Joey’s Summer Safety Message

By Scott Lackenby | Dated December 17, 2015

Heya peeps!! How are you all? Not many sleeps now until Santa Paws arrives!! I’m pretty excited. I know there are a few of the humans here at GVH who think that I may have hurt my chances of being stupidly spoilt this year with my little AWOL episode. But I’m pretty sure that Santie is a forgiving sort of fellow and my stocking will be over flowing again this year.

While you are busy getting ready for Christmas, there are just a few things that you need to be careful about concerning your pets and the festive season. Here a the top holiday hazards that we commonly see animals needing treatment for.

1. Ham: Who doesn’t like a nice chunk of ham at Christmas? I would love it if someone would bring me some tasty ham. But, as delicious as it is, ham is really bad for us. It’s a fatty meat that can cause pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas. Please don’t feed your pets ham. Even a small amount can cause them serious issues.

2. Bones: While we are on the subject of ham, it can be tempting to give your dog the ham bone. On top of the risk of pancreatitis, there is also the added risk of stomach upsets and even impaction from ingesting the bone. Please also be careful about how you dispose of any other cooked bones. As you know, cooked bones are very bad for us, so make sure you keep them out of our reach.

3. Christmas cake: How can cake be bad, I hear you ask? Well this tasty looking treat poses two issues. Firstly, it usually contains alcohol, which is no good for us. Secondly, it’s full of dried fruits and sultanas can be deadly. Sultanas and their hydrated friends, grapes, can cause irreversible kidney damage that can be fatal.

4. Tinsel and Christmas decorations: I LOVE tinsel!! It sparkles and crinkles and it’s amazing! And when people aren’t looking, I like to roll in it and chew it. And that’s where the trouble starts. Tinsel and other decorations can be a potential foreign body danger. Sometimes we animals eat things that we shouldn’t, and Christmas decorations are a good size for eating!

I do love me some tinsel!!

5. Heat Stroke: It’s getting hot out there! Please make sure you look after your pets in the heat. Extra water bowls, lots of shady spots and avoiding exercise in the hottest part of the day will all help to keep your pets cool this Summer. If you are driving with your pets, NEVER leave them in the car, even in the shade with the windows down. The temperature in the car can quickly rise to 10’c high than the outside temp, making the car like an oven. If you are doing a road trip with your pets, make regular stops for water and leg stretching.

Hot cars are like a hot oven, even when the top is down and the windows are open

6. Creepy crawlies and things that slither: The ticks are out and about. So are the fleas. Regular preventatives will help to protect your pets from these. At this time of year, snakes are also on the move. Be snake aware. They like long grass and places to sun themselves. If you are out and about, keep your eyes peeled and if you suspect that your pet may have been bitten by a snake, take them to the Vet ASAP.

Thankfully ticks aren’t actually this big!!

7. General over indulgence and tummy upsets: At this time of year, there is a lot of food around. And a lot of it is sweet and rich and let’s face it, delicious! But with the abundance of yummy food around, there is the possibility of your 4legged friend also getting their paws on a bunch of food that they aren’t used to eating resulting in not too nice tummy upsets. If you are having people of to celebrate the festive season, please make sure that they aren’t slipping you pets tid bits and table scraps. They could be unintentionally doing them harm.

Enjoy everything in moderation

8. Lily toxicity: While they are beautiful, lily’s are toxic to us felines. It causes acute renal failure which is sadly fatal in most cases. It’s the messy bits in the middle that drop the yukky powdery stuff that cause the issue, but if you have cats in the house, your best bet is to stick clear of lilies.

Wow! There’s a lot of things to be cautious of!! If you are travelling with your pets, maybe think about having a first aid kit in the car with a few of the basic first aid supplies as a just in case. And obviously, if you have any questions or concerns about your pets, be sure to give us a call. Or pop in. I love visitors! Stay safe this summer and have fun!! Well, better go. It’s almost time for my dinner! Meows for now, love Joey xoxo