Thanksgiving week is here! This means travel, family gatherings,
football, turkey, stuffing, and all the rest.
With all of this excitement it is easy to forget our pets in the
shuffle. There are a number of important
things to remember around this holiday to keep them happy and safe.
Rich Thanksgiving food is very difficult on
our pets’ stomachs and digestive system.
If you feel the need to let you pet indulge in a treat from the table,
please stick to a small amount of white meat turkey breast.
Raisins, grapes, onions, and garlic are all
popular additives to our turkey day sides.
These are all extremely toxic and should be kept away from our
pets. If your pet has eaten something
that you are unsure of and we cannot be reached the ASPCA’s website is an
excellent resource. http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control
If you are hosting a family gathering it is
often easy to forget your pet’s routine.
Try and keep walks, feedings, and playtime consistent as much as you can
to maintain their normal schedule.
If your guests are bringing pets of their
own your pet may be cautious. Slow
monitored introductions are important to avoid any confrontations.
With guests arriving and leaving at different
times, it is also easy for our pets to escape through doors or patio screens
left open. Please remind your guests to
be mindful of any escape artist pets.
There are so many wonderful
reasons to be thankful this year and having our pets with us to enjoy the
holidays is one of them. If you have any
questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call us here at the Animal
Health Center. We will be closed on
Thanksgiving Day but will reopen Friday morning.
Happy Thanksgiving from our family
to yours!
-The Doctors and Staff of the Animal Health Center