Tips To Ensure Pets’ Safety During The Holidays (NAPSA)—Holidays can be happier if pet ownersfollow a few easy tips to make celebrations both a safe and pleasurable experience for dogs andcats. According to Dr. Susanna Hin- out of your pets’ reach.” Hot wax from unattended candles can burn pets and can also be fire hazards if your pets knock them over. Angel hair and glass ornaments can cut your pets’ kle, D.V.M., an emergency room veterinarian and surgery resident at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, you can easily “pet proof” your house in the following seasonal ways: Pets as holiday gifts “The holidays are too hectic to properly select and introduce a new dog or cat into your home,” said Hinkle. “Regardless of when you bring home a new companion animal, you both need time to bond with each other and other people and animals in your household. Start your relationship off on a good foot by developing a consistent schedule free of the demands holidays may make.” Food Treats that are delectable to humanscan be deadly to pets. “Never give your companion animals chocolate; rich fatty foods; or pork, poultry or fish bones,” said Hinkle. Chocolate can be toxic to animals; fatty foods such as turkey skin and gravy can cause pancreatitis; and bones can puncture your pet’s throat, stomach or intestines. Alcoholic drinks can also be lethal, especially to smal- ler animals. “Don’t feed any of these foods to your pets and make sure you keep the lid on your trashcan closed tightly,” said Hinkle. This dog may look cute, but he’s not very happy! Costumes and other holiday decorations can harm animals, so place them out of pets’ reach. Medications The holiday season is often flu season and your own medicine is hazardousto yourpets. “Childproof bottles are not necessarily pet-proof,” said Hinkle. “Tbuprofen tablets can cause stomach ulcers and kidney failure in dogs, and aspirin tablets can do the same in cats. Even your seemingly safe vitamins and herbal medicines can be lethal to your pets.” Hinkle warns that the best strategies are to keep all medicine in secured areas and only give your pets medication approved by your veterinarian. Decorations “Candles, electrical cords, tinsel, glass ornaments, potpourri, ribbons and seasonal plants all pose dangerous side effects if your dog or cat chews or consumes them,” said Hinkle. “If you must use them, keep them paws, mouths and intestines; and tinsel can cause intestinal tears or blockages requiring surgery. Some pets will try to drink liquid potpourris or rub against their warming pots, resulting in mouth, skin and eye damage. Tying bows and ribbons around your pets’ necks can strangle them, so buy standard collars in your favorite holiday colors instead. Poinsettias, holly and mistletoe leaves and berries can also cause moderate to severe toxic effects. Other Poisons “Batteries, rodent bait and antifreeze are common household items that can cause tremendous physical harm to yourpets,” said Hinkle. Stress Humans aren’t the only animals that suffer from holiday stress; companion animals dotoo. “Adhere to your pets’ regular schedule of feeding and walking,” said Hinkle. “Rememberthat visitors, loud noises and a disrupted schedule can throw your pets into a tailspin.” Makesure yourpets’ identification tags are up to date in the event that they slip away from your watchful eye. Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine is esteemed for its pioneering academic programs, top notch clinical care services and groundbreaking research.
