24/12/2024
Hey Guys,
Just a quick reminder – before everyone dives into their well deserved Christmas puddings and glassfuls of eggnog – of a couple of pointers what you want to keep in mind to have a pet-safe Christmas, and (fingers crossed) no need for vet visits throughout the holidays.
Let’s get started!
Don’t feed you pet the following and seek veterinary help if they accidentally get into these:
- Chocolate (especially dark chocolate)
- Raisins
- Sharp fragments of bone or bones that break into sharp pieces
- Xylitol (sweetener, commonly found in chewing gums)
- Onions and garlic
- Macadamia nuts
- Alcohol
Also be mindful of the decorations you use. If you have a naughty pet that likes to steal, chew and destroy things, be very careful with the following items:
- Electric equipments like fairy lights or LED candles
- Actual candles
- Pine trees and branches
- Tinsels and other linear decorations (these can cause devastating and sometimes fatal intestinal obstructions when ingested!)
- Fragile items that break into sharp pieces (eg. glass baubles)
- Popular, but poisonous Christmas plants (eg. ivy, mistletoe, poinsettia, holly, etc)
Last, but not least – our pets are more stress sensitive in situations that are fun to us, like loud parties. Don’t let little Timmy ride your dog like a pony or pull your cat’s tail and tell Uncle Jim to stop shouting and gesticulating wildly at your pet when he had a bit too much to drink. Provide a safe space for your animal where they can retreat to if they have had enough of the intense social interactions.
Otherwise just enjoy this season thoroughly and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
See you soon!
