Happy Holidays!
I Stole The Christmas Pie…
Christmas is a time of feasting and merriment. While you are stuffing the turkey or baking cookies, keep an eye on Fido – most Christmas treats can be harmful to dogs. It’s a rare dog that doesn’t enjoy sharing your Christmas meal with you.
Experts suggest that while it may be alright to give your dog a few pieces of turkey, too much of it or other rich foods, like gravy, ham, trimmings and buttery sauces can cause pancreatitis – an inflammation of the pancreas.
Chocolate can cause theobromine poisoning – an over stimulation of the nervous system – and can be fatal. Even a small amount can cause lethargy, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Onions fed over a long period of time can cause anemia.
Bones cause choking, internal punctures and in some cases, even death.
Macadamia nuts cause indigestion, and raisins are known to lead to kidney failure.
Even a small amount of alcohol can be poisonous for dogs. Keep alcoholic drinks, especially eggnog, away and remind your guests not to feed the dog and keep their unfinished glasses out of reach.
Cookie dough can be tempting but can harm dogs. It expands in the stomach causing gastro intestinal pain. And should it contain chocolate chips or macadamia nuts, the complications increase.
Secure the garbage bin. During the holidays, the garbage can is full of interesting flavours and smells. Throwaways such as bones, empty wrappers, plastic bags, foil, plastic wrap and paper, if eaten, can cause abdominal discomfort, intestinal blockage, vomiting and diarrhoea. Spoilt and rotting foods contain toxins, which can cause a dog to go into shock. It would be sensible to remove leftovers from the table and not leave garbage where your pet can get to it.
It’s best not to share holiday goodies with your pet. If you can’t resist those melting eyes, give a healthy doggy treat instead. 
There’s Christmas In The Air…
The festive season can be chaotic for a dog at home. Keeping simple rules in mind and watching out for your dog during the holidays can help you and your pet survive any untoward holiday accident.
- Not all dogs share their owner’s enthusiasm to welcome guests. Reduce festivity stress by maintaining your dog’s regular feeding and exercise routine. Too much excitement can be bad for your dog’s health – give him a safe place to escape to which allows him peace and privacy to prevent aggression.
- Keep candles out of tail’s reach, preferably on a high counter or table to avoid singed whiskers. A wagging tail can easily knock over a candle and start a fire.
- Keep all gifts out of your dog’s reach, especially packages that smell of food. A bored or inquisitive dog can try to investigate presents lying around. Small toys, wrapping paper, ribbon and string can cause choking and intestinal blockage and often need to be removed surgically.
- Avoid using breakable glass ornaments and holiday decorations, especially on the lower branches. A dog may chew them and suffer cuts in the mouth, or step on broken bulbs and cut its paws. Pet owners should also avoid tinsel and garland, as this can cause intestinal obstructions and other gastrointestinal issues. Also avoid using edible holiday decorations – they may just end up as your pet’s next snack!
- Make sure you fasten all holiday lights and wires securely and out of your dog’s reach. Dogs, especially puppies, may get entangled in hanging wires or cords and hurt themselves. A bored dog would find a hanging wire very tempting to pull, resulting in serious injury. Remember to unplug all the decorative lights when you are out – a dog can get electrocuted if he chews on a live wire.
- Place holiday plants out of reach. Certain festive plants, such as poinsettia, holly, ivy and mistletoe are toxic to pets. If ingested, they can cause nausea, vomiting, drooling, diarrhoea, coma or even death.
