Holiday dangers for your dog

We are always happy when it is time to get the Christmas tree set up and start our holiday baking.  However these two activities can potentially be harmful to your dogs and there are some things to think about while preparing for these activities.

The Christmas tree should be well-secured.  It can easily be toppled by a happy puppy and could hurt the dog (or person) who may be standing in the wrong place at the wrong time!  Also remember to watch your dog for the first few days after your tree is up to be sure they are not showing interest in eating the tree or its decorations!  Pine needles can irritate the throat if the dog eats them and lead to subsequent problems.  Christmas ornaments – especially home-made ones that are baked or made from dried pasta - are notorious for getting eaten!   Put them high on the tree or keep them off the tree until your puppy grows up and has been trained to leave the tree and its decorations alone!

Most of us know that chocolate is also harmful to dogs.  The primary substance of concern is called theobromine and it is toxic to dogs in high quantities.  High quantities are prevalent in baker’s chocolate and dark chocolate.  It is present to a lesser degree in milk and white chocolate.  The dog most frequently begins to have nausea that leads to vomiting.  Keep in mind that our large breed dogs can easily access items left on coffee tables and even counter-tops, so be aware of where you set down that box you have been snacking on!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Convenience!

Yesterday we were able to help one of our clients out.  He had to go to work, but also wanted to be present for his cat's appointment and to consult with me.  Here is what we did: he dropped his cat off in the morning on his way to work and we scheduled an appointment for him over his lunch hour.  His cat stayed with us in our recovery ward while he worked in the morning and he came over at lunch for his appointment.  We did the appointment as usual in the examination room and when it was finished, we put the cat back in our ward and he went back to work!  After work he picked up the kitty and went home.  The cat enjoyed seeing the hospital activity from a safe location and got special attention from our staff during breaks.  It was the best kind of visit for everyone involved, even the kitty!

Home Care

Being able to do treatments and care for our pets at home is a wonderful way to save money!  It also really gives us the feeling that we are making a difference in our pet's life.  Whenever possible, I do encourage my clients to take on treatments that they can do at home.  One example is with fluid therapy.  We often give fluids to our pets repeatedly when they are in renal (kidney) failure.  We can teach owners to perform this task in a matter of minutes and then the pet's care can come more under the control of you, the owner.  Ask me more about home care for your pet the next time you are in.