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Holiday
Pet Safety Tips
From Paw Rescue
http://www.paw-rescue.org/index.php
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_HolidaySafety.php
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Many holiday plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats.
Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias
and lilies.
* Snow globes often contain antifreeze, which is poisonous to
pets.
* Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet's intestine.
So keep pet areas clear of pine needles.
* The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures
can look like chew toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help
avoid shocks, burns or other serious injuries. Unplug lights when
you are not home.
* Anchor Christmas trees to the ceiling with a string to keep
it from falling on pets.
* Do not let pets drink the holiday tree water. Some may contain
fertilizers, and stagnant tree water can harbor bacteria. Check
labels for tree water preservatives and artificial snow, and buy
only those that are nontoxic. Some folks use screens around trees
to block access to electrical cords and gifts.
* Very important: do not put aspirin in the water (some folks
do this thinking it will keep the tree or plant more vigorous).
If a pet ingests the aspirin-laced water, his health or even life
can be at risk.
* Pets, particularly cats, can be tempted to eat tinsel, which
can block the intestines. Hang tinsel high and securely to keep
it out of reach of pets.
* Keep other ornaments out of reach of pets. Ingestion of any
ornament, which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening
emergencies. Even ornaments made from dried food can lead to ailments.
And remember, shards from broken glass ornaments can injure paws,
mouths and other parts of the body.
* Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic
pieces and rubber balls are common causes of choking and intestinal
blockage in dogs. Ingested plastic or cloth toys must often be
removed surgically.
* Avoid toxic decorations. Bubbling lights contain fluid that
can be inhaled or ingested, snow sprays and snow flock can cause
reactions when inhaled, Styrofoam poses a choking hazard, tinsel
can cause choking and intestinal obstruction, and water in snow
scenes may contain toxic organisms such as Salmonella.
* Keep candles on high shelves. Use fireplace screens to avoid
burns.
* To keep pets from off limits areas place sticky mats, crunchy
aluminum foil or bubble wrap on or around the area ... tie balloons
around the area ... put some pennies in empty plastic drink bottles
and balance the bottles on the bottom branches of the holiday
tree or plant so that they will noisily tip over if a cat or other
pet jumps at or on the tree.
* Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and
even frightening to pets. It can also trigger illness and intestinal
upset. Make sure pets have a safe place to retreat in your house.
And make sure they are wearing current I.D. in case they escape
out a door when guests come and go.
* Reduce stress by keeping feeding and exercise on a regular schedule.
* Always make time to care for your pets. Some folks get lax about
walking their dogs, and a few resort to letting pets out on their
own. This puts the animal in danger, while also leading to nuisance
complaints and dog bite incidents. Remind pet owners not to take
a holiday from responsibly caring for their pets.
* When pets are stressed by holiday activity or during travel,
they may require more water. Dogs typically pant more when they
feel stressed. Keep fresh water available for them to drink.
* Rescue Remedy, a Bach flower essence available in most health
food stores, is a natural stress reliever that many folks keep
on hand at home and in travel kits. It can often help both people
and animals recover from injury, fright, illness, travel fatigue,
chocolate ingestion and irritation. Put a few drops in the dogs'
water bowl or portable water container. For stressed or injured
animals, rub a drop on their ear or put a drop on the towel in
their crate or carrier. Flower essences are free of harmful effects
and can be used along with conventional medicines. Another safe,
nontoxic Rescue Remedy-like product is Animal Emergency Trauma
Solution, available from www.greenhopeessences.com, where you
can also get Flee Free to combat fleas nontoxically. Other flower
essence sources include anaflora.com and perelandra-ltd.com.
* Do not let guests feed your pet human food. There are many holiday
foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate
and alcohol, which can cause illnesses from vomiting and diarrhea
to highly serious pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition,
candy wrappers, aluminum foil pieces and ribbons can choke pets.
* Keep pets away from gift packages as well as your gift wrapping
area. Ingested string, plastic, cloth and even wrapping paper
can lead to intestinal blockage and require surgical removal.
And pets have been severely injured by scissors and other items
left on floors and tables.
* Keep pets away from the garbage. Use pet-proof containers.
* If you suspect that your pet has eaten something toxic, call
your veterinarian and/or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's
24-hour emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.
* If your pet ingests glass, broken plastic, staples or other
small, sharp objects, call your veterinarian. In the meantime,
you can give your dog supplemental fiber in the form of whole
wheat or other high-fiber bread, canned pumpkin or Metamucil,
any of which can help bulk up the stools the help the foreign
material pass through the dog s digestive system. Dosages depend
on the size of the dog. For Metamucil, try a teaspoon for a small
dog, a tablespoon for a big dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter
to two-thirds of a cup. Some folks recommend feeding the dog cotton
balls to help pass the foreign objects, but others in the veterinary
field caution against this since cotton balls can compound the
problem.
* By the way, now is a good time to double-check smoke detectors,
carbon monoxide detectors and other safety devices and replace
batteries. Safety, of course, is the key reason -- but here's
another good reason. When batteries run low, the devices often
emit alert or alarm sounds at frequencies that can be painful
and frightening to many pets. If you're not home when the alert/alarm
sounds, your animals will have to endure that sound until you
return, which can be traumatic. So always keep fresh batteries
in those devices.
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