YOUR PETS
Keep your pets healthy during the holidays 20 9 Health & Wel lne s s
T
he Holiday Season is upon us. It is a wonderful and meaningful time when family and friends gather for festive meals. Kitchens are bustling and ovens are working overtime with scrumptious aromas in the air. This time is all about appreciating the ones you love – and that includes your pets. It’s important to include your fur babies in celebrations and prevent them from feeling neglected, but some things are better left to the humans. During this happy time of family, food and giving, people tend to become big-hearted. This means that dogs (and maybe even cats) may get slipped table food scraps. It’s wise to remember that many of these festive foods and treats can lead to illness or injury for our pets, and with it a hefty vet bill. Raw and undercooked turkey, as well as leftovers that have been sitting out for too long, can harbor salmonella bacteria. Fatty or rich foods like beef fat, poultry skin and gravy can cause severe gastrointestinal issues in pets including vomiting, diarrhea, and excessive gas. Pancreatitis is another condition that can arise from feeding your pet too much human food; it’s caused by high levels of fat and calcium in the animal’s bloodstream that inflame the pancreas. Avoid feeding your pets morsels of anything containing herbs, which can cause digestive problems. Raw dough is definitely prohibited since it can rise in the heat of the stomach, a deadly situation that may require surgery to resolve. Any foods containing raw eggs should also be avoided to prevent salmonella infection. Although bones from our holiday birds look good to pets, they are dangerous and can cause intestinal upset and may even splinter once digested.
These splinters can cause damage to the intestines that can lead to infection, intestinal blockage, or even the death of the dog or cat if not treated appropriately. Chocolate is dangerous for dogs in particular because it contains theobromine, a caffeine-like ingredient that can be toxic to your pet. Dogs are not able to metabolize theobromine as quickly as humans. Monitor your pet’s behavior. No one likes to eat dinner with a dog staring up, drips of saliva rolling from his lips, as a muffled whining ensues. As hard as it can be, you can say “no” to that intense gaze from those deep chocolate eyes, cocked ears and that sad furry face. He gets what’s in his bowl, and that’s it. Begging is a behavioral no-no and as experts will tell you, once you give in, it’s hard to break for BOTH owner and pet. No hand-me-downs from the table while you’re eating. At the very least, instruct your guests that they are not to feed your pet scraps from the table. So what CAN you do? Giving your pet a few tidbits of turkey won’t hurt – it’s actually very good for dogs – just make sure it’s lean, boneless, and well-cooked. There are many canned and fresh dog foods available at pet supply stores that contain all the ingredients of a traditional human Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to create a Fidofriendly dish. Distract your dog from the mouthwatering smells of your own feast with one of these and add small amounts of leftovers with some plain mashed potatoes, carrots and other vegetables. A little restraint and healthy meal of his own will keep your pet safe this season and for many holidays to come. Even so, it never hurts to keep your emergency veterinary clinic number handy. You never know when you will encounter a disaster due to a delinquent guest or persistent pooch.
Begging is a behavioral no-no and as experts will tell you, once you give in, it’s hard to break for BOTH owner and pet.
Fall-Winter 2013
Photo Courtesy Of Heather Simonich-Barc
Giving your pet a few tidbits of turkey won’t hurt – it’s actually very good for dogs – just make sure it’s lean, boneless, and well-cooked.
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