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Welcome to November! This months newsletter will
include the 1st part of a 2 part
article about Holiday Hazards For
Pets (Part 2 will be in the December
newsletter), fun
facts and of course the monthly trivia question.
Remember we love input on the newsletter so any
recommendations or suggestions of article topics are
very welcome! I hope you are enjoying our
newsletters and I thank you for your time.
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Holiday Hazards Of The Season For Pets: Part 1
During the holiday season pets often get less
exercise and attention. A bored pet may get into
things they ordinarily would not. Potentially harmful
foods include but are not limited to the
following:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Chocolate (baker's, semi-sweet, and milk
chocolate)
- Coffee (grounds, beans)
- Fatty Foods (Turkey skin, bacon, fruit cake)
- Moldy or spoiled foods
- Baking or Cooking ingredients ( yeast dough, salt,
onion or onion powder, garlic or garlic powder, sugar
substitutes)
Holiday party foods are often left
unattended. This provides an opportunity for cats
and
dogs to snatch treats like candy, chocolates, or lap
up alcoholic beverages. Moldy or spoiled foods and
coffee grounds are often accessed from the garbage
can or compost pile. Holiday cooks should be aware
that many cooking ingredients can be potentially
harmful to pets and to store ingredients out of the
reach of pets and not leave bake goods like rising
dough unattended on the counter. Food type
presents under a holiday tree may also be a hazard
to pets.
The toxic dose of potential hazards is
often dependant on the size of the pet as well as
individual variations among pets. The toxic amount
of chocolate for example is 1 oz per pound of body
weight for milk chocolate and 1/10 oz. per pound of
body weight for dark chocolate. Cats are potentially
more sensitive. Always consult your veterinarian, an
emergency hospital or the Animal Poison Control
Center (1-888-232-8870 there is a $35 fee per
incident) if you are
uncomfortable estimating the toxic
amount your pet has eaten.
Your may not have
to do anything more than monitor your pet for
vomiting or
diarrhea. It might help to induce vomiting but consult
with a veterinarian first. If your pet shows signs of
heavy
panting, agitation, muscle tremors, abdominal pain,
severe vomiting, diarrhea, or
lethargy consult a veterinarian right away.
Keep
you pets safe during the holiday season by planning
ahead and eliminating potential hazards to their
health.
Find out more....
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Thank you for your time and I wish you a fantastic
month! We constantly strive to provide the best
care for your family pets and exceptional service to
our clients. I offer appointments while parked at
Discount Pet store on Gull Road and also offer house
calls as available. If I can be of service to you,
please give us a call at 269-731-7387 to schedule an
appointment today.
Also, remember if you refer a friend or family member,
both of you will be entered in our 2006 referral
drawing program for many great prizes. Our next
drawing
will be held the end of
December (please see our website for more info
about our prize drawings). Our previous
newsletters can be found on our
web page. Thank You and Good
Luck!!!
Sincerely,
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Return to the Visiting Vet Newsletter Archive Page 
Pet Supplies Plus in Kalamazoo recently hosted a
canine blood drive with Midwest Animal Blood
Services, Inc. Clients participated by bringing their
dogs in to be screened and allowing them to donate a
unit of blood. Each unit of blood donated help saved
the life of 2 dogs! The Visiting Vet and each owner
received blood type and screening results for each
pet participating.