Pawliday Festivities!

“On the twelfth day of Christmas my patients gave me 12 chocolate-loving labs, 11 chewed light strings, 10 missing dinner plates, 9 chewed on fruit cakes, 8 straining cats, 7 open pill vials, 6 diarrhea dogs, 5 foreign bodies, 4 drunk boxers, 3 scared goldens, 2 tinsel cats and a puppy with a chew toy”

The holiday season is always a busy and fun time for most families, and we love to share these times with our furry family members. Unfortunately, amongst all the fun, there are some possible hazards to your pets that sometimes end up with them having to see the vet. Some of the obvious toxicities that we know to watch amongst the festivities include chocolates, grapes and raisins (may be hiding in your holiday fruit cake), alcohol and marijuana.

Luckily not everything that our pets can get into will cause serious toxic effects. Still, many things can cause an upset stomach and a mess of vomiting and diarrhea, including sharing our holiday dinners, the gravy and turkey, drinking the water from the Christmas tree base or chewing on our holiday plants like the poinsettia. Our beautiful Christmas trees also have some hidden hazards- cats love to chew on strings and tinsel can cause a lot of transit in their intestines, or if they chew on our tree light cords, they risk electrocution and burns. Many of us enjoy seeing our friends and family during the holidays. Remember to remind any house guests to keep their medications up out of reach of our pets and be aware of any anxiety your furry members may be feeling with all the new people and loud noises. Anxiety will increase the risk of our male cats experiencing FLUTD (feline lower urinary tract disease) or complete urinary obstruction.

If you have any concerns about your pets, please give us a call, and we will be happy to help you navigate any holiday hazards that you are worried about. And remember to get your furry family members a safe toy to celebrate the holidays with, like a catnip mouse or squeaky toy and a big hug!

Written by Dr. Stephanie Hayward