The holiday season is upon us and Thanksgiving is starting it out. Everyone loves to meet up with family and enjoy a nice dinner but pets aren’t always as enthusiastic as we would like. Here are some tips and tricks to keeping them happy and healthy during this holiday time.
Pets enjoy being with us all the time especially when we are eating and most of us know that not everything we eat they should eat. Turkey and turkey skin being one of them. It is extremely fatty and pets have a hard time digesting fatty foods and sometimes it can even cause pancreatitis. Also, desserts are generally not a good idea either due to chocolate or xylitol (which is generally in unsweetened desserts). Try to keep all trash up and away from the ground or reachable by pets. Almost everything smells good to them but is not generally safe for them to eat.
When holidays come friends and family visit but some pets get too excited and others are not fond of the idea at all. It’s good to always know ahead of time how your pet is going to be. Sometimes it’s good to keep them separate altogether. Certain pets are better in an area by themselves with their favorite toy. Cats tend to get very stressed when anything changes in their home especially a lot of people being in their space. Stress can cause disease so keeping them by themselves is generally the best idea in keeping them calm and stress-free. Always tell your guests to know if your pet is around to make sure they don’t leave doors open and watch when entering and exiting your home. Keeping up to date identification and collars are always a good idea just in case your pet gets out.
Decorations always make the holidays come together but try to make sure that you keep your pets in mind. Lit candles and fireplaces make things look so nice but can quickly cause problems with your pets. They can easily become burned or even knock things over and start your house on fire. Not to mention certain plants that are really pretty can be very toxic. For example baby’s breath, sweet william and lilies to name a few. Keep an eye on all ribbons and strings, cats especially love to play with them but if they decide to eat them can quickly become a problem.
Traveling with pets can be fun but it’s good to plan ahead. Heath certificates from your veterinarian are used when traveling across state lines and international borders and when flying in an airplane. Never leave pets alone in vehicles regardless of the length of time or weather because it can easily become dangerous. Always have your pets restrained properly in vehicles when traveling either in a harness or carrier but never in the back of a pickup truck. Pets can easily become distracting or find little places to hide in vehicles. In case you can’t take your pet with you on your travels there is a lot of boarding kennels available out there but it’s always good to fully check out the facility first and find out what vaccines are necessary to board there.
The best precaution when it comes to pets is to be prepared. Try to have a game plan ahead of time to make sure they stay safe and healthy. If traveling with your pets it’s a good idea to have copies of their medical records, extra medications, and up to date identification in case, anything would go wrong while enjoying the holiday season. Fast action and being prepared saves more lives.
