Keep the holidays safe for your pet

The holidays are a time for giving, but there are some things that shouldn't be shared with your best little friends.  So while you are busy making festive plans for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas, please don't forget to consider your pets.  Once you know the hazards to watch for, a little precaution and prevention will make holidays a happy time for everyone.  Common holiday hazards include:

Bones: Holiday meals often leave a lot of tantalizing bones, but please don't feed them to your pet.  Bone chips and splinters can lodge in the throat, stomach, and intestines, causing bleeding and sometimes requiring surgery.

Fat: Those wonderful potato latkes, gravies, and poultry skin can cause severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Holiday plants: Holly and mistletoe are extremely poisonous when eaten.  Although the lovely poinsettia is not truly poisonous, its milky white sap can certainly cause severe intestinal distress.  It's best to keep all of these plants out of the reach of pets.

Electrical cords: Holiday lights mean lots of opportunities for chewed cords.  We see several cases of severe mouth burns and occasional fatalities when cords are left out for puppies and kittens to chew.  Secure cords out of the way or use liberal amounts of a chew repellant, such as Bitter Apple.

Candles: A happy wagging tail, a swat of a paw, and candles and hot wax can quickly become a disaster zone!  We don't know why pups are so attracted to lit candles, but they are. Keep them clear of curious noses and paws, please.

Holiday tree: Make sure your tree is well-secured in a sturdy stand.  If you have tree-climbing cats or large dogs with exuberant tails, you may wish to anchor the top of the tree to the wall using strong cord or rope.  Preservative used in the water in a tree stand can cause stomach upset, so make sure that it is inaccessible to pets.  Avoid sugar or aspirin additives in the water, as well.

Ornaments: Breakable ornaments, dreidels, and foil should be kept out of reach.  String objects, such as tinsel, garland, and ribbon need to be carefully avoided.  Every year, we operate on cats who have eaten tinsel and garland and can't pass it.  This makes for a very miserable kitty....and a mighty expensive garland!

Pet escapes: With everyone coming and going, watch out for open doors and sneaky pets.  Make sure that your pets wear collars and tags at all times, in case of an "escape".  If your pet isn't microchipped, do it now!  This way, your pet is permanently identified, even if the collar and tags are gone.

Stress and company: Your pet may not be used to rooms full of unfamiliar people and overly enthusiastic children.  If your pet isn't a socializer, don't push the issue.  Provide a special quiet place with a crate or blanket and fresh water for your pet to retreat to, when the festivities get too stressful.  Or, if children or adults are pestering your pet or feeding forbidden foods, move your pet to a quiet room right away.

Healthy holiday treats for your pets

Are you surprised to know that we see the greatest numbers of sick pets over the holidays?  It's a natural tendency to want to share your holiday goodies with your pets - but many of the rich foods we all like to eat can cause serious stomach and intestine problems for cats and dogs.  What to do when your pets beg for a special treat?  We checked with some of our clients who own, foster, and train multiple pets, and they shared their favorite pet recipes with us.  Don't let YOUR pet be one of the miserably ill dogs and cats we see each holiday season.  Instead of feeding "people treats", which are typically sugary or fatty, make one of these healthy treats:

VEGGIE TREATS (Courtesy of Katy Boldt, A Closer Bond Dog Training School)

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/3 cup margarine, 1 1/2 cup hot water, 3/4 cup powdered milk, 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1 egg, 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 package Knorrs instant vegetable soup.

TO MAKE: Mix hot water with oatmeal and margarine.  Stir in powdered milk, cornmeal, and egg.  Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Knead several minutes, adding more flour if needed to make a stiff dough.  Pat out 1/2 inch thick on an oiled cookie sheet.  Cut into squares or use cookie cutters.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  Cool and dry till hard.

LIVER TREATS (Courtesy of Mona Moore, REGAP/Retired Racing Greyhounds)

INGREGIENTS: 1 pound chicken livers, 1 cup self-rising flour, 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, 1 1/2 tsp each of garlic and onion powder.

TO MAKE: Blend all ingredients in food processor.  Pour on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Check center of pan; if still pink, bake 5-10 minutes longer.  Cut into squares at once, as these treats sometimes get very hard.