Celebrating the holidays with your pets is fun but be sure to take precautions.
We all like to include our dogs, cats and birds in our holiday celebrations but beware—some foods are poisonous to animals.Onions, garlic, raisins and grapes can actually be deadly. Chocolate, especially Bakers chocolate, and Xylitol, an artificial sweetener used in gum and in some baked goods, are extremely dangerous if ingested by pets.
We love the turkey and ham but don’t give in to those sad eyes!! Be sure to dispose of table scraps out of your pet’s reach since food high in fat can lead to pancreatitis, which can be very serious and lead to hospitalization.
Frosty and Rudolph love silver and gold but holiday decorations including some plants can be harmful, lilies are deadly to cats. Pinecones, pine needles, tinsel and ribbon (irresistible to cats!), if ingested can cause intestinal blockages and/or perforations. Also keep candles up where tails and noses will not knock them over or get burned.
It is important to give your pet a safe, quiet place to escape to during the festivities. Especially, if your pet is shy around a lot of people and noise. Make sure your pet is wearing an id tag or has a microchip in case of accidental escapes.
Keep your veterinarian’s phone number handy in case of emergencies. A good website for information on poisonous food and plants: www.aspca.org/pet-care/.
