Thanksgiving Dangers: Tips to Keep Your Cat and Dog Safe
Happy Thanksgiving! There are common problems associated with the Thanksgiving holiday that can harm dogs and cats and we would like to prevent these problems in your pet. Below are tips to keep your pet safe.
- Prevent access to counter tops – sometimes dogs (and especially cats) will jump up or reach counters to get to those succulent smells of turkey and other food. The hot stove and hot items on counters can cause severe burns. Hot burners can also cause tail and hair to catch on fire.
- Safely dispose of the turkey string, foil and wrappers– the string that wraps turkey legs is very appealing to dogs and cats. The same danger exists with the plastic turkey wrapper and netting. Ingestion of these undigestible items can require life-saving surgery. Place string, aluminum foil, and turkey wrappers in a secure covered trashcan.
- Take care with the fireplace or woodburner – many times Thanksgiving is the first of the winter holidays and the first time the fireplace has been used. Take special care that pets stay away from the fire or woodburner. A fire screen helps with fireplaces. It is a good idea to have a carbon monoxide detector in your home to ensure all heaters are adequately ventilated.
- Careful with table scraps and food– some dogs and cats deal well with table scraps and others get sick. Small breed dogs can be particularly sensitive and develop a disease called pancreatitis. This is especially true with high fat meals. Don’t feed your pet the skins and take care they do not get bones nor pop up thermometers. If you feed anything – offer small amounts of vegetables or cooked meat. Many desserts contain chocolate that pets don’t need.
- Special care with candles – this is a wonderful occasion to light some beautiful candles but only do so while the candles are supervised. Never leave the room with candles burning. Pets can knock them over causing burns or house fires.
- Beware liquid potpourri – this is another item that is commonly used during the holidays to give the home a wonderful aroma. The liquid potpourri can be appealing to pets but are caustic to the gums and throat if ingested. A safer alternative may be plug in air fresheners.
- Fresh cut flowers – some flowers are toxic and others can cause inflammation of the stomach causing vomiting. The safest thing to do is prevent access to all fresh cut flowers.
We hope these tips keep your pet safe during this Thanksgiving holiday.
