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Hi, Emma here again – I love to
receive gifts don’t you? I especially like it
when my ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ come to visit and
bring me gifts.
Mom was visiting the internet the
other day and found these tips at the ASPCA
website.
Gift bows, strings, etc. can
cause choking. Don't give your dog/cat the
opportunity to play with ribbons, tape or
wrapping paper, which can cause choking and
serious intestinal problems. Don't allow kids to
tie ribbons or bows around a dog or cat’s neck
Keep batteries for new Christmas
toys out of dog's and cat’s reach. Batteries
contain corrosives that can cause ulceration to
the mouth, tongue, and gastrointestinal tract.
Protecting your dog/cat from
dreaded holiday food related disasters when
guests come to visit...
-
In a house full of
unsuspecting guests, a clever dog can beg
and steal a lot of normally forbidden food
in a short time. Ask guests not to share
food with your dog or cat, no matter how
cute, hungry and pitiful he/she looks.
-
Don’t feed a dog that's
excited and nervous. If door bells 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
dog's mealtime.
-
Dogs/cats should never have
alcoholic beverages. Don't let dogs 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.
-
Keep baking chocolate out of
reach....
You probably know that chocolate is toxic to
dogs, but did you know that the toxicity
depends on the amount of theobromine it
contains? Depending on a dog's size, eating
a small bar of milk chocolate could cause
stomach upset and diarrhea. Eating the same
size bar of baking chocolate could kill. The
amount of theobromine in semi-sweet and
unsweetened dark chocolate used for baking
is much higher than in milk chocolate!
-
Other foods that should never
be given to dogs - Onions, grapes, raisins
and macadamia nuts.
-
Make sure your children know
what foods can harm their pets and that they
know the consequences.
If you suspect
that your pet has eaten a potentially toxic
substance, call your veterinarian or the
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's emergency
hotline --
1-888-4-ANI-HELP
-- for round-the-clock telephone assistance. For
more information on poison prevention, visit
http://www.napcc.aspca.org
Pets sometimes have a really hard
time adjusting to the increases in family
activity around the holidays. They may not
handle the stress of house guests well. Often
just scheduling a few minutes at approximately
the same time each day to spend playing with
your dog or reviewing those obedience exercises
can make the holidays a lot easier for an
anxious canine. Cats are a little harder to
reassure and it is sometimes best just to make
sure they have a safe haven in the house where
the guests can't find them, especially the very
young guests. Make sure their litter pan is
private, too.
Reference
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/toxicology/qt/toxicplants.htm
We’ll talk again
soon,
Emma, aka Ms January |
