Ham and fatty/ greasy leftovers can cause pancreatitis. Feeding bones (especially cooked bones) and corn cobs can lead to intestinal obstruction.
3. Loud noise anxiety
Many pets will experience stress in response to loud noises- over Christmas, think fireworks, thunderstorms, bon bons, party music. Ensure your pet ha s a quiet safe place to go in anticipation of these events. Also ensure they are in a secure enclosure and not able to escape.
4. Heat
Do not leave pets in cars or tied up without shade and water. It is a good idea to leave one person in charge of a pet while others are busy with general Christmas preparation, food, visitors etc. That will help to avoid any confusion about who needs to feed/water and ensure safety of and check up on the pet. Heat stress is a serious condition that could be fatal.
5. Snakes
Summer time brings out the snakes; and any snake bite to your pet is considered an emergency and life threatening. Keep your grass short, snake proof your yard if possible, and keep dogs on leash while out walking in the bush in peak snake season. Know the signs of snake envenomation in cats and dogs so you can contact your vet as soon as possible.
6. Christmas plants
The following plants are toxic to pets, so avoid having these plants within access;
Lillies (even skin contact with Lillies can be toxic to cats)
Mistletoe
Holly
Poinsietta
7. Christmas decorations
Decorations can be very appealing to dogs and especially cats. If swallowed, decorations, including tinsel and ribbon, can c
ause gastrointestinal blockages. Cats may also try to climb a Christmas tree, so making sure the tree is secure is a must. Consider putting a fence around the tree to avoid pet access- especially if any gifts contain chocolates!!
8. Routine disruption and anxiety
Visitors, new / visiting pets, and distracted owners will alter the normal routine for our pets, increasing anxiety. Make sure pets have a ‘safe’ place to go that other people and pets won’t interfere with.
If your really worried about anxiety over the holiday period, speak to your vet about the options available to reduce anxiety.
9. Going fishing?
Did you know dogs find the smell of fish on a fishing hook very appealing? If hooks are swallowe
d or in the mouth, please refrain from trying to remove them yourself and call your vet. Keep hooks out of reach of pets to avoid any nasty accidents.
10. Ticks
Inlanders love travelling to the coast over the holiday season and tick movement increases with warmer weather- regardless of wether your pet goes with you or not, please cover them against tick paralysis with a tick prevention product. Ticks can be carried on luggage and other objects back to the pet, or they may be directly exposed. If your pet is lucky enough to holiday with- daily tick searches in areas where ticks are prevalent is highly recommended.
11. Pre visitor house cleaning
Cleaning products can be highly toxic to pets- cats especially are known to lick water from the bath for example, and if they have been cleaned recently can cause severe stomach irritation.
12. Batteries
Thinking of gifting battery operated products? Great- please keep batteries away from pets. They can cause choking, blockages, or corrosive lesions to the gastrointestinal lining, especially the smaller sized batteries.
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