Holiday Season Checklist

Holiday Season Checklist & Safety Tips

Holidays are hectic times and threats to animals can include seasonal

decorations, ornamental lighting, ingestion of inappropriate or toxic items,

excessive consumption of rich foods or harmful food, candle flames, to name a

few. Taking a few steps to plan your holidays and the arrival of new pets can

protect and save the life of many animals…..and it will also save your sanity!

Planning your Christmas with pets

 Book pet-sitters, kennel or pet hotel well in advance should you be away

from home over the holiday season. Ensure worming, flea, supplements and other treatments are up to date prior to the holiday.

 If your pet is travelling with you ensure you have planned ahead for

transportation needs, food and water, bowls, beds and favourite toys to

keep them comfortable, fed and hydrated. Take regular stops to give

them a break and a chance to go to the toilet.

 Show good ‘Petiquette’ by ensuring animals are mannerly around

guests. If this is going to be difficult perhaps find a quiet space or room

that you can make comfortable for your pet away from temptation and

noise.

 Alert guests if your pets are going to be part of the festivities. Many

guests will not appreciate your drooling darling or paw print additions to

their clothing. Keep in mind that some guests may be frightened of large

or barking dogs.

 Some useful tools are baby gates or play pens that can keep animals

from getting underfoot while still allowing them to be part of the

celebration.

 

 Occupy your pets with their own treats and activities. Involve them in the

family Christmas spirit by giving them a special present. Play N Learn For Pets has a great range of behavioural toys which can be used.

 Since most children love animals you might want to combine the two,

and ask young visitors to occupy pets away from the main festivities.

You can help keep pets safe during the holiday season by following the tips

below.

􀀀 Many Christmas plants can lead to health problems in dogs and cats.

Among the plants to keep out of reach are holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and

lilies.

􀀀 Pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet's intestine. So

keep pet areas clear of pine needles.

􀀀 The extra cords and plugs of holiday lights and other fixtures can look like

chewing toys to pets. Tape down or cover cords to help avoid shocks, burns

or other serious injuries. Unplug lights when you are not home.

􀀀 Do not let pets drink the Christmas tree water. Some may contain fertilisers,

and stagnant tree water can harbor bacteria. Check labels for tree water

preservatives and artificial snow, and buy only those that are non-toxic. A

screen around the tree to block access to electrical cords and gifts may be

a good idea.

􀀀 Pets, particularly cats, can be tempted to eat tinsel, which can block the

intestines. Hang tinsel high and securely to keep it out of reach of pets.

􀀀 Keep other ornaments out of reach of pets. Ingestion of any ornament,

which might look like toys to pets, can result in life-threatening emergencies.

Even ornaments made from dried food can lead to ailments. Shards from

broken glass ornaments can injure paws, mouths and other parts of the

body.

􀀀 Put away toys after children open their gifts. Small plastic pieces and rubber

balls are common causes of choking and intestinal blockage in dogs.

Ingested plastic or cloth toys must often be removed surgically.

􀀀 Avoid toxic decorations. Bubbling lights contain fluid that can be inhaled or

ingested, and snow sprays can cause reactions when inhaled, Styrofoam

poses a choking hazard, tinsel can cause choking and intestinal obstruction,

and water in snow scenes may contain toxic organisms such as Salmonella.

􀀀 Keep candles on high shelves.

􀀀 Holiday guests and other activity can be very stressful and even frightening

to pets. It can also trigger illness and intestinal upset. Make sure pets have a

safe place to retreat in your house. And make sure they are wearing a

collar with contact phone number in case they escape out a door when

guests come and go.

􀀀 Reduce stress by keeping feeding and exercise on a regular schedule. Canine Tranquil Formula for dogs and Feline Tranquil For Cats may be used to help maintain emotional balance.

􀀀 Always make time to care for your pets. It’s easy to become a bit lazy

about walking the dog during holidays, and a few resort to letting pets out

on their own. This puts the animal in danger, while also leading to nuisance

complaints and dog bite incidents.

􀀀 When pets are stressed by holiday activity or during travel, they may require

more water. Dogs typically pant more when they feel stressed. Keep fresh

water available for them to drink, especially in hot weather.

􀀀 Canine Tranquil Formula for dogs and Feline Tranquil Formula for cats is an effective, natural chewable tablet made right here in Australia. Pets are often subject to distressing situations such as thunderstorms, being frightened of strangers, aggression or even being left alone. Canine Tranquil Formula and Feline Tranquil Formula contains Tryptophan and essential B group vitamins to help maintain normal emotional balance in pets.

􀀀 Do not let guests feed human food to your pets. There are many Christmas

foods, including fatty meats, gravies, poultry skin, bones, chocolate and

alcohol, which can cause illnesses from vomiting and diarrhoea to highly

serious pancreatitis and other toxic reactions. In addition, chocolate

wrappers, aluminum foil pieces and ribbons can choke pets.

􀀀 Keep pets away from gifts, as well as your gift wrapping area. Ingested

string, plastic, cloth and even wrapping paper can lead to intestinal

blockage and require surgical removal. And pets have been severely

injured by scissors and other items left on floors and tables.

􀀀 Keep pets away from the garbage. Use pet-proof containers.

􀀀 If you suspect that your pet has eaten something that they shouldn’t have,

call your veterinarian immediately.