Pet Safety During the Holidays

The following content is from the American Veterinarian Medical Association and can be found in the attached article: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/holidays.aspx

Ah, it’s already that time of year again! Celebrating the holidays with family & friends is fun, but nothing can spoil good cheer like an unexpected emergency trip to your vet. Bill Roberts Custom Homes would like to share some tips to help keep your holiday season safe for your pets. No one can plan for an emergency because they are unpredictable and unwanted. We do however have the wonderful ability to plan ahead and see when things can pose a potential danger. These tips help you to be prepared for an emergency that may happen. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has helped to give us some great advice for us and our little fuzzy friends.

Have a Plan

The first step to help an unwanted emergency that the AVMA brought out is before one ever starts have a list of numbers. This way you’ll always know exactly where to take your beloved pet whatever hour it may be. Here is the list of numbers they mentioned to have:

• Your Vet’s Number
• 24/7 Emergency Vet Number
• ASPCA Poison Control Hotline: 1-888-426-4435

Poisonous Food

We all know some very common foods that are poisonous, but we want to make sure that we cover all of them that are most tempting to feed your pet. In our minds it may not seem like it would be bad for your pets at all but their reaction to is says otherwise. The AVMA list several foods to be on guard of when it comes to your pet sniffing them out.

• Chocolate – Most of us are aware that chocolate is not good for dogs and cats. However, most families have chocolate in the house, especially during the holiday season. You’ll want to be vigilant as to where you place these delicious treats.
• Sweet Treats – The health kick these days often times involves a substitute for sugar. A main substitute for sugar that people use is xylitol. It can be found in candy and chewing gum as well. The AVMA said that this sweetener has a connection to liver failure and death in dogs.
• Turkey and its Skin – This is a delicious treat for us and many dogs think so too. The AVMA brings out that it “can cause a life-threatening condition in pets known as pancreatitis”.
• Table Scraps – These are other treats that can cause pancreatitis because of their high levels of fats. They have said to be especially careful to not feed them “onions, raisins and grapes”.

Decorations

Who doesn’t like to decorate their new Bill Roberts home with festive greenery, lights, and a beautiful Christmas tree covered in ornaments and lights. Decorations can pose risky temptations for our pets. Here are some of the tips that the AVMA brought out.

• Christmas Trees – Often families put water additives in their tree. AVMA says to “not add aspirin, sugar, or anything to the water for your tree if you have pets in the house”.
• Ornaments – These are among the most common decorations on Christmas trees but can break easily when dropped. This causes a potential hazard of being ingested, causing intestinal blockage and toxicity. The AVMA brings out to “keep any handmade ornaments, particularly those made from salt-dough or other food-based materials, out of reach of pets”.
• Tinsel – These decorations are particularly enticing to cats because they are something shiny to chase. However, your dog may just as well want to eat them. This has the potential to cause intestinal blockage that may require surgery to remove.
• Plants – Mistletoe and holly are among the many plant decorations used during the holiday season. When these are ingested though they can have serious effects on your dog or cat. The AVMA has a complete list of the plants that are toxic to cats and dogs.

We love pets so make sure to take precautions this holiday season when decorating your home! For more information on the dangers of hosting holiday parties and holiday travel to your pet, please visit the AVMA website. Bill Roberts Custom Homes can install pet doors and other special amenities for your furry friends, in any new home. Come visit our model homes in Camden Park to learn about our other communities to custom build or select a move in ready home. Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!