Holiday Safety Suggestions For Pet Parents Tuesday, March 1, 2016 1 Holiday Safety Suggestions For Pet Parents (NAPS)—According to legend, at midnight on Christmas Eve, all animals are able to talk. If you want yourpets to say nice things aboutyou,heed five hints on how to keep them healthy and happy throughoutthe holiday season: y Five Steps To Protect Your Pets As your veterinarian can tell you, HAPPY*PAW-LIDAYS certain traditional decorations, plants andtreats can pose significant threats to household pets. To provide a safe holiday environment: 1. Avoid certain holiday decora- tions that can be harmfulto pets if in- gested, such as ribbonsandtinsel, electric light cords and candles, which can also pose a risk of fire if knocked over. Potpourris should be kept out of pets’ reach since they often contain oils and detergents that can damage the mouth, eyes and skin. 2. Look out for these plants that cause sickness in pets: Poinsettias have a sap that can cause vomiting and will irritate an animal’s mouth and stomach. Holly berries and leaves can cause vomiting, belly pain, depression and diarrhea. Mistletoeis extremely toxic and an animal that has ingested some should be taken to the veterinarian immediately. Pine tree needles can be toxic and causeirritation of the mouth. Lily is deadly to cats. Any animalthat has ingested any partofa lily should be taken to the veterinarian right away. Christmas tree pot additives such as aspirin or sugar can also be dangerous to pets that drink the water. i. Happy “paw-lidays” for your furry friends starts with keeping them safe from seasonal dangers. pets because oftheir high fat content. Nuts can cause an upset stomach, and even pancreatitis and obstruct the throat and intestinaltract. Turkey and turkey skin can cause pancreatitis, too. Beware when baking. Yeast dough can cause painful gas and dangerous bloating. Sugar-free candy or gum containing xyliton, which has been linkedto liver failure in dogs. Other foods to avoid feeding to your dog or cat include onions, grapes, raisins, fatty foods, fried foods, avocados and bones. 4. When you leave your pets at homealone, besure to unplug any dec- orations, and take out the trash so pets don't eat anyofit. 5. Knowthe signs of pet distress including sudden changes in behavior, depression, pain, vomiting and diar- rhea. If any of these occurs, call your veterinarian. Learn More For other good advice on pet care, 3. Refrain from feeding any pet cer- see your veterinarian, advises Henry e Chocolate, which sometimes contains of health care products and services to tain snacks including: ingredients that can be lethal to dogs and cats. e Macadamia nuts, which can cause seizures in animals. Nuts in general. ‘They're dangerous for Schein, Inc., the world’s largest provider office-based dental, animal health and medicalpractitioners. For further information, visit www. henryschein.com, Facebook.com/Hen rySchein and @HenrySchein on Twitter. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20190801-100821-20190801-100819-85662.pdf.jpg --- FILES --- File: 20190801-100819-85662.pdf