Wishing Your Pet a Safe Holiday

We want to share the joy of the holidays with our furry babies. But some pet owners may not consider the risks to their dogs' safety – or they may not even know about the potential hazards.

Here are some important things to remember during the celebration to avoid an emergency veterinary visit!  

As much as we like to think we are giving our dogs a special treat, it is best not to give them table scraps. A dog does not digest and handle food the same as humans. Sometimes the foods can be too rich, spicy or toxic.   

It is especially important to keep your dog away from the following dangerous foods:

1. Onions, which can cause anemia (high levels of garlic can, too).

2. Grapes and raisins, which can cause renal failure!    

3. Chocolate.   

4. Bones (especially cooked and poultry bones).

5. Alcoholic beverages.

Watch the dogs and your decorations and gifts! As you know, when people come in, the dogs will sniff them, but these gifts are coming into your home also, so they will be curious about those as well. 

Sniffing is not a big problem, but chewing the ribbon and eating it is. This can get caught in the intestines. 

Keep electrical cords tucked away. Some dogs are chewers, and these cords tend to be something they enjoy chewing on; not to mention those dangling ornaments around. 

We all like candles around Christmas. They bring warmth and a nice aroma, but make sure they are away from your dog's tail, or the dog's play area. Lastly, if you have a live Christmas tree, don't let the dog drink the water from the base. It can make a pet sick.

Just a reminder from a previous article, keep collars and tags on your dogs. A microchip, collar and tags are the best option. You may feel it is a bit much, but this is your baby. You pet's safety is what we are talking about.

Kaiah, Grayson and I wish you and your furry family a safe and happy holiday.