Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Pet Safety

Bentley: “Can you believe Christmas is next week?  I am so excited to see what Santa Paws is going to bring me.  I’ve been a very good boy and…PIERRE!  What are you doing dude?”
Pierre: “Nothing, I was just about to see if this potpourri is as tasty as it smells.  Here, smell this.  Don’t you think it’d be yummy?”
Bentley: “Put that down and go wipe your paws.  Potpourri is among the potential dangers that the American Veterinary Medical Association warns us about during the holidays.  You shouldn’t even be left alone in a room with potpourri, candles, or other holiday decorations.”
Pierre: “What about this Holly?  I was thinking I’d look festive with a sprig tucked behind my ear.  It looks awesome with my Christmas bow tie.”
Bentley: “Are you kidding me here?  It is not okay to handle Holly, Mistletoe, Poinsettias, or Lilies.  They are pretty to look at, but can be poisonous to dogs.  All of these holiday favorites should be kept out of a pet’s reach.”
Pierre: “Wow, you are being a real Grinch, or maybe his dog, Max.  At least I know we can have a bunch of table treats.  I hope Papaw makes dressing.  Mmmm.  Cookies, candies, and pies, oh my!”
Bentley: “I am not the Grinch or that poor Max.  I just don’t want to spend the holidays at our vet.  Mom has us a special canned food for Christmas dinner.  We aren’t allowed tables scraps.  They just aren’t healthy for us.  Dad will probably boil us some livers.  That means if family comes over, you can’t beg food from them either.”
Pierre: “Are you going to sit there and tell me that if someone brings fancy gold chocolate that I can’t eat it?  I had my little heart set on fresh potpourri breath, wearing Holly in my hair, eating a ginormous dinner, and topping it off with fancy candy.  Maybe I’ll just munch a few chocolate-covered raisins.  I hear those are ridiculously tasty.”
Bentley: “Okay, listen to me.  You cannot have ANY human candy.  Treats that contain chocolate, Xylitol, grapes, or raisins are toxic to us.  There are all sorts of dog-approved candy available at pet stores.  Santa Paws will bring us things that are safe for us to enjoy.”
Pierre: “Here are a couple of more things I was wondering about.  You know that big fluffy cat that lives a couple of houses away, right?  Do you think she’d like this ball of tinsel that I made her?  She is always watching me when we go for a walk.  I thought it’d be a nice gesture.  Hey, is that someone coming to our house?  They have presents!  OMD!  OMD!  Let me run in circles and try to get under their feet!  Yes!  I love people!”
Bentley: “Pierre, get a hold of yourself.  First, although you did a beautiful job making that tinsel ball, cats can have serious medical consequences if they eat any.  Homes with cats shouldn’t even use tinsel as a decoration.  Secondly, you have to calm down or go in your kennel for timeout.  Getting over-excited is not good for you.  I think you need to visit the AMVA Holiday Health Tips at www.avma.org
Pierre: “Dear Readers, Please don’t think I really was going to do any of those things.  This post was simply to illustrate the dangers that dogs and cats can face during the next couple of weeks.  I was pretty sure that you knew we were pretending when I said I wanted to taste potpourri.  I am such a picky eater and potpourri does not even tempt me.  The gig was up when I said I made that cat a toy.  I wouldn’t get near her.  She looks tough.”
Bentley: “It’s true, but the main thing is that you take a look around your home and make sure that everything is safe and out of the reach of your four-legged family members.



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23 comments :

  1. All great reminders!!! Thanks guys!! We try very hard to ensure that the things the girls cannot have are ALWAYS out of reach!

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  2. Nothing is safe from the wrath of cat bro Bert. He finds a way if he has the will. We dogs are pretty civilized with the decorations. Even Bailie hasn't done too much damage. She did rip the arm off a snowman but he was repaired and when Bert put a cheap ball ornament on the floor Bailie thought it was a toy, picked it up and dropped/smashed it on the hardwood floor, but other than that we are good. It is always a good year when the tree remains in its upright position! You boys enjoy and stay out of trouble.

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  3. I hope no one has to spend Christmas at the vet. Hope all have an eye on their dogs & cats, specially when they have a lot of guests...
    Easy Rider

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  4. Great Tips! It is always better to spend the holidays at home a safe distance from the warm fire than at the Vet's office. Happy Holidays!

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  5. Great tips and none of us want a trip to the vets. Have a tremendous Thursday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  6. WE know you would NOT do any of those thingys Pierre... Especially at Santa Paws time...
    This is a great and grrrrrand post fur reminding our peeps that SOMETIMES... we do thingys... and we need to have Certain thingys Kept outta our reach... fur our own good.

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  7. Hi Y'all!

    That was too funny! Y'all are great actors!

    Merry Christmas!
    Hawk aka BrownDog

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  8. What a wonderful PSA guys!!!
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  9. I bet your going to get great stuff!!!!
    Great tips and advice too!
    ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!

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  10. Poinsettias are a big culprit this time of year! Great post! Thank you for sharing!

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  11. We hope mom and dad buy us some speciel dog candy too. I think they will.

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  12. Fun way to get this information out there, Bentley! I think a lot of dogs are just as naïve as Pierre was pretending to be, so we humans need to be aware of how to keep them safe!
    Lots of wags and woofs from the crew at Wag n Woof Pets



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  13. Great post, Melissa, and a cute way to remind us all of the potential hazards for our pets this holiday season. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

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  14. Great post, Melissa, and a cute way to remind us all of the potential hazards for our pets this holiday season. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

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  15. Mama and Papa have been good about keeping all special holiday items out of my reach! Doesn't take much... #lowrider *wags* - Gilligan from wagsahoy.com

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  16. Very well said about safety during the holidays!

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  17. A great post! Too many doggies eat stuffs not good for them!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

    Pee Ess - A new POTP page will be announced tomorrow. You can follow us at http://blogvillepotp.blogspot.com/

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  18. We definitely need these reminders every year. Thanks!

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  19. You guys have a great way of making an important point!


    Bunny

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  20. Thank you for this great list. I love the striped paw print.

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  21. Very good post...chock full of info...Teri said you two reminded her of Click & Clack, bantering back and forth but educating people at the same time!

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