Hola a todos! Who is getting excited to celebrate a fan favorite holiday season and the end of 2023 with our furry little friends? For most of us, it is certainly a time of joy and, for many of us, a time for reflecting as well. But whatever the holiday may be or mean to us, we need to remember that it can also be a time of danger for our pets.
So I would like to address their safety during the holiday season with this Woof column. So let’s discuss what Christmas means to us and to our furry kiddos.
As we all know, winter time means cold temperatures and their dangers. Please make sure that your babies do not stay outside for too long and/or without supervision. Always consider wiping their paws down when they come back in, too, especially when they have been on sidewalks that may be salted. If your babies allow, you may also consider the use of dog shoes. They keep those little (and big) paws safe, and they do make a fashion statement as well!
Without a Christmas tree and/or festive decorations, Christmas would not be Christmas for many of us. But we need to make sure that whatever we use as decorations will be pet safe and cannot not be ingested or easily broken by our babies. I recommend avoiding having plants easily accessible to dogs or cats, as some of these plants can be very toxic to our babies. Please secure and hide any electric cords, too, because some cats and dogs love chewing on them, and they can be very dangerous!
A great holiday season has to have good food and lots of it. But we need to remember that many of the things we will be eating can be toxic or detrimental to our babies and their health. Many dogs and cats can have sensitive gastrointestinal tracts and be triggered even with just one bite of our food. These gastrointestinal issues range from mildly soft stools or a random episode of vomiting to life-threatening conditions, including hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and severe pancreatitis, where hospitalization and intensive treatments may be required.
We also need to be aware that many of us accidentally drop food sometimes, and if our babies are around, they will likely get to it before we do, especially when there are kids and/or alcohol involved. I recommend asking everyone present at a holiday gathering to avoid feeding table scraps to your babies. Or better yet, consider putting your babies in a different area so they can’t get to where the food is being served and consumed.
Lastly, please avoid offering your pups any fatty treats. Consider healthy treats instead, like baby carrots, apples, green beans or cucumbers.
Christmas would not be Christmas without sharing gifts!! However, some gifts can be bad for our babies. With dogs, I recommend avoiding hard bones and toys that can break a pup’s teeth and can also be accidentally swallowed, potentially causing significant problems. If you cannot make an indentation on the toy with your fingernail, it is not a good toy.
Please avoid stuffed toys, too, if your baby is known for destroying them and swallowing the stuffing. You can find durable toys on the market that are safe.
With cats, I recommend avoiding toys that have strings or toys that can break down to threads. Instead, consider catnip stuffed toys or interactive, robotic toys.
If you happen to have a Christmas tree, keep an eye on the gifts Santa may put under the tree because some dogs and cats want to open them before anyone else does. I admit I am not a fan of giving pups or kittens (or any pet) as Christmas gifts because they are a serious, long-term commitment and not a toy.
However, if as a family or individual you have decided that you are ready to commit to a fur baby — or any pet — consider adopting as your first option, especially a senior pet or a baby with special needs.
Once the Christmas holiday has passed, it will be time to celebrate and welcome a new year! Unfortunately, this time is associated with fireworks and many of our pets are terrified of them. You may want to consider putting your babies in a room that is as far away from the outside walls as possible and have a white noise machine running. If your furry/feathered/scaled loved one has anxiety issues, consult with your veterinarian ahead of time regarding the available options to help with managing these anxiety issues.
ell friends, this is my last column of 2023. I hope you have found it to be helpful! Let us take a moment to look back and reflect on the year we have had while looking forward to a new year that will hopefully bring us positive experiences as well as challenges.
We all need to remember to be kind to ourselves and to the people around us, because we are all going through different battles and experiences. I wish you all the best now and always, and thank you SO MUCH for your support throughout this past year. ¡Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo! ¡¡Abrazos para todos!! █
Dr. Josh owns Isla Veterinary Boutique Hospital at 14380 Marsh Lane, Ste. 110 in Addison. Calll him at 972-738-1111 or visit IslaVet.com.
