During the Holidays, we have more cases come in with
Holiday related problems than almost any other time of
year!. And we are thankful for having our lives blessed
with our pets. Here are a couple of tips to keep your
family members and pets safe and happy during this
time of year.
1. Protect the Christmas Tree and Ornaments! Every
year we get cats and dogs that either ate an ornament,
broke glass ornaments (and got cut on them), or got
tangled and hurt on the cords/trees. As much as
possible, keep your pets away from the Christmas tree.
2. Don't feed your pets chicken or turkey bones.
Chicken and Turkey bones are likely to splinter and
shatter. This can cause all sorts of serious
complications, including having to perform emergency
surgery on your pet. It's horrible for the pet, and
expensive for the owner. Whatever you give your dog or
cat, please do not feed them leftovers with bones.
3. Don't feed dogs greasy foods, ham or pork. Dogs
have many serious health issues associated with
undercooked pork, including pancreatitis. Also, greasy
foods tend to cause loose stool and diarrhea, and
cleaning this up is not a pleasant way to end a Holiday
weekend. It also isn't good for your dog.
4. Don't overfeed or give them food that is not a part of
their normal diet or treats. Providing large amounts of
food can cause dogs to "bloat", a serious and often life
threatening condition whose onset is quick and is
expensive to treat.
5. No Chocolate! Please eat the chocolate yourself.
Dogs have a lower threshold for some of the
ingredients in chocolate and suffer from "chocolate
toxicity" when eaten in large quantities compared to
their body mass. This can cause serious issues and
can be fatal. Call us or the emergency clinic and let us
know how much they have had to see if you should
come in for treatment.
6. Protect your garbage. Yes, your pets are more likely
to go into the garbage and get leftovers during this
weekend. And they can eat things that are not good for
them, including tin foil, plastic utensils, wire, and other
items which can cause an "obstruction" in their
digestive tract. Many times this can require extensive
surgery to remove.
7. Monitor your pets with new people or guests in the
house. Many dogs, cats, and *rabbits* are very
territorial and while they are sweet to family members,
may exhibit aggressive and territorial behavior around
those they consider outsiders. Watch them and control
any early signs of aggression.
8. Make sure your pet is microchipped. Guests often
accidentally let your pets out, and the best way to
ensure they are found is by having them microchipped.
9. Get "carsickness" pills from your vet, for your pets, if
they are travelling with you. Otherwise, arrange
boarding early as most boarding facilities fill up early.
10. Give your pet some attention. During holidays, they
are normally ignored over other events. This can lead
them to "act out" or behave in unusual manners to gain
your attention. If you pay some attention to them, both
of your holidays will be better.
If you do run into a problem, we are here to help M-F
7:30 am - 6 pm and on Saturday 8 am - 6 pm. And after
hours, please remember that both Auburn and
Columbus have emergency medical clinics for animals,
and waiting on a problem will most likely make it a
much more expensive and life threatening problem for
your beloved pet. See the Columbus Pet Guide for
emergency clinic directions and contact information.
Holiday related problems than almost any other time of
year!. And we are thankful for having our lives blessed
with our pets. Here are a couple of tips to keep your
family members and pets safe and happy during this
time of year.
1. Protect the Christmas Tree and Ornaments! Every
year we get cats and dogs that either ate an ornament,
broke glass ornaments (and got cut on them), or got
tangled and hurt on the cords/trees. As much as
possible, keep your pets away from the Christmas tree.
2. Don't feed your pets chicken or turkey bones.
Chicken and Turkey bones are likely to splinter and
shatter. This can cause all sorts of serious
complications, including having to perform emergency
surgery on your pet. It's horrible for the pet, and
expensive for the owner. Whatever you give your dog or
cat, please do not feed them leftovers with bones.
3. Don't feed dogs greasy foods, ham or pork. Dogs
have many serious health issues associated with
undercooked pork, including pancreatitis. Also, greasy
foods tend to cause loose stool and diarrhea, and
cleaning this up is not a pleasant way to end a Holiday
weekend. It also isn't good for your dog.
4. Don't overfeed or give them food that is not a part of
their normal diet or treats. Providing large amounts of
food can cause dogs to "bloat", a serious and often life
threatening condition whose onset is quick and is
expensive to treat.
5. No Chocolate! Please eat the chocolate yourself.
Dogs have a lower threshold for some of the
ingredients in chocolate and suffer from "chocolate
toxicity" when eaten in large quantities compared to
their body mass. This can cause serious issues and
can be fatal. Call us or the emergency clinic and let us
know how much they have had to see if you should
come in for treatment.
6. Protect your garbage. Yes, your pets are more likely
to go into the garbage and get leftovers during this
weekend. And they can eat things that are not good for
them, including tin foil, plastic utensils, wire, and other
items which can cause an "obstruction" in their
digestive tract. Many times this can require extensive
surgery to remove.
7. Monitor your pets with new people or guests in the
house. Many dogs, cats, and *rabbits* are very
territorial and while they are sweet to family members,
may exhibit aggressive and territorial behavior around
those they consider outsiders. Watch them and control
any early signs of aggression.
8. Make sure your pet is microchipped. Guests often
accidentally let your pets out, and the best way to
ensure they are found is by having them microchipped.
9. Get "carsickness" pills from your vet, for your pets, if
they are travelling with you. Otherwise, arrange
boarding early as most boarding facilities fill up early.
10. Give your pet some attention. During holidays, they
are normally ignored over other events. This can lead
them to "act out" or behave in unusual manners to gain
your attention. If you pay some attention to them, both
of your holidays will be better.
If you do run into a problem, we are here to help M-F
7:30 am - 6 pm and on Saturday 8 am - 6 pm. And after
hours, please remember that both Auburn and
Columbus have emergency medical clinics for animals,
and waiting on a problem will most likely make it a
much more expensive and life threatening problem for
your beloved pet. See the Columbus Pet Guide for
emergency clinic directions and contact information.
| 706-689-6240 |
| Benning Animal Hospital, LLC |
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The Vet's Christmas
Holiday Pet Tips
Holiday Pet Tips
