We hope everyone had a great Halloween! Now the holiday season is upon us! This month we will discuss some advice to keep your companion safe around Thanksgiving.
Food
This time of year, one of the most common dangers is of course food. Fatty table scraps like gravy, turkey skin, ham, etc. are potentially dangerous to your companion. These foods often result in mild to severe Pancreatitis (painful inflammation of the pancreas) and/or Gastroenteritis (painful inflammation of the stomach and intestines). Symptoms of Pancreatitis/Gastroenteritis include loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lethargy, and dehydration. Another danger is raisins, which are commonly found in stuffing, baked goods and as snacks. When ingested, these fruits can result in severe kidney failure. Signs of poisoning often don’t show up for days, until kidney failure has already taken place. Be aware your companion does not get a hold of any table scraps that can potentially make them sick, and ensure your guests do not feed your companions any table scraps as well.
Bones
Never give your companion any type of bones! Not only can they cause stomach upset, pancreatitis, and gastroenteritis, but they can splinter and cause obstruction in the stomach or intestines. Bones are also great at breaking teeth. Broken teeth are very painful and need to have treatment to be resolved.
Dump the trash
Somehow, your companion will find a way to get into it, and the leftover corn-on-the-cob, turkey legs, turkey skin, bones, and fatty grizzle all pose a threat to your furry friend. Potential problems from garbage ingestion include gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea), pancreatitis (severe inflammation of the pancreas), and/or a gastrointestinal obstruction.
Guests
Visitors can upset your furry friend. Some companions are shy or excitable around new people or in crowds. Thanksgiving often means many visitors at once and higher-than-usual noise and activity levels. If you know your
dog or cat is nervous when people visit your home, put her in another room or a crate with a favorite toy. Even if your companions are comfortable around guests make sure you watch them closely, especially when people are entering or leaving your home. While you’re welcoming hungry guests and collecting coats, a four-legged family member may make a break for it out the door and become lost.
Make sure your furry friend has proper identification (tags on his collar and a microchip) with your current contact information. That way, if they do sneak out, they’re more likely to be returned to you.
This year the hospital will be closed Thursday November 24, 2016 through Sunday November 27, 2016 in observance of Thanksgiving.
We hope everyone has a wonderful start to this holiday season! Check back next month for advice on how to keep your companion safe for the rest of the holidays.
