Pets Also Hit With Holiday Stress

When you’re thinking of your loved ones this holiday season, don’t forget to consider the care of the four-legged members of your family. Dogs, cats and rabbits can add so much to any family celebration, and with some simple tips you can make sure your furry friends remain happy and healthy this year.

Just as the holiday season can be a stressful time for humans, Animal Friends reminds you it can be equally trying for pets. Follow these simple steps to minimize anxiety for your pets during this busy season:

• Make sure your holiday guests know how to greet a pet: by waiting for the pet to approach them and then slowly extending a hand for them to sniff. Anxious or fearful pets should not be forced to meet guests against their will.

• Give your pet a special place in the house that is theirs alone: a crate, spare room, or area where they can retreat to and feel safe if the holiday celebration is too hectic for them.

• Put your dog in a crate during the busiest times of the night: dinner, opening packages, as guests come and go through the door; etc. Be sure to give him a nice chew toy to keep him occupied.

• Take extra care to keep bows, ribbons, string, and other packing materials away from your animals as they can pose a choking hazard. Cardboard boxes and tubes can be shared with cats and rabbits if supervised.

• Ornaments, candy canes, light bulbs and tinsel can also be potentially dangerous to pets. Not only can ingested objects cause intestinal blockage and abrasions, but glass ornaments can shatter and cut soft paw pads. Be sure to hang fragile or edible ornaments safely out of a curious pet’s reach.

• Never leave your pet unsupervised with a Christmas tree. Be careful not to let your pet drink the water from the Christmas tree stand, which may contain preservatives, or sugar or aspirin additives to keep the tree looking fresh. These can cause gastrointestinal upset in pets.

• While most pet owners know that chocolate contains theobromide, a chemical that is fatally poisonous to dogs, many other favorite holiday foods can also can give your four-legged family members a tummy ache. Uncooked yeast dough can rise in the stomach and cause severe pain. Pets who have eaten bread dough may experience abdominal pain, bloat, vomiting, disorientation and depression. Since the breakdown product of rising dough is alcohol, it can also cause alcohol poisoning.

• Other decorative holiday plants may look intriguing to your pets, but they can be toxic.  Mistletoe has the potential to cause cardiovascular problems. Both poinsettias and holly, if ingested, can cause illness including vomiting and diarrhea. Again, the best cure is prevention: keep all dangerous plants out of your pets’ reach.