During the holiday season, many of our clients ask our veterinarians if they should be worried about their Pets getting into their holiday goodies. The answer is an emphatic “yes”! There are many unhealthy (and even dangerous) foods that tempt Pets during the holidays. And your Pet might even find items that aren’t food and think they are! Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare your festivities.
- Candy can be deadly. Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance that can be toxic to Pets; chocolate candy that is higher in cacao content, such as dark, semi-sweet or baker’s chocolate can be lethal to Pets if ingested.
- Don’t feed your Pet leftovers. Fatty leftovers (such as meat drippings or meat bones) can cause internal injury, upset stomachs, diarrhea or vomiting. Because your Pets would not be used to the fatty leftovers and have smaller digestive systems, they would not be able to handle extreme changes in their diet. The phrase “your eyes are bigger than your stomach” applies quite well for your Pets as for humans during the holiday season.
- Bones are bad. Although bones from our holiday birds look good to Pets, they are they are dangerous and can cause intestinal upset and may even splinter once digested.
- Watch the packaging. Packaging can cause choking or intestinal blockage. Foil wrappers can become as dangerous as razors when swallowed.
Other things to consider while keeping your Pet healthy and safe this season are your holiday decorations and provisions for shelter, food and water when it’s cold outside. Instead of seeing decorations as things to admire, your Pets might see decorations as toys to play and gnaw on. And if you are keeping your Pets outside during the holiday festivities, make sure to check how warm their shelter is outside and if their water supply will freeze.
For more detailed information, please refer to our Holiday Pet Safety Tip Sheet . We wish you a happy, healthy holiday season.
