How to protect your furry family members during the holidays.
This holiday season, while you’re busy decorating, cooking, and wrapping gifts, remember to watch out for holiday temptations for your pets.
If your dog receives a stocking full of pet treats, make sure he doesn’t gobble them all up at once. If he eats the treats whole or eats too many at once, he may not be able to digest them properly and could get sick.
When decorating your tree and wrapping or unwrapping gifts, keep a close eye on where you leave your leftover tinsel, string, and ribbons.
Your cat may find these decorations irresistible but they can cause serious stomach and intestinal damage if she eats them.
If you have holiday plants such as poinsettias, holly, or mistletoe, be careful. Your pet could get sick if he eats any of these plants. Resist the temptation to give your pet some of your holiday dinner.
Though it seems harmless, fatty foods like turkey skin, gravy, sausage stuffing or fat trimmed from meat can cause your pet to have gastrointestinal upset or an even more serious disease, pancreatitis.
Be careful about what you put in your trash can. Your dog may want to help herself to the leftover turkey carcass or steak bones.
These can seriously injure your dog’s gastrointestinal tract. Holiday celebrations are full of good treats for you, not for your pet.
Many pet owners already know that chocolate can be dangerous for dogs and cats. But you may not know that Xylitol, a type of sweetener can cause life-threatening issues for your pet.
Xylitol can be found in some sugar-free holiday treats like candy, chewing gum, and baked goods, as well as in some peanut butter. It can also be found in everyday personal hygiene products, like toothpaste and mouthwash.
If you think your dog has eaten chocolate or something containing Xylitol- consider it an emergency and call your vet immediately.
Finally, alcohol’s another no-no. Don’t forget your eggnog or hot buttered rum on the coffee table. They could cause some serious problems if your pet drinks them.
Remember these tips for keeping your furry family members safe.
I’m the owner of Avery’s Pet Styling Salon and Boutique. We offer comprehensive mobile pet grooming services for pet parents who want a professional pet grooming service to simplify their pet care decisions and enhance their lifestyle. I am also the owner of Avery’s Holistic Paws, the creator of Probiotic Dental Sticks for Dogs.
