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Don’t Forget Your Pets During the Holidays!

October 20th, 2009

October usually means that the holidays are upon us. Many traditions, decorations and parties get planned and executed throughout October, November and December.

This also provides your pets with new objects to sink their teeth into. Remember to ensure your pet’s safety this holiday season with these top tips. Your pet will love you even more when they are safe and sound.

1. Planning a Halloween party? It’s fun to decorate the home with scary things and eerie sounds, but how does that affect your pet? If you are putting out Halloween decorations, be sure your pet is not the one that gets the pee scared out of him! Trick or Theaters are just the beginning – think about your doorbell and how many times it will ring on Halloween. The constant ringing of the doorbell and people coming and going can cause some pets to become stressed out, and stressed out pets can be unpredictable, run out the door or even lash out at people. The neighborhood kids can be cute in their costumes, but to your pet, they are unrecognizable, so be careful even with even familiar neighborhood kids. You may want to move your pet to another room during the party or trick or treat time, give them a treat to chew on or turn the TV on to distract them from the door. If you know your dogs stresses around crowds, consider day camp or overnight boarding. This gives you peace of mind that your pet is taken care of while you can focus on your guests.
2. We all pig out during the holidays, right? Well, just as over-eating turkey & dressing, potatoes and pumpkin pie can upset your stomach, feeding your pets table scraps can also make them sick. Too much fatty foods can be detrimental to your pets, such as pancreatitis in dogs and can make cats vomit easily. In addition, animal bones from dinner can be a tempting but potentially deadly treat. Everyone has heard this before, but NEVER let dogs or cats eat chocolate. It contains theobromine that is extremely toxic to pets. Even though the amount of chocolate varies that can be harmful depends on your pet’s size and how much it consumes, small pets can die from eating too much chocolate. It’s simple, do not feed your pet chocolate and keep it out of reach. If you pet does ingest chocolate, contact your veterinarian or local emergency clinic immediately.
3. The smell of a fresh Christmas tree is great during the holidays. It can also be a great tree for your dog to relieve himself on or a fun climb for your cat! Placing the tree in an area your pets can’t get to will help to preserve the beauty of your tree and the health of your little ones. If not, try to create barriers around the tree and always supervise your pets when they are near it. Halloween, Hanukkah, and Christmas often mean candles will be burning in the home. If the Festival of Lights fills your home, make sure to keep your pets away from your menorah. A jumping cat or waging tail can knock candles over and easily start a fire during your Hanukkah or Kwanzaa celebrations. Never leave burning candles unsupervised when pets are near.
4. The Christmas tree is not the only thing to be careful with. All the decorations that go along with it can have potentially dangerous consequences for your pet. Tinsel or popcorn on a string looks especially inviting to cats and dogs. While cats are less likely to eat a glass ornament, some dogs may think it is a ball and chomp down on it, ending up with a mouthful of glass. If this happens, call your nearest veterinarian or local emergency clinic immediately. Don’t forget about all the live plants that make the holidays special. Poinsettias, mistletoe, holly and amaryllis plants can be toxic to pets, so let your pets admire those plants from afar.
5. The holidays can also mean cold weather….. brrr! Keep your pets safe and warn during the season. Dogs’ paws are extremely sensitive to the cold. If there is ice or snow, booties are a way to protect them from the elements. If your dog doesn’t like booties, make sure to wash your dog’s paws after they have been outside to get any ice that may have collected between their toes. Cats like warm places and what better place than uner the hood of a car! If your cat has access to the garage or you have outside cats, make sure to check your automobile for sleeping cats before you start the engine. If your pets are normally outside and you bring them in during cold weather, keep in mind the change in air and humidity, which can dry out a pet’s coat. Brushing your pet more often will keep their coats clean and shiny.

The holidays are a wonderful time of year filled with family, friends and get togethers. Make sure your pets are included in a safe and appropriate way with treats, toys and most of all, love. Being prepared can prevent mishaps and trips to the vet’s office. However you chose to celebrate the holidays, we hope you have a dog-gone good time!

This article was written by Stacey Copeland, owner and operator of Camp Bow Wow and Home Buddies SWDallas located at 519 U.S. Highway 67 in Duncanville, TX. Camp Bow Wow is the Premier Dog Daycare & Overnight Camp, also providing in-home pet services. For more information, contact Stacey at 972-296-WOOF.

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K9 Cuisine is a provider of premium dog food. We’re committed to providing our customers with the knowledge, and the products, to help their faithful friends be the best they can be.

Tags: christmas, cold weather, halloween, holiday safety, pet safety
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