Safe Holidays for Pets! Avoid These Christmas Dangers & Have a Happy Pawliday
Published on: Dec 24, 2016
Everything you need to know to help keep your pets safe this festive season
We all look forward to Christmas as a time to truly relax and have fun, so the last thing you need at this exciting time is an emergency visit to the vets. Here are a few festive items which are the most common to present a threat to your pets during this period.
Chocolate is a big treat at Christmas but did you know it contains a substance called theobromine which is poisonous to dogs. It affects the nervous system and heart and symptoms include panting, shaking, vomiting and even fitting. Theobromine is more concentrated in good quality and especially dark chocolate. We suggest keeping any chocolate well-wrapped and out of the reach of dogs and avoid giving chocolate as a treat.
Raisins and Sultanas are common ingredients at this time. Unfortunately it is not widely known that grapes, raisins and sultanas are toxic to dogs, causing kidney failure if ingested in large quantities. Christmas cake or pudding is rich in dried fruit and is very tasty for some dogs so it is best to store these safely out of reach.
As well as tasty treats dogs can sometimes try eating certain plants. Why they would really want to do this no one knows but Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettia used as decoration contain toxins that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. It is advisable to keep them out of harms way and remember the fallen berries are often the most toxic part.
It’s also worth considering the decorations and lights that are about the house. Flimsy lighting cables can be tempting for inquisitive pets to chew causing electrocution. Cats or dogs may also find it intriguing to eat tinsel or broken baubles that can cause serious gut problems!
Avoiding these potential hazards will hopefully enable you to have a fun and stress free Christmas. Everyone at Shepton Vets wishes you and your pets the best for an enjoyable and trouble free Christmas and the New Year.
Author –
Martin Law
Keep your furry friend safe this Christmas! Shepton & Wells Vets lists common holiday hazards & offers tips to avoid a trip to the emergency vet.
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