Have a pet safe Christmas
Top tips to help ensure your pets have a great Christmas
Christmas is great! There are presents, fantastic food and we get to spend time with family and friends. But, did you know that Christmas can be hazardous and stressful for your pets?
Festive food
Festive food is delicious to us but to our pets many of it is highly toxic and dangerous. Chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding, onion gravy and alcohol are all poisonous for our pets and the bones from carcasses are a dangerous choking hazard.
Keep your pets safe by making sure food is stored securely out of reach. Be prepared for any accidents by ensuring that you've taken out pet insurance.
If you think your pet has eaten anything they shouldn't have, stay calm and speak to your vet immediately.
Overindulging
It can be tempting to shower our pets with tasty treats. But extra weight gain can lead to health problems, so to keep your pet happy and healthy, keep treats to a minimum. If you do treat them to something extra, make sure the calories are accounted for in their daily food ration and feed them a little less for dinner.
Festive decorations
Festive food isn't the only hazard to consider around Christmas time, some household items can also be dangerous too. Some plants and flowers including poinsettias, holly, ivy, mistletoe and lilies can be toxic, so avoid these if you have pets.
Tinsel and wrapping paper might be tempting for your pet to play with but make sure they don't eat it!
Help your pet cope with Christmas Chaos
Christmas is often busy and chaotic. Help your pet cope with the chaos by keeping to their normal routine, as much as possible.
Provide your pet somewhere cosy and quiet where they can retreat to and have their own space away from the festive excitement. When your pet is in their quiet spot, make sure they are left alone and not disturbed by children or other guests. For cats, you can give them some hidey-holes to retreat to in case they feel unsure. Try on top of wardrobes or under furniture even cardboard boxes can make good hiding places.
Although Christmas is a busy time and there's a lot to do and people to see, be careful about leaving your pet alone for any period which might cause them distress.
Advice for all
Keep a number of an emergency vet on hand in case of accidents or if your pet eats something they shouldn't.
If your pet is on medication, stock up before the holidays so you don't get caught out.
If you're going away over Christmas, be sure to make plans for your pets whether they're coming with you or not.
Published on Sunday 2nd December 2018
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