Furry Friends Rescue would like to wish everyone (furry and not) a wonderful and safe Happy Holidays!!
Here are some tips to keep it safe for your furry loved ones!
Tips for a Safe Holiday Season
1) Make sure your pet only eats their normal diet, feeding turkey or pork to your dog or cat can cause them unwanted pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. Also bones from these animals can also splinter and hurt your pets if they try to eat them. Discourage family and guests from feeding inappropriate foods to your pet. For a non comprehensive list click here. If they have consumed potentially life threatening call a veternarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24-hour Emergency at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP.
2) Make sure you dispose of wrapping paper, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, wax paper, twisty ties, etc in containers where your pet can’t get to it or dig it out. Pets can accidentally consume these objects which can cause intestinal blockage. In the meantime, you can give your dog whole wheat/high-fiber bread or canned pumpkin, which can help bulk up the stools the help the material pass through the digestive system. Dosages depend on the size of the dog. For pumpkin, feed one-quarter to two-thirds of a cup.
3) Keep CHOCOLATE AWAY from your pet!! Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine which can be harmful to animals. Rapid breathing and hyperactivity are signs of bad reactions to chocolate, get your pet to a vet immediately if you think they consumed chocolate. Although the degree of harm can depend on the amount of chocolate consumed and the dogs weight, some animals are more sensitive than others regardless.
4) Be wary of certain holiday plants, such as poinsettias and lilies, if ingested these plants can cause sever illness or even death in pets.
5) It helps to maintain regular feeding and exercise schedules to decrease any stress on them. Remember a tired dog is a happy dog – and one that’s less likely to get into trouble.
6) Be careful if you have guests coming in and out of your house that you know where your pets are so that they don’t dash out the door and get lost or hit by a car. If you need to, keep them in a quiet, secured area in the house where they’ll be safe and calm.*Doggie/Kitty Tip: Make us an area somewhere where we’ll feel safe and where we can get away from the hustle and bustle! This is also an area where you can give your pet a time out when they need it. Us dogs sleep a lot during the day, it’s important to let us nap too. 
7) Be careful in large crowded areas as well, as there may be new noises or people in costumes that they’ve never seen before. Some of us can get scared by costumes and loud noises!
Make sure your pet has fresh water, when we get nervous we get thirsty! Plus you never know when a child or relative might bump the bowl and spill it!
9) Keep lights, candles, electric cords, etc out of reach of animals so they don’t chew on them and hurt themselves.
10) MOST IMPORTANTLY! Keep current registration and ID tags on your pet at ALL times! This way if your pet goes missing it’ll be easier to locate you if they’re found. It’s also a good idea to microchip your pet, this way if their collar and tags fall off, the vet or shelter can scan the pet and find your information. For information on microchipping click here. Local pet stores often have low-cost clinics on weekends who offer low-cost microchipping.
We hope you enjoy the holidays and have a wonderful time with family and friends!
Butch 12-3635 (on the left) – http://furryfriendsrescue.org/find_a_pet/view/13699
