How To Keep Your Pet Happy And Healthy At Christmas In Houston, TX
The holiday season is a joyous and festive time of year, but some of our favorite traditions can be hazardous to our pets. Injury, illness, or complications can be more severe in a cancer-fighting pet. Follow these guidelines to ensure a safe and joyous holiday season for all.
The holiday season is here, and many pet parents also intend to engage their furry friends in the celebrations. As you prepare for the holidays, try to keep your pet’s feeding and exercise routines as near their routine as possible. Also, please keep pets away from the following harmful snacks, toxic plants, and hazardous decorations.
When we put out our holiday decorations this year, it’s important to remember that many commonly used items can be dangerous to our furry family members. Before transforming your home into a winter wonderland, educate yourself on holiday decoration safety for your pets.
Christmas trees should be anchored to the wall or ceiling
Have you ever seen a cat or dog go crazy over a Christmas tree? Cats enjoy climbing trees, and dog tails can easily knock ornaments over the entire tree. Consider tying your tree to the wall and ceiling with a fishing line to keep it upright.
Because of bacteria and chemicals, the water in the base of a live tree can be hazardous for thirsty pets. Keep ornaments and lights away from lower branches to avoid wire or string chewing. Finally, always unplug your tree and lights before leaving, and keep an eye on your pet around any electrical decorations.
Tinsel should be avoided
You’ve seen the cat videos, so you know cats adore sparkly tinsel. Their eyes may light up when they see it, but consuming it can cause stomach distress and possibly surgery to remove it. If you have a cat, you should avoid using tinsel.
A nibble can become a swallow, resulting in a clogged digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration, and possibly surgery. Therefore, decorating your boughs with anything other than tinsel is preferable.
Enhance Holiday Plants and Bouquets
Did you know that mistletoe, holly, poinsettias, and lilies are toxic to animals? Make sure all plants are out of reach of children and pets and buy artificial or pet-friendly bouquets whenever possible.
Use Menorahs and Candles Wisely
Keep open flames away from areas where cats can get to them; a wagging tail or curious cat could knock it over and start a fire.
Keep table food out of reach of children
If consumed, cookies, sweets, cakes, and other rich holiday fares can be toxic to pets. Fatty table scraps can cause pancreatitis, and yeast in dough can produce bloating. Even in tiny dosages, the popular artificial sweetener Xylitol and chocolate can be lethal. Unfortunately, these snacks are just as appealing to your dogs and cats as they are to you, so keep them out of reach of your pets.
Don’t Overstimulate Your Pet During the Holidays
Your pets may not be as enthusiastic to entertain relatives and friends as you are, and even gregarious pets may require some alone time. Always give dogs access to a dimly lit room with water and a bed or box as a haven. Keep an eye out for exits as well. Guests may not be as concerned about escape routes as you are. Please make sure all of your dogs are microchipped and have an ID tag on their collar that is up to date.
Be Prepared
If you are traveling with your pet, check nearby emergency veterinary clinics to have a plan in place in case your pet needs immediate care.
Please get in touch with our office (Houston veterinary hospital) immediately for more information about our emergency veterinary services.
From all of us at safari animal hospital, we wish you and your animal friends a joyous and safe Christmas season!
Before the holidays arrive, reach out to safari animal hospital via our contact information just in case you have a need.
We are an affordable pet clinic Houston based. While we hope you won’t need to use them, it is better to be prepared than frantically looking for them in an emergency. We offer effective stem cell therapy for pets as well.