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Thanksgiving Pet Safety Thanksgivingisaspecialholidaythatbringstogetherfamilyandfriends,butitalsocancarrysomehazardsforpets.Holidayfoodneedstobekeptawayfrompets,andpetownerswhotravelneedtoeithertransporttheirpetssafelyorfindsafeaccommodationsforthemathome.Followthesetipstokeepyourpetshealthyandsafeduringtheholiday.
PoisonRisksOverindulginginthefamilyfeastcanbeunhealthyforhumans,butevenworseforpets:Fattyfoodsarehardforanimalstodigest.Poultrybonescandamageyourpet’sdigestivetract.Andholidaysweetscancontainingredientsthatarepoisonoustopets.
• Keepthefeastonthetable—notunderit.Eatingturkeyorturkeyskin–sometimesevenasmallamount–cancausealife-threateningconditioninpetsknownaspancreatitis.Fattyfoodsarehardforanimalstodigest,andmanyfoodsthatarehealthyforpeoplearepoisonoustopets–includingonions,raisinsandgrapes.IfyouwanttoshareaThanksgivingtreatwithyourpet,makeorbuyatreatthatismadejustforthem.
• Nopieorotherdessertsforyourpooch.Chocolatecanbeharmfulforpets,eventhoughmanydogsfindittemptingandwillsniffitoutandeatit.Theartificialsweetenercalledxylitol–commonlyusedingumandsugar-freebakedgoods–alsocanbedeadlyifconsumedbydogsorcats.
• Yeastdoughcancauseproblemsforpets,includingpainfulgasandpotentiallydangerousbloating.
• Putthetrashawaywhereyourpetscan’tfindit.Aturkeycarcasssittingoutonthecarvingtable,orleftinatrashcontainerthatisopenoreasilyopened,couldbedeadlytoyourfamilypet.Disposeofturkeycarcassesandbones–andanythingusedtowraportiethemeat,suchasstrings,bagsandpackaging–inacovered,tightlysecuredtrashbagplacedinaclosedtrashcontaineroutdoors(orbehindaclosed,lockeddoor).
• Becarefulwithdecorativeplants.Don’tforgetthatsomeflowersandfestiveplantscanbetoxictopets.Theseincludeamaryllis,Baby’sBreath,SweetWilliam,someferns,hydrangeasandmore.TheASPCAofferslistsofplantsthataretoxicto
bothdogsandcats,butthesafestrouteissimplytokeepyourpetsawayfromallplantsandtabledecorations.
• Quickactioncansavelives.Ifyoubelieveyourpethasbeenpoisonedoreatensomethingitshouldn’thave,callyourveterinarianorlocalveterinaryemergencyclinicimmediately.YoumayalsowanttocalltheASPCAPoisonControlHotline:888-426-4435.Signsofpetdistressinclude:suddenchangesinbehavior,depression,pain,vomiting,ordiarrhea.Contactyourveterinarianimmediately.
PrecautionsforPartiesIfyou’rehostingapartyorovernightvisitors,planaheadtokeepyourpetssafeandmaketheexperiencelessstressfulforeveryone.
• Visitorscanupsetyourpets.Somepetsareshyorexcitablearoundnewpeopleorincrowds,andThanksgivingoftenmeansmanyvisitorsatonceandhigher-than-usualnoiseandactivitylevels.Ifyouknowyourdogorcatisnervouswhenpeoplevisityourhome,puthim/herinanotherroomoracratewithafavoritetoy.Thiswillreducetheemotionalstressonyourpetandprotectyourguestsfrompossibleinjury.Ifyourpetisparticularlyupsetbyhouseguests,talktoyourveterinarianaboutpossiblesolutionstothiscommonproblem.
o Ifanyofyourguestshavecompromisedimmunesystems(duetopregnancy,somediseases,ormedicationsortreatmentsthatsuppresstheimmunesystem),makesurethey’reawareofthepets(especiallyexoticpets)inyourhomesotheycantakeextraprecautionstoprotectthemselves.
• Watchtheexits.Evenifyourpetsarecomfortablearoundguests,makesureyouwatchthemclosely,especiallywhenpeopleareenteringorleavingyourhome.Whileyou’rewelcominghungryguestsandcollectingcoats,afour-leggedfamilymembermaymakeabreakforitoutthedoorandbecomelost.
• Identificationtagsandmicrochipsreunitefamilies.Makesureyourpethasproperidentificationwithyourcurrentcontactinformation–particularlyamicrochipwithup-to-date,registeredinformation.Thatway,iftheydosneakout,they’remorelikelytobereturnedtoyou.Ifyourpetisn’talreadymicrochipped,talktousaboutthebenefitsofthissimpleprocedure.
• Watchyourpetsaroundfestivedecorations.Specialholidaydisplaysorcandlesareattractivetopetsaswellaspeople.Neverleaveapetaloneinanareawithalitcandle;itcouldresultinafire.Andpinecones,needlesandotherdecorationscancauseintestinalblockagesorevenperforateananimal’sintestineifeaten.
TravelConcernsWhetheryoutakeyourpetswithyouorleavethembehind,taketheseprecautionstosafeguardthemwhentravelingovertheThanksgivingholidayoratanyothertimeoftheyear.
Yourpetneedsahealthcertificatefromyourveterinarianifyou’retravelingacrossstatelinesorinternationalborders,whetherbyairorcar.Learntherequirementsforanystatesyouwillvisitorpassthrough,andscheduleanappointmentwithyourveterinariantogettheneededcertificatewithinthetimeframesrequiredbythosestates.Moreinformationmaybefoundathttps://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet-travel.
Neverleavepetsaloneinvehicles,evenforashorttime,regardlessoftheweather.
Petsshouldalwaysbesafelyrestrainedinvehicles.Thismeansusingasecureharnessoracarrier,placedinalocationclearofairbags.Thishelpsprotectyourpetsifyoubrakeorswervesuddenly,orgetinanaccident;keepsthemawayfrompotentiallypoisonousfoodorotheritemsyouaretransporting;preventsthemfromcausingdangerousdistractionsforthedriver;andcanpreventsmallanimalsfromgettingtrappedinsmallspaces.Nevertransportyourpetinthebedofatruck.
Talkwithyourveterinarianifyou’retravelingbyairandconsideringbringingyourpetwithyou.Airtravelcanputsomepetsatrisk,especiallyshort-noseddogs.Yourveterinarianisthebestpersontoadviseyouregardingyourownpet’sabilitytotravel.
Packforyourpetaswellasyourselfifyou’regoingtotraveltogether.Inadditiontoyourpet’sfoodandmedications,thisincludesbringingmedicalrecords,informationtohelpidentifyyourpetifitbecomeslost,firstaidsupplies,andotheritems.
Areyouconsideringboardingyourdogwhileyoutravel?Talkwithyourveterinariantofindouthowbesttoprotectyourpetfromcaninefluandothercontagiousdiseases,andtomakesureyourpetisup-to-dateonvaccines.
FoodSafetyDon’tforgettoprotectyourfamilyandlovedonesfromfoodborneillnesseswhilecookingyourThanksgivingmeal.Handwashing,andsafefoodhandlingandpreparation,areimportanttomakesureyourholidayisahappyone.TheU.S.DepartmentofAgricultureofferstipsforhandling,thawingandcookingturkey,aswellassavingyourleftovers.
Wehopeyoufindthesetipshelpfulasweentertheholidayseason!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at The Corner Vet