HOLIDAY HAZARDS FOR YOUR DOG
Taking a few precautions helps ensure a safe, happy holiday season for you and your pets. Dogs get holiday stress just like people – so strangers, unfamiliar decorations, and hectic schedules can take a toll on your dog. Try to maintain a routine as much as possible. Regardless of where you go or what you do, be sure your dog has a leash, collar, and proper identification tags.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
* The number-one holiday problem in dogs is indigestion caused by eating too much rich food. Table scraps can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and predispose your dog to life-threatening pancreatitis. Don’t give your dog bones. They can get stuck in his mouth or perforate his intestines. Plastic wrappers and aluminum foil coated with gravy look good to your dog, but can obstruct his intestinal tract. Throw leftovers into the trash can and be sure wrappings form food and gifts are disposed of properly. Trashcans with pet-proof lids are an effective deterrent for garbage hounds. Chocolate, cookies, and candy can give your dog more than a sour stomach. Chocolate contains theobromide, which is toxic to the nervous system.
* Keep candles elevated, up out of paws’ reach. Tape electrical cords to the floor, use UL-approved lights and unplug them when you’re not at home. Frayed light cords can cause shock or burns.
* Not all dogs can swim, so if your holidays take you to the seaside be extra careful near water. Get your dog a life jacket for boating and keep your dog on a leash if you are near an area where he could fall, or on the beach where he might slip into the water accidentally.