HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Let’s avoid a trip to the veterinary ER!!
First let’s talk about food: fatty foods are difficult for animals to digest as are poultry bones. As anyone who has owned a dog that suffered from pancreatitis knows, fatty foods should be avoided (especially in Miniature Schnauzers)! Sometimes giving a pet a food, even in small amounts, that they are not used to can cause gastrointestinal upset. Holiday sweets may contain xylitol so avoiding those are advisable too. Plain, skinless, boneless turkey in small amounts is generally safe for pets but gravy, sauces, poultry skin and fat are not! Please discard the turkey carcass in a tightly sealed container. Regarding desserts: no pie, chocolate, or uncooked yeast-based bread dough!
Visiting guests: “Who let the dogs out??!!””—be sure to keep entrances secure! With all the hustle and bustle of guests arriving and departing, pets can easily escape. Take this time to be sure your pets’ microchips are registered and up to date. Also remember some pets are stressed by visitors and may not want to interact with adults or small children that they are not used to.
Holiday travel: if driving long distances, check ahead to locate 24 hour emergency clinics that may be needed along the route. RESTRAIN PETS IN VEHICLES-in an accident a pet becomes a projectile and may even be ejected through the sunroof. If flying, caution in flying the short-nosed breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs, and Persian cats. Some airlines are prohibiting these breeds due to their inability to maintain an adequate airway. And finally, be sure and keep vaccinations and flea/tick/heartworm preventatives up to date. Different areas of the country may have different ticks, diseases, and/or increased mosquito exposure (heartworm) than where you reside.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL INCLUDING THE PETS! @speakingofpets