Holiday & Winter Tips

• Watch out for those CHOCOLATES. Do NOT feed them to your pet (even if he begs). Dogs are very sensitive to the stimulants in chocolate and relatively small amounts can cause tremors and seizures.
  
• And while we are on the subject of food, avoid feeding excessive amounts of holiday goodies. A small treat may be in order, but large amounts can lead to upset stomachs or worse. If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, remember that staying warm requires extra calories, so you may need to slightly increase the amount you are feeding.
  
• Do make sure that your pet has fresh water available. If it gets cold enough to freeze, be sure that you provide unfrozen water at least two times per day.
  
• Keep toxic plants out of reach. Mistletoe is very toxic. Holly and Christmas greens, such as balsam, juniper, cedar, pine and fir, are somewhat toxic and are certainly a stomach irritant if eaten. The much-maligned poinsettia (contrary to popular beliefs) is not particularly dangerous. I know you've heard it so long, that you won't believe me, but it is true. The big killer is the Easter lily. I have to mention this even though it is not Easter because this was not discovered until recently. If your cat chews on this, it will most likely be fatal. DO NOT LET YOUR PET CHEW ON LILIES !!!! VERY DANGEROUS !!!!
  
• Lots of things may be laying about that could cause obstructions if eaten. Styrofoam, ribbons, the strings and nets used to wrap meats, plastic wraps, ornaments, tinsel, and small toys, to name a few. Two of my dogs, Dottie and BB, will chew up ANYTHING if I don't keep it away.
  
• Batteries (yes, some dogs and cats will eat them, especially the small disk types) can cause serious damage. This is NOT the way to get a "super charged" pet. Leave the batteries for that confounded, ever-hopping Ever-ready Bunny.
  
• Did you know that modern coins (especially pennies and nickels) contain zinc in levels that can be fatal? It's bad enough when your pet is a bit "piggy", but don't let it act like a "piggy bank".
  
• Electrical cords seem to sprout in wild profusion with all the lights and decorations. Be sure that they are inaccessible to pets that are prone to chewing. Electrocution and/or electrical burns are no laughing matter.
  
• Antifreeze is deadly and, unfortunately, tastes great to pets. Even very small amounts are usually fatal. "Sierra" is less dangerous, but precautions are necessary with all antifreeze products on the market. Clean up spills at once. Keep containers tightly closed and properly stored out of reach of children and pets.
  
• Once a chill gets in the air, cats will climb onto vehicle engines for warmth. Before starting your engine, knock on the hood and honk the horn. Even if your cat is indoors, a neighbor's cat might have huddled there for shelter.
  
• I luckily don't need to list precautions about frostbite, salt burns and toxicity, falling through ice, and other problems that plague colder areas. However, with less cold weather, pests like heartworms are a threat year-round. Continue your pet's HeartWorm Preventive year-round. Are you aware that CATS get heartworms too? Preventive products, HeartGuard and Revolution, are available for them. Give us a call if you run out.
  
• If you are planning on a new pet, consider that the busy holiday season may not be the best time to introduce it to the household. Maybe a picture of the new pet with a simple pet care book might be better. After the holiday confusion disperses, you and your family could go together to buy pet supplies and prepare for the newcomer.
  
• At Christmas, stabilize that Christmas tree if your pets will be around it. Guy wires to the walls and/or ceiling might prevent a cat-a-strophic crash. Just the other day a client related at tale of her dog coming in and running right into the Christmas tree and knocking it over. What cat wouldn't think you had put it there for them to climb.
  



Barbara Newton, D.V.M. & Randi Gibson, D.V.M.
and the Staff at Brainerd Hills Veterinary Hospital.

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