Holiday Safety for Pets

Holidays can be a time of great joy for the family but also disaster for your pet. Pretty lights, plants, food, guests, candy, and costumes – all can spell danger for your furry companion. Though we may get caught up in the festivities of the various holiday seasons, we must stop and consider our pets. Take a moment to plan for issues and make every holiday safe and sane for all. Let's take a bit and look at the major Holidays and what to look out for. I'll start with the beginning of the year and work to the end.

New Year's

Parties, champagne, streamers, food… Sounds like fun for a human. But alcohol can be deadly for your pet in far less amounts than for you. Uncle Al's habit of getting the dog drunk every New Year's is a very bad thing. Parties in your house can be very stressing for a pet. Make sure he is safely in another room with a radio on softly and with plenty of toys.

Check on him occasionally to make sure he is OK. Plastic streamers and decorations if ingested can cause intestinal damage. Gorging on food can lead to stomach upsets or even bloat. Keep the wild party for you and let your dog rest!

Easter

Cute bunnies and chicks, all that chocolate and plastic grass abound. Chocolate can kill dogs. Theobromine is the substance in chocolate that is toxic. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. The smaller the dog, the less it takes for a toxic affect. Other candies can cause stomach upsets, vomiting and diarrhea. Plastic grass can cause intestinal damage.

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