Christmas is near and your veterinarian would like to share some helpful holiday planning tips offered by the American Humane Association.
Too many fatty, rich or even just new types of food can cause conditions called pancreatitis or gastroenteritis. Both can be painful and become quite serious, so just say "NO" to the pleading, soulful eyes of your pet.
Bones can tear up or obstruct your pet's digestive system. Cooked turkey bones are especially harmful because they are hollow and easily splinter in your pet's mouth.
Be especially careful when disposing of left over parts of the turkey. The tasty string often used to tie up the turkey during roasting time can injure your pet if swallowed. Also beware of the bag the turkey is cooked in and the little red "popper" used to determine doneness.
Onion, Often abundantly found in stuffing, can damage a pet's red blood cels, leading to anemia.
Christmas is a day we celebrate by sharing a huge feast with family and friends. We, however, must remember our best friends who must NOT share these goodies with us. No matter how sad Fido looks with his big brown eyes, he is not to be fed people food on this occassion. Be sure to have some doggie treats to give your pleading dog. He will enjoy them and you will know that they are safe for him.
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Here are some tips from ASPCA experts on what your pet shouldn't eat:
* Talkin' Turkey
If you decide to feed your pet a little nibble of turkey, make sure it's boneless and well-cooked. Don't offer her raw or undercooked turkey, which may contain salmonella bacteria. you will know that they are safe for him.
Here are some tips from ASPCA experts on what your pet shouldn't eat:
* Sage Advice
Sage can make your Thanksgiving stuffing taste good, but it and many other herbs contain essential oils and resins that can cause gastrointestinal upset and central nervous system depression to pets if eaten in large quantities. Cats are especially sensitive to the effects of certain essential oils.
* Nutmeg
This is a very popular spice found in sweet potato, yams, pumpkin pie & dessert dishes. It has mild hallucinogenic properties, can cause seizures, tremors, central nervous system problems in dogs. In severe cases, shock and death have been reported.
* Grapes and Raisins
These common snacks although healthy for you, can induce permanent and life-threatening kidney failure in some dogs. Though some pets seem to handle eating grapes just fine, it's safest to avoid grapes and raisins completely.
* Macadamia Nuts
If ingested can cause a toxic reaction called macadamia nut toxicosis. Within twelve hours of eating the nuts dogs can start to develop symptoms such as an inability to stand, ataxia (walking wobbly), depression, vomiting, muscle tremors, hypothermia (elevated body temperature), weakness, and an elevated heart rate. Usually the symptoms go away within 48 hours but the weakness, vomiting, and fear can lead to dangerous, and sometimes deadly, shock.
* Too Much of a Good Thing
A few small boneless pieces of cooked turkey, a taste of mashed potato or even a lick of pumpkin pie shouldn't pose a problem. However, don't allow your pets to overindulge, as they could wind up with a case of stomach upset, diarrhea or even worse—an inflammatory condition of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. In fact, it's best keep pets on their regular diets during the holidays.
* Onions
Don't forget onions. While we love them dogs can get painfully sick from onions. Onions are used to flavor stuffing.
No stuffing for Fido. Nothing with onions at all for your pets.
* A Feast Fit for a Kong
While the humans are chowing down, give your cat and dog their own little feast. Offer them rawhide strips, Nylabones or made-for-pet chew bones. Or stuff their usual dinner—perhaps with a few added tidbits of turkey, vegetables (try green beans) and dribbles of gravy—inside a Kong toy. They'll be happily occupied for awhile, working hard to extract their dinner from the toy.
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