A Very Good Dog!
When your dog is being a very good dog, trying ever so hard to please YOU, the very good guardian, then perhaps a gift is in order! ‘Tis the season to remember everyone with a little something special so don’t leave the pooch out on this one.
Here are some great ideas for the holidays, Chanukah, Christmas, Kwaanza, New Years,…. ALL OF THEM! Have fun, Be careful and CELEBRATE with your Pets!
http://www.felinefido.com/store/WsPCollectionsDet.asp?ID=24&pID=5
These good folks at Feline Fido have THE BEST information for your dog’s safety during any season when you decorate like crazy. Please remember the following and whenever you see the word “Christmas” you can apply the ideas that might save your dog’s life with Solstice, the Festival of Lights, Chanukah, or the wonderful Kwaanza week of Community and Unity. JUST BE SAFE!
A few tips on keeping this holiday season safe for your dog or cat
Thirsty? Don’t drink the Christmas Tree Water! Christmas tree water may contain fertilizers and bacteria, which, if ingested, can upset the stomach. Many folks also put additives in their Christmas tree water in attempt to make the tree last longer. Many of these additives are very toxic to cats and dogs.
Don’t let pets stand under the mistletoe! While it’s very festive and indeed fun to add Holly or Mistletoe to your holiday decorating routine, keep in mind these plants can cause serious stomach upset and even cardiovascular problems for dog or cat. Try looking for an artificial plant, many are such good replicas you can’t tell the difference between an artificial plant and the real thing!
They are pretty, oh so pretty, but are they dangerous? Lilies are lovely this time of year and often used in holiday floral arrangements. Many commonly used varieties of lilies can cause kidney failure in cats.
Ooooh, Shiny! Tinsel and ribbon are just too hard to for dogs and cats to resist. What they don’t know, is that they can get lodged or twisted around the intestines and cause a serious intestinal obstruction. Dogs, puppies, cats and kittens are curious by nature, but be on the look out when you have kittens and tinsel in the same house. You may want to do without the glitter effect this year!
Glass Bauble Alert… Glass ornaments can pose an obvious risk for all pets. These fragile ornaments break very easily and if Fido runs off with one of these thinking he just scored a shiny new ball to play with, just imagine the catastrophe when he chomps onto a ball of glass. Cats and kittens are notorious for knocking ornaments off the tree, when these break they can get swallowed or lodged in paws.
Danger in Department 56: Your Christmas Village is another potential hazard, bright lights, piles of fluffy snow and lots of cords dangling from table tops are just too hard to resist. Please use caution when setting up your Christmas village. You may want to resist the urge to display bagged “snow” as this can cause serious problems for your pet if ingested. A white fabric drape would be better. Be sure to tie up cords to prevent them from being easily accessible for chewing; or as a surefire way to accidentally knock over your whole holiday town.
Don’t forget, it’s time to feed the dog. The Holidays are filled with long days and lots of last minute shopping trips, tack on the extra company in your house and this can be very stressful for your pets. Do your best to keep their regular routine the same. Try not to change timing of daily walks, feeding schedules, playtimes and (if applicable) medication administration.
Who are all these people, and why are they in my house? If you plan on having a large holiday gathering, try designating one room your dog or cat is familiar with for them to use as a safety zone. Strange people parading in and out of your home can be very intimidating for pets. Your guests may not be used to having to guard food, drinks and other hazardous items from a dog or cat – don’t put your pets at risk of accidentally eating toxic food and/or drink. Keep that kitty away from the eggnog!
Lastly, be sure that your guests are aware that you have pets in the house. Tacking up a kind reminder for family & friends to be mindful of your pets near frequently used doors is a good idea. Be sure your pet is wearing his or her holiday collar AND pet id tag. If your pets do happen to slip out during all the holiday cheer, they have a good chance of making a safe return home with up to date identification. It wouldn’t be very Merry if you lost your precious pet on Christmas Eve.
If you suspect that your pet has eaten a potentially toxic substance, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s emergency hotline 1-888-4-ANI-HELP for round the clock telephone assistance. For more information on poison prevention, visit http://www.napcc.aspca.org .
