Christmas Survival Guide
For many of us, Christmas is an exciting time, but while some of our pets might enjoy the fun, nervous, elderly or ill pets may struggle. And even those who do enjoy the festivities can get themselves into trouble with Christmas treats! Read on for our top tips on keeping your pet happy and safe this Christmas ...
If you have a pet who is likely to help themselves to presents, we suggest you don’t store them under the Christmas tree ahead of the big day! Even if your pet is an angel, it’s still worth checking if presents are edible. Avoid hanging chocolate baubles or similar on the tree, and if your dog or cat is prone to climbing and destruction, consider putting the tree in a room to which they don’t have unsupervised access.
There is a long list of foods that are harmful to pets. Foods to avoid include dried fruits (think Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and mince pies) grapes, onions, leeks and garlic, chocolate, alcohol, macadamia nuts and the sweetener, xylitol. Cooked bones can easily splinter and cause injuries and blockages, and raw bones can damage teeth and contain harmful bacteria. There are plenty of safe and tasty treats available if you want to spoil your pet, or a small serving of plain cooked meat will suit most pets.
And Christmas foods are not the only hazards. Holly and mistletoe berries from Christmas decorations are poisonous, and, whilst not limited to Christmas time, antifreeze is highly toxic to cats, so any spills should be cleaned up straight away.
If you are worried about something your pet has eaten, call the practice as soon as possible. If the practice is closed, you can call the Veterinary Poisons Information Service helpline
Animal PoisonLine » Veterinary Poisons Information Service
Vets Now also have a very helpful chocolate toxicity calculator that you can access free of charge online.
How Much Chocolate Can A Dog Eat? Use Our Calculator To Find Out
And of course, our out-of-hours service at Vets24 provides year-round 24-hour care.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that all the noise and visitors, and disruption to routine can be quite stressful for pets, so try and make sure they get their usual walks, lots of opportunity to snooze, and have a safe, quiet place to which they can retreat. And as fun as it might be to dress your pet up as a reindeer or elf, remember that this might not be their idea of fun!
Wishing you a safe and Happy Christmas!