Happy Holidays, Safety First - Updated!

Photo courtesy of El Caganer

You may have noticed that I have posted several times on winter and holiday safety and tips for animals.  Topics have included suggestions for travelling with pets, helping them cope when you have people over for holidays, keeping animals warm in cold weather, and keeping them safe from common holiday accidents.  

 Still, you can’t know too much about keeping your pets happy and healthy, so I have a few more more links to recommend.



About.com has a great list of articles on Holiday Pets 101: Safety, Fun and Gifts. They cover topics from travel to safety and giving fun, safe gifts to animals and their people.  Each article has links to other tips that might interest you, and the main page includes information on dogs, cats, horses, fish and exotics. If you just want to know about toy safety for dogs and cats, try Safe Pet Toys, and for more specific information on exotic and pocket pets, check out Bird Toy Safety and  Resources for Exotic Pet Gifts.
There is also a great article on  Choosing Safe Dog Toys at thebark.com.

For quicker reading,  I recommend the ASPCA’s brief but informative article on holiday safety tips.  The ASPCA is always a great resource, whether you want to know if poinsettias are really poisonous, if latkes are okay for your puppy, or why I and my veterinary technician co-workers sometimes referred to tinsel as “kitty floss – if you’re lucky.” 

One more note: don't forget your birds and reptiles need to keep warm, too! Use thermometers to make sure temperatures in their enclosures are maintained within their healthy range.   Many types of pet birds come from the tropics, and cold-blooded animals need consistent heating, unless they are in an outdoor enclosure and accustomed to winter weather.  Trying to get a turtle who has always lived indoors and never hibernated, for example, is a risky idea.

Remember, you don't have to worry and stress, you just need to take steps to be prepared.