Holidays Pose Extra Risk To Pets

With the holidays comes an increased risk to your pets well-being. This time of year, your pet’s environment is changing constantly and things that might not normally happen (being fed table scraps, for example) are more likely to happen. Dinners, parties, and family visits bring new people into your pet’s environment and these people may not be aware of the risks that common objects or foods can pose to your pets. Here are some suggestions to help keep your pets safe this holiday season:

• Let guests know the rules concerning your pets. If you let guests know what is and is not acceptable when it comes to your pet, you decrease the risk of your guests doing something that could harm your pet. Don’t just assume that because they have a pet they’ll know what is good or bad for yours.
• Don’t share table scraps with pets. Many common foods which people eat can cause serious harm to pets. Raisins and grapes are known to cause renal failure in dogs. Macadamia nuts can cause short-term hind-limb paralysis and chocolate can harm the central nervous system, heart, and kidneys.
• Keep holiday plants away from pets. Many of these plants are known to be poisonous to animals, such as lilies, holly, amaryllis, and mistletoe. Don’t worry about the poinsettias, though. Once thought to be poisonous, poinsettias have proven to be benign.

If you think your pet has ingested something which may be hazardous to their health, contact your veterinarian or animal emergency hospital IMMEDIATELY!