Holidays are about being inclusive, regardless of your affluence or religion. Often those who we want to include the most in our festivities are our pets, and who better? Your pets have loved you all year, kept by your side, waited every day for you to get home, and snuggled with you in bed (sometimes!). But the holidays bring unnecessary risks to our pets too. Love stocking up on chocolates to eat by the fire? So does your chocolate lab! Love the way that tinsel looks on your Christmas tree? Your cat finds it delectable! Does that glazed ham smell divine with all the drippings? Your poodle agrees! Let’s go over some ways to celebrate a fun holiday season while still keeping safe and healthy:
1. Place that tree in a tree stand!
Mittens sees that Christmas tree and his primitive instincts reawaken–the inner jaguar in him would love to climb that tree and look at his subjects below. Trees can fall and smash our pets lying beneath (or within) them; make sure your tree is securely fastened as to not cause trauma to your pets!
2. Tinsel and cats do not get along.
Socks loves stringy things. Socks loves sparkly things. Socks loves the tinsel decorating your house. Unfortunately Socks can get overexuberant in hunting that tinsel and swallow it–causing a foreign body blockage to occur in his intestines. Save Socks a trip to the vet and yourself an expensive surgical bill and refrain from using tinsel in a cat household.
3. Human food is for humans.
Sharing is caring, but sharing your holiday roast beast with Fluffy and Buddy can cause vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomachs, and pancreatitis. It is best to give your pet a special dog or cat treat to indulge in during the holidays. Think if you ate bland potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all year and then someone offered you a seasoned flank steak dripping in gravy? Your taste buds would love it, but later your body would not!
4. Parties aren’t for all animals.
Even if you are a party animal, your animal may not be. Provide Max a safe retreat to escape all those holiday guests and commotion. Allow your cats to hide out in your bedroom. Move your dog bed to a quiet area of the house. Dramatic changes in lifestyle can cause anxiety in our pets. If you are worried there is too much activity and chaos for your pets during the holidays, you can always consider boarding them with us.
Hopefully these tips help make your holidays wonderful! Woodland Veterinary Hospital will be excited to see you in 2015!