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.

Thanksgiving for Pets

While your pets may be thankful for you, they may be confused by holiday happenings like visitors, travel, pet sitters and different foods. Remember, certain human foods, like onions and chocolate, can be toxic to your animal family. Cooked bones can be a choking hazard, too much sugar can be unhealthy, and being startled by exclamations over the football game or chased by the kids can send Fluffy running under the sofa or out the door.

If you're having guests over, make sure you set a safe space where your pet can go, and check to see what local veterinarians will be available in case of emergencies. It's also a good idea to set aside a small amount of the turkey or meat to give your dog or cat separately, or give them their own treat. Make sure they don't get into scraps you drop on the floor or into the garbage.