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