They are here again. A year has passed and we find ourselves less than two weeks away from the commotion and happiness of the climax phase for the 2008 Holiday season. Can you really believe we are up against this point in time again? It feels like it was yesterday when Milena opened frantically her 8-inch bone and Emma brought down the tree when she tried unsuccessfully to steal ‘Ger’s treats box. Ah, the Holidays.
You shopped, but did you protect?
It’s important as responsible pet lovers not to forget to keep everything safe for our four-legged kids during this season. In just a blink of an eye we could face an emergency that will either take us in the middle of the night to the vet’s office, receive and lament over a big invoice for their help, and in the worst of cases, destroy the joy of the season by saying goodbye to a member of the family.
I don’t intend to take time from your precious Holiday preparations by giving you a comprehensive guide on what to do. But this is what I share with other pet parents I know every year by making 4×4 cutouts and sending them with our Holiday cards:
- Keep the human goodies with the humans. Bread, turkey, and cookies contain a high concentration of fats that are not good for any non-human invitee. It could lead to a serious inflammation of the pancreas known as pancreatitis. Macadamia nuts are a big NO-NO as well as they hind-limb paralysis, and candy (especially chocolate)… well, you get the point. Not worth the trouble to our friend for just 5 seconds of enjoyment, right?
- No candles when kids are out of their hideouts. The bright light attracts them like flies to trash and bright flashes (a.k.a. fires) will follow.
- Tack down all extension cords. We don’t recommend covering them as this could create a bigger problem for everybody in the house (short-circuits are the main triggers for Holiday fires). But by securing them with zip ties you’ll make sure they don’t go chewing or pulling on them.
Either hang your tree ornaments high out of reach, or get big wooden ones that can’t be ingested. It wouldn’t be a beautiful sight to get home and find your kid choking with a gold string hanging out of his mouth.- Another note on ornaments – replace the metal hooks with twine or yarn. If the ornament is big, they’ll probably go for the hook.
- Put treats inside a plastic container and label with a Sharpie pen “APPROVED PET TREATS”. Show your visitors its location or keep it on the floor right beside the goodies table. What we usually do is let visitors know in a very subtle way not to feed our kids by posting a small sign on our refrigerator. Odds are everybody will walk by it and they’ll see the message. You can get the sign we made this year down.
- Tinsel and angel hair – scratch them off right now from your decoration list.
- Re-read numbers 1 and 6 above – wouldn’t it be easier just to keep Lady safe inside her room/kennel while you have visitors over?
- Keep them warm and cozy. If you take them outside to do their business, keep an eye and bring them in as soon as they’re done. Cold temperatures could kill the joyful atmosphere by bringing your friend down with a cold. And by the way, stay away from baths.
- You can get these Holiday plants but keep them outside or out of their way:
- mistletoe
- ivy
- juniper
- cedar
- pine
- hibiscus
- poinsettias
- There are others, and you can take a look at a very comprehensive list by PawPrints & Purrs
Along with this list, be sure to read what expert animal communicator Janet Roper has a shares on her site for you to keep Buddy safe for the next four weeks. An excellent resource for responsible parents.
This is what you need to do right now
Write down this number on a piece of paper, scribble “POISON CONTROL” at the top, and tape it to your refrigerator > (888) 426-4435
Also, get the Holiday sign we make each year with spaces for the vet’s office number and to let your visitors know your home is safe.
If your pal starts behaving oddly, chances are someone in your house didn’t follow the information on this post. Do not try to Google for “Is my pet poisoned?” or insist on treating the emergency by yourself – get a friend to get in touch with your veterinary and you call the number above to know what to do first hand before going to the vet’s office. The important thing is to stabilize your pal.
Do order your FREE Pet Safety Pack from the ASPCA and find out more on keeping your Holidays safe in 2008. A couple of clicks and you’ll get this kit along with important information on safety issues around your house.
