful puppies. Chewing on ornaments, lights, or tinsel can cause serious digestive issues. Use a cat repellent at the tree’s base and switch off lights when you’re not home.
5. Wrap it up. While wrapping gifts, keep ribbons and bows away from pets. If swallowed, they can cause intestinal blockages requiring emergency surgery.
6. Ya’ll come. Holiday gatherings bring new routines that may unsettle pets. Provide quiet space for cats, and ensure dogs still get their walks. Maybe a guest can help with that.
You and your pet are always a welcome sight at Town N Country, especially at Christmas when we see pets (and their families) dressed in festive attire. We’d rather not see you because of a holiday emergency, though!
So check this list, maybe even twice, and keep your pets safe, healthy, and happy this holiday season.
