Holiday Pet Hazards

THE PET HEALTH LIBRARYBy Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP Educational Director, VeterinaryPartner.com

Holiday Safety Tips
EACH HOLIDAY SEASON WE OFFER A REMINDER OF THE HAZARDS OF THE SEASON THAT FACE YOUR PET

Be careful how you deck your halls! The holiday season is generally a time of family togetherness in which even our pets participate. One’s thoughts generally are far from thoughts of injury; however, one must be aware of some important seasonal hazards in order to insure a happy holiday season.

RIBBONS & TINSEL
These are of special interest to playful cats and kittens who see these materials as toys (or prey) to be chased, pounced upon, chewed or swallowed. While chasing and pouncing pose no health threats, chewing and swallowing do, as these strings or “linear foreign bodies” can catch in the GI tract, leading to bunching of intestine as the body tries in vain to move the string or ribbon through. This is a life-threatening condition requiring surgery for correction. Supervise animals who play with string closely.

ELECTRIC LIGHT CORDS
These are also tempting to cats who like to play with string as well as to puppies who are teething and interested in chewing. If a pet bites through an electrical cord, it could result in a severe burn to the tongue which causes the pet’s lung to fill with fluid, causing respiratory distress. This is also an emergency requiring immediate veterinary attention.

CHOCOLATE
Many people do not realize that chocolate can be a poison. Unsweetened baking chocolate carries a much higher dose of the toxin “theobromine” than does milk chocolate, but even normal milk chocolate can be dangerous; a small dog sharing candy can wind up in big trouble. Clinical signs of chocolate poisoning include hyperexcitability, nervousness, vomiting, and diarrhea and death.

POINSETTIA
Consuming this festive-looking plant can be irritating to the mouth and stomach of the dog or cat that chews on or eats it. Contrary to popular belief, poinsettia is not specifically toxic.

MISTLETOE
The fact that there are several types of mistletoe makes it difficult to predict the clinical signs of poisoning. Some mistletoes produce only stomach upset while others may lead to liver failure or seizuring. Consider mistletoe to be a hazardous substance and keep it inaccessible to pets and children.

COOKING
Keep pets out of the kitchen during the hustle and bustle of the season. The last thing you want is for someone you love to get underfoot and get burned from spillage.

DIETARY INDISCRETION
We all like to include our pets in Holiday meals along with the rest of the family, but try to keep in mind that sudden rich diet changes are likely to upset a pet’s stomach. Vomiting and diarrhea are not uncommon. If leftovers are of an especially fatty nature, the pancreas may become inflamed and overloaded. This condition is serious and may require hospitalization



Date Published: 2/26/2002
Copyright 2002 - 2007 by the Veterinary Information Network, Inc. All rights reserved.

If Dogs Were Teachers

If dogs were teachers you would learn stuff like:

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.
• Let others know when they've invaded your territory.
• Take naps.
• Stretch before rising.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
• On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout! Run right back and make friends.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting the new BLOG page of the Family Pet Hospital (of Spanish Fork, Inc.). Why "Spanish Fork" when we are located in Mapleton? Well, our official name as registered with the State of Utah is "Family Pet Hospital of Spanish Fork, Inc." This was to distinguish us from the Payson Family Pet Hospital when we officially became independent from them as a distinct entity. When we moved to the new hospital in Mapleton, we did not want to go through the headache and cost of resubmitting all sorts of paperwork and have simply truncated the DBA (doing business as...) name to just Family Pet Hospital.

Why a BLOG page?
We have a website that has great articles on various pet care topics, but nowhere to add our own timely articles or commentary on current issues, such as the recent pet food scare, disease outbreaks, or other important information, or even just a place for my philosophizing. With increasing costs for printing and postage, and the delays they take outdating information rapidly, I felt this would be the most efficient method of presenting you with a newsletter. I want it to be informal and relaxed. I hope to get some helpful feedback from you about our services and philosophies. I will try to keep this updated as best as I can. Check the archives list for topics that you may have missed.

Again, thank you and welcome.