Maple Veterinary Hospital

 

Holiday Do’s and Don’ts

  

General Tips
  Stick as closely as possible to your normal routine. Try not to vary your dog’s and cat's feeding, walking, and playtime schedule. On days when you must change routine, taking a few minutes for belly rubs or some extra hugs will help.
  If you host a party, remember that some guests may be uncomfortable around dogs. Your cat or dog may, in turn, be uncomfortable or frightened around a large group of unfamiliar people. You may want to confine him in a crate or a room that will not be used by guests. Otherwise, keep him by your side, or with another family member, to keep him from getting into trouble or underfoot.
Fire/fireplaces: ashes, popping wood, fire/color salts can cause bronchial irritation, burns, skin irritation, digestive distress; color salts are moderately toxic if ingested.

Tip: Keep fire screen in front of fireplace while in use. Use second screen on floor-level, below hearth to keep dog and cat further away from sparks. When coals are cool, thoroughly clean fireplace and close tightly with glass or metal doors.
  Gulping down food and water, followed by running or vigorous activity and over-eating, combined with excitement or anxiety can cause bloat. Bloat is a deadly gastric condition that Is usually associated with large breeds, but smaller dogs can also become victims.
Even with the best of care, some accidents are unavoidable and pets sometimes become ill. You probably have your veterinarian's phone number handy, but will they be there on holidays or holiday weekends?

Know the location of the nearest veterinary emergency hospital.   The Maple Veterinary Hospital after-hours phone recording will provide you with emergency phone numbers.  Our website also lists emergency numbers.  A little foresight might help your pet survive a holiday accident—or prevent one from ever occurring.
  Keep a pet first aid kit in your home, containing at minimum: gauze to wrap wounds, adhesive tape for bandages, nonstick bandage pads to protect wounds or control bleeding, towels and cloth, a large syringe without needle or an eyedropper (to give oral treatments), 3% hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting, Pepto-Bismol for nausea, and Kaopectate to treat diarrhea. Be sure to get the advice of your veterinarian or local poison control center before inducing vomiting or treating an animal for poisoning. A standard, home first aid kit can be used to treat minor injuries. Your veterinarian will advise you what to do or if treatment in the clinic is needed. First aid and the recommended first aid kit are not a substitute for veterinary treatment. However, knowing basic first aid could help save your pet's life. Sport_Dog_Orange.jpg
  Take a little extra time to include your pet in your holidays plans.  Think about the special traditions you have and how they might affect your pet. 
Thanksgiving
  Turkey bones can pose a choking hazard for dogs. Do not give turkey bones to your dog. Likewise, ribs, chops and other poultry bones are the worst, but all bones can cause choking, and life-threatening obstruction or perforation of a dog's or cat's intestinal tract. Also make sure your guests are aware of this!

Keep an eye on the holiday table and secure leftovers and garbage to prevent your pet from foraging among the holiday foods.

  
Christmas

     

Holly, mistletoe and poinsettia plants are poisonous to dogs and cats. Make sure they are kept in places your pet cannot reach. Remember to pick up any leaves, blooms and berries that have fallen and remove any withered or dried matter that might soon fall off. Poinsettias were once thought to be highly poisonous. The toxicity of poinsettias is actually quite low but ingesting the leaves or flowers can cause stomach upset and skin, eye and mucous membrane irritation. The berries of some varieties of holly are toxic. They can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and possible central nervous system depression. If berries are ingested, induce vomiting as soon as possible and seek medical attention. Certain varieties of mistletoe contain toxins that can cause stomach and intestinal irritation, diarrhea, and a decrease in blood pressure and pulse. Some veterinarians recommend that vomiting be induced following ingestion of mistletoe leaves, stems, or berries. Christmas cactus and amaryllis bulbs are also toxic. If you think your pet may have eaten parts of a toxic plant, call your veterinarian. Even normally non-toxic plants can make a pet sick if they've recently been sprayed with chemical pesticides. Possible symptoms are excessive salivation, runny nose, watery eyes, skin rash, breathing or swallowing difficulties, vomiting or convulsions.

  Do not put lights on the lower branches of your tree. They may get very hot and burn your pet.  Also, cats frequently get tangled in the tree lights which can cause the cat to panic and knock over your decorated Christmas tree.

Watch out for electrical cords. Pets often try to chew them and get badly shocked or electrocuted. Place them out of reach. Tip: Run through PVC piping, cover the wires, or secure wires to floor, place them behind or beneath heavy furniture.

  
 

Avoid glass ornaments, which break easily and may cut your pet’s feet or mouth.

 

Keep other ornaments off the lower branches; if your dog or cat chews or eats an ornament, he can be made sick by the materials or paint.

 

Do not use edible ornaments, or cranberry or popcorn strings. Your pet may knock the tree over in an attempt to reach them.

 

Unless it's specifically labeled non-toxic and safe for use around pets, don't use spray-on snows or flocking on a Christmas tree. They are respiratory irritants when inhaled and they can cause stomach upset if ingested.

 

Both live and artificial tree needles are sharp and indigestible—they can cause both gastrointestinal upset and pain, as well as interfering with housetraining. Keep your tree blocked off (with a playpen or other "fence") or in a room that is not accessible to your pet.

 

Use a sturdy tree stand. Use thin green craft wire or heavy fishing line to anchor a very large tree to a wall or ceiling to prevent it from tipping over.  Dogs may jump on the tree and cats may climb inside the tree causing the tree to tip. 

 

Don't add aspirin or chemical preservatives to your tree's water. These additives can be harmful to your pet if it drinks the tree's water.  Use a heavy tree skirt to cover the tree stand. Be extra mindful of always having water in your pet's bowl to discourage drinking water from the Christmas tree.

 

Tinsel can be dangerous for dogs and cats. It may obstruct circulation if it wraps around a paw and, if swallowed, it may block the intestines.  Obstruction of the intestines is an emergency situation that requires surgery.

Keep burning candles under glass or place them on high tables or mantels, out of the way of your dog’s wagging tail or your cats curious whiskers. Besides the obvious fire danger, spilled hot wax can burn skin. Never leave lighted candles unattended. Extinguish all lighted candles before leaving the house, even for a few minutes.

 

Review canine holiday gifts for safety. Small plastic toys or bones may pose choking hazards.  Dogs and cats love to play with ribbon and cords.  If they eat the ribbon, an emergency surgery may be necessary to get the ribbon out of the intestines.

 

Your pet may want to investigate wrapped packages; keep them out of reach. Especially don't leave gifts of food under a Christmas tree, before or after presents have been opened. An animal can smell things that you cannot. Whether its pet treats, a box of chocolates, or a tray of meat and cheese, they know when a wrapped package contains food.

 

Put toys away after they are opened. Have children put new toys and games, including all the small pieces, back in their boxes. Chewing on small toys can cause choking and intestinal obstruction. (In addition to making a child very unhappy because new toys are ruined.)

 

Keep highly magnetic toys away from dogs and cats.  If your pet swallows super-magnets, they may stick to each other in the abdomen with abdominal tissue between the magnets.  This can be a fatal combination.

 

Keep batteries for new Christmas toys out of your pet's reach. Batteries contain corrosives that can cause ulceration to the mouth, tongue, and gastrointestinal tract.

HOLIDAY FOODS
Protect your animal from dreaded holiday food related disasters.

 

Don’t give your pet scraps from the holiday buffet. Cookies and pies, macaroni salads and stuffing, potato chips and fancy hors d’oeuvres, are inappropriate foods for dogs and cats and may make them sick. Consuming excessive amounts of fat can also cause serious problems. Eating the skin and fat from holiday turkeys, hams, bacon, sausages, hot dogs, fruit cake, plum pudding or deep-fried foods can cause stomach upset, vomiting and diarrhea, even painful conditions like inflammation of the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis requires hospitalization and fluid replacement.

 

Other foods that should never be given to pets include: onions, grapes, raisins and macadamia nuts.  Onions are especially toxic to cats.  Take a moment to educate your children so that they will know what foods can harm their pets and that they know the consequences.

What is pancreatitis? The pancreas produces enzymes to assist in the digestive process. With pancreatitis, the pancreas produces far too large a quantity of these enzymes. It becomes irritated and inflamed, and these enzymes can leak out of the pancreas, causing damage to the surrounding tissues, even to the point of digesting itself. Signs of pancreatitis generally include an acute onset of vomiting (sometimes with bloody diarrhea) and abdominal pain, which may be evidenced as a hunched posture or "splinting" of the abdomen when picked up.

 

Other symptoms that indicate your pet may be in trouble are listlessness, constipation, panting, scratching, swelling, difficulty breathing or an inability to rest comfortably. The dog may become very sick quickly and often needs intensive fluid and antibiotic therapy. Cats do not always show as many symptoms as dogs do, but will act sickly.  As breed predispositions go, it is often the smaller, more energetic breeds like miniature or toy poodles, cocker spaniels, miniature schnauzers, and other small terrier-type dogs who seem particularly prone. However, any dog or cat may have a problem. It is best to avoid these foods altogether.

 

Confirming a diagnosis of pancreatitis can be frustrating. Often, it can require multiple blood test and radiographs, especially in cats.

 

Tip: If you can't resist giving your pet a treat, give a healthy treat instead. Keep your pet out of the dining area and give them their regular dinner while you eat. Don't leave cooking food unattended; don't set hot dishes near edge of stove or counter. Don't leave candy, cookies or other snacks where your pet can reach them.

 

If you spot signs of pancreatitis in your pet, what should you do? Usually these problems will not go away on their own. Keep your veterinarian's and emergency animal hospital's numbers close to the phone. Don't wait until it's too late -- call if you suspect a problem.

 

In a house full of unsuspecting guests, a clever dog or cat can beg and steal a lot of normally forbidden food in a short time. Ask guests not to share food with your dog, no matter how cute, hungry and pitiful he looks.

 

Don't feed a dog or cat that's excited and nervous. If doorbells and visitors are routine triggers for some craziness, don't feed your dog just before guests are expected,  Don't allow vigorous activities right before or right after your pet's mealtime to help prevent an upset stomach.

 

Dogs and cats should never have alcoholic beverages. Don't let pets roam freely when alcoholic beverages might be sitting on a table within reach, during or after a party. Though ill effects might be minor in a large dog, one ounce of a 20 to 40 proof alcoholic beverage can cause alcohol poisoning or coma in a small dog or cat.

 

Keep baking chocolate out of reach. You probably know that chocolate is toxic to animals, but did you know that the toxicity depends on the amount of theobromine it contains? Theobromine is a methylxanthine alkaloid that is found in cocoa seeds from which chocolate is made. Theobromine  can cause symptoms from vomiting to seizures and even death, depending on the quantity of chocolate ingested. The amount of theobromine found in semi-sweet and unsweetened dark chocolate used for baking is ten times higher than in milk chocolate!  Symptoms are dependent on the amount and type of chocolate your pet eats, as well as his size.

 

Milk chocolate has 45mg of caffeine per ounce whereas unsweetened chocolate has 400mg of caffeine per ounce. 

 

WARNING:  Although the Poison Control Center can give us the toxic levels of chocolate based on an animal's weight, our veterinarians have treated many pets who have been much more sensitive to chocolate and have developed toxic systems after ingesting a very small amount of chocolate.

 

To be on the safe side, don't give your dog any chocolate. And if your dog eats chocolate (particularly if he or she is a little dog), contact your veterinarian for advice.

HAVE A SAFE & HEALTHY HOLIDAY SEASON!!!

 

 

Adapted from articles by the AKC, AAHA, Sandy Moyer, Lexianne Grant, Dr. Oltman, DVM, Dr. Lucy L. Pinkston, DVM, Dr Michael Richards, DVM, and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine’s publication Dog Watch (vol 2, no. 11, 11/98)