COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- While Thanksgiving involves a lot of merry-making, the holiday involves many hazards for family pets. By taking a few simple precautions, owners can avoid a Thanksgiving trip to the pet emergency room.
Most of the safety hazards for pets revolve around the family feast. For example, pets should not be fed bones from the Thanksgiving turkey. The small bones can splinter and leave shards lodged in a pet’s throat, intestines or stomach, potentially causing choking or blockages requiring emergency surgery.
Make sure the trash is secured, and do not give a pet any leftovers. Greasy foods can cause severe stomach upset in pets, and spoiled or moldy foods can cause food poisoning.
Watch out for yeast rolls, as well. Whether baked or unbaked, these tempting treats can cause a toxic reaction if a dog ingests them. Keeping a pet on his or her regular diet is strongly recommended. Offering a dog or cat a different meal can give the animal an upset stomach and diarrhea, even if it’s just one meal.
Owners need to restrict a pet’s access to other holiday treats, too. Chocolate can be toxic to pets; the higher the cocoa content, the more dangerous it is. Toxicity will also depend on the amount of chocolate eaten. Keep candy wrappers and aluminum foil away from pets; these can block an animal’s system and cause vomiting.
Alcohol is also dangerous to pets and can cause severe illness, possibly including a coma. Keep all alcoholic drinks well out of a pet’s reach.
When selecting a holiday centerpiece, be aware of the poisonous but commonly used plants like lilies, which are quite toxic to cats. It’s wiser to use artificial flowers, rather than run the risk of a cat’s kidneys failing.
Pine needles also pose a danger, as they can puncture a pet’s intestines or stomach lining if eaten.
For a full listing of pet-toxic plants, visit www.hsppr.org to link to the Animal Poison Control Center.
Finally, it’s important to be especially aware of a pets’ needs when you have guests. As guests come and go, your pet could escape from a gate or door left open. Make sure pets have current identification on them. An imbedded microchip is always a great holiday gift for a beloved pet.
In addition, guests can be stressful on pets. Create a ‘safe haven’ in a quiet room with food, water, a litter box if needed, and a pet’s favorite toys and bed. This will give animals a place to relax when the commotion gets to be overwhelming.
Remind guests that a normally friendly dog may not always feel like interacting with crowds of people or children. Take a few minutes each day to spend time with the family pet and help him or her feel loved despite all the chaos of the holidays.
By using these simple tips, the entire family can safely enjoy the holidays together.
Information provided by Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. Visit the organization's web site at www.hsppr.org
Click here to see the Wednesday, Nov. 21, "Pet of the Week" story and attached video as it aired on FOX21 Morning News.
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