'Tis the season for friends
and family, eggnog and other
treats, and good times! During
this busy time it can be a
challenge to juggle everything
that needs to be done -- including
caring for your four-legged
friends. Here are a few tips
to help keep your furry friends
safe for the holidays:
__No Chocolate, Please
Although Fido and Fluffy
may be attracted to the smell
and taste of chocolate, in
sufficient quantities, chocolate
can make her very sick. The
result? Vomiting, diarrhea,
and a lovely holiday spent
at the emergency vet clinic.
Be sure to store chocolate
well away from pets. Open
counters or ledges are not
good places -- some dogs may
'counter-surf', and cats easily
reach counters (what's worse,
they can knock chocolate off
the countertop and straight
into the path of enthusiastic
dogs!).
__Tinsel's Pretty, But...
Although it's a popular decoration
for trees, it can pose a danger
if your pet swallows it. It's
possible for it to cause an
intestinal blockage -- and
again, no one (least of all
your pet!) wants to spend
the holidays undergoing surgery!
__What's That? Who's There?
Holidays are often filled
with friends and family going
in and out of the house. If
your pet is excitable or tends
to get stressed with noise
and crowds, consider placing
her safely in a crate or a
room that's "out-of-
bounds" to guests. Give
her blankets, food, water,
toys ... and check in with
her regularly to make sure
she's okay. This will help
to ensure your pet stays safely
with her family, rather than
accidentally slipping out
the door.
__Mmm mmm! Extension cords!
With all the pretty lights
during the holiday season,
you probably have a variety
of extension cords running
every which way. Some pets
have a real 'taste' for extension
cords -- keep an eye on them
to prevent chewing, or they
could be in for a real 'shock'!
Where possible, tie cords
out of the way. Some hardware
stores also sell a plastic
tubing into which you insert
cords to keep your gnawing
little pet from hurting herself.
Happy Holidays to you and
your family -- both two-legged
and four-legged!
About the Author:PetFriendly.ca
features pet-friendly cottages,
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