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Keeping Pets Safe This Holiday Season
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Holiday Plants
If
your pet eats Poinsettia, he or she can get an upset
tummy. The same goes for
mistletoe and holly. The berries and leaves
are toxic. Some amounts can cause depression,
So, be pet safe and prevent a four-legged case of
holiday blues!
Chocolate
Keep
your home pet-proof by preventing access to this
holiday splurge. Don't be fooled by thinking a
little holiday wrapping and placement under a
Christmas tree will prevent Fido from helping himself to an early
holiday treat! Chocolate
contains the chemical theobromine which can lead to
tremors, arrhythmia and seizures. Just 4 to 5
ounces can be toxic to cats and dogs. This is
a holiday jitterbug you will want to avoid!
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52% of pet owners said they
planned to feed table scraps
to their pets during the
holiday season.
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Tinsel
and Ribbon
When cats chew on these decorations, strands can
ball up in the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract,
requiring surgery. Isn't this one holiday trip
you would prefer to skip? If using tinsel, keep it high and
make sure Felix doesn't learn to climb up and explore
this danger zone.
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CAUTION: If you feed
your pets table scraps,
be prepared for pets
stealing food from counters
and tables. This also
leads to dogs begging for
food from you on a regular
basis. Remember the
Lays Potato Chip commercial,
"Bet you can't eat just
one?" Your pet will
not understand that getting
table scraps was just a one
time treat. |
The
Christmas Tree
If
you add preservatives to the tree water and Fido
drinks it, he or she can suffer from vomiting and
diarrhea! Not only is this bad for Fido, you
don't need this
additional holiday clean-up and stress!
Holiday
E-Cards for Pet Lovers, click on...
www.jacquielawson.com
These tips were
provided to Reader's Digest by veterinarian, Allan
Paul of the University of Illinois College of
Veterinary Medicine.
Tips
from Reader's Digest, December 2005, page 206,
rd.com
