s your pet a senior? Now is a good time to perform a geriatric work-up that may include blood work & a urinalysis to screen for disease. Early detection is the best way to manage many potential problems. Once your pet has been evaluated we can tailor his recommendations & care to his specific needs throughout his golden years.

“ A grandmother pretends she doesn't know who you are on Halloween.”

~Erma Bombeck."

oliday treats are just around the corner. The nip in the evening breeze can only mean that Halloween, Thanksgiving, & Christmas are within sight.

With all the excitement, hustle & bustle it can be easy to lose track of what our sometimes-mischievous furry family is up too.

Halloween generally brings trick-or-treating & all kinds CANDY! One thing to keep in mind as far as your pets are concerned is the chocolate. Dark & Baker’s chocolate are the biggest concerns in veterinary medicine…. however, just 2 ounces of milk chocolate per kilogram of the animal’s body weight may be enough to cause clinical signs. The foil wrappers that some candies are wrapped in may also be of concern, as our pets don’t have opposable thumbs to unwrap their goodies prior to consuming them.

Thanksgiving & Christmas are also big holidays to keep a watchful eye out for potential problems.

Let’s consider the food hazards first.

It is not a good idea to offer your pets any of the bones from your turkey or ham. In fact, bones in general are not advised. At best, bones can lead to broken teeth. Worse than that, they have the potential to splinter & become lodged anywhere in your pet’s GI system.

Ham products in any form whether it is the ham itself or sausage, bacon, etc. are often the culprits in seizure activity, pancreatitis, & GI upset.

Other holiday foods may bring on stomach upset that includes diarrhea and/or vomiting.

Unfortunately for the furry guys this is also the season for pancreatitis. This condition can be brought on by abrupt diet changes and often by fatty foods. This is potentially very serious & may require hospitalization & IV fluids.

In short it is best not to indulge our pets with table scraps, rather buy them a new toy from Santa Clause.

Holiday plants are another source for concern.

You may be surprised to learn that while poinsettias can cause mouth & mild stomach irritation they are not particularly toxic to our pets.

Mistletoe on the other hand can be very dangerous & should be taken seriously. Depending on the type of mistletoe, mild GI upset, seizures & even death may occur with as little as 1-2 berries.

Decorations are also common this time of the year. A lot of our animals seem fascinated by all of the lights. You may want to consider placing your electrical cords out of reach to your pets, as he/she may be tempted to help himself to a new chew toy. This may result in burning the tongue or even electric shock.

When decorating your Christmas tree, keep in mind that ribbons & tinsel may look like a lot of fun to your dogs and especially cats. This is a potential problem because these items are capable of becoming stuck in the intestine & surgery may be required to remove them.

If you find yourself in any of these situations or have questions regarding other possible holiday hazards, please give the clinic a call at (540) 943-2273.