Holiday dangers for pets
| Pets |
By LeRae Haynes
Your pet is not likely to contract H1N1, according to Animal Health Technologist at Williams Lake Veterinary Hospital Becky Telfer, but there are many more common things to watch out for during the holiday season.
She said that one of the biggest dangers to pets during the winter is antifreeze. Whether it has leaked into a puddle in the driveway or is sitting in an open container in the garage, antifreeze constitutes a serious health risk to your cat or dog.
“It tastes sweet and, depending on the size of the pet, can cause serious symptoms within about an hour,” Becky explained. “A single teaspoon can be deadly to a cat, and less than four teaspoons can be deadly for a 10 lb dog.”
She explained that the animal can have seizures, kidney failure and a complete collapse after drinking antifreeze, and that treatment is successful depending on how much the pet ingested and on how quickly the owner brings it in.
Another real danger to pets during the holiday season is chocolate. “It can be toxic to pets, depending on their size and how much they eat,” she continued. “It causes vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, hyper-activity and death.”
The dangerous ingredient in chocolate is theobromine: the darker the chocolate, the more dangerous is it for pets. “Give your dog any vegetable, a piece of kibble from a treat jar on the counter, or a healthy dog ‘cookie’ that will clean his teeth, instead,” she said.
“Don’t let them drink the water in the container under the Christmas tree,” she cautioned, “and watch out for ribbon and tinsel for cats---they play with it and swallow it and it gets tangled up in their guts.”
She said that it’s important to keep pets from chewing from Christmas tree light cords, that Poinsettia plants can be highly irritable if chewed, and added that a holiday meal can present dangers to pets, too.
“There are much better things to give your dog than leftovers like turkey and ham fat and gravy,” she explained. “Too much fat kills their pancreas---give them a Brussels sprout and a piece of brown turkey instead.”
Other winter tips included a warm place out of the wind to sleep for dogs tied up in the backyard, making sure that if you walk your dog along the road, he doesn’t lick road salt off his paws.
“Don’t leave your dog in the car when it’s cold,” she said, “and check under the hood before you start your vehicle—if your vehicle is warm, your cat may be curled up inside.”
For more information about how to keep your pets healthy and happy for the holidays and throughout the season, visit www.veterinarypartner.com
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