Thanksgiving can be a dangerous holiday for pets, but there are lots of things you can do to keep your pet safe.
With all of your friends and family and plenty of tasty foods to enjoy, what’s not to love about Thanksgiving? But, there are lots of things that can put your pet at risk. Nobody wants to have to rush their dog or cat to the emergency animal hospital on Thanksgiving, but that’s exactly what you might end up doing if you don’t take steps to make sure your pet is safe. In our last blog, we went over a few tips to help you keep your pet safe this Thanksgiving. Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already. Here are a few more tips to ensure a safe, happy Thanksgiving for you and your furry friend.
#6. Make sure you inform your guests.
If you’re planning on having guests over, make it a point to talk to them about your pet before they come. This is important since many people have allergies to dogs and cats, but it’s also important for your pet’s safety. If your guests don’t realize there’s a pet in the house, they may hold the door open longer than they should, or leave it open, giving your pet an open invitation to book it. This is also a good time to tell your guests not to feed your pet anything from the table, no matter how much they beg or how pathetic and adorable they look, which leads us to Tip #7.
#7. Don’t feed your pet any table scraps.
#7. Don’t feed your pet any table scraps.There are a lot of toxins in your average Thanksgiving feast for both dogs and cats, many of which, aren’t so obvious, such as onions, mushrooms and a whole host of different herbs. Additionally, you should never give your dog a cooked bone, as it could splinter inside them. The best way to avoid accidentally giving your pet something that’s toxic for them or that could put them in danger is not to give them any people food to begin with, so prepare yourself to just say no!
#8. Don’t leave food on tables and counters unattended.
When you’re cooking all of that amazing food for your Thanksgiving Day feast, your pet has to smell all of those mouth-watering aromas all day. And, what’s even worse is that they aren’t even going to be able to eat any of it! That’s enough to drive any pet to great lengths to enjoy just one bite of your delicious food, so don’t tempt them by leaving food unattended on the counter or table.
#9. Keep an eye on your pet.
As we’ve mentioned many times in this blog series, animals pick up on tension in the air, and they are likely to feel anxious or stressed during all of the craziness of the holiday. This can make a normally sweet animal act out aggressively. So, no matter how well-behaved and sweet your pet normally is, keep an eye on them. If they look like they are stressed or anxious, it might be best to get them away from all of the commotion.
#10. Make sure the trash it out of reach.
After all of the time, energy and hard work that goes into preparing for Thanksgiving, we don’t blame you for wanting to put your feet up and watch television. However, there’s one last task to complete before you do: take out the trash! Chances are, your trash can is full to the brim with stuff that would make your pet sick if ingested, so make sure it is well out of their reach.
We hope that these tips will help you keep your pet safe! But, if you have any questions or concerns, contact our veterinarian in Carroll Gardens today.