UrbanAnimal

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Dear UrbanAnimal:

I would like to suggest a column on how to deal with emergency situations over the holiday season. With many veterinary clinics on reduced hours, some people may not know about clinics that remain open when others have closed.

Barb

 

Thank you for your timely suggestion, Barb.

Have you noticed that pet health calamities seem to occur exactly one hour after veterinary clinics close for weekends and holidays? Yep, Sparky and Fluffy, pictures of good health throughout the year, wait until the veterinarian has locked the clinic door and - whoopsie - Sparky is limping and Fluffy is tossing her cookies on your recently reupholstered antique sofa.

It must be Christmas.

Think of your pets as two-year-old human children. If your home is safe enough for a human toddler, it's safe for your pets. Before I launch into 'seasonal safety for pets,' here is my best tip: obtain your regular vet's hours of operation before the holiday season begins and check your phone directory for all local 24-hour emergency veterinary clinics. Place this information on a note and keep it in a permanent location near your telephone. In fact, place those numbers on speed dial as backup. Pets can become ill very quickly and you don't want to waste precious minutes fumbling with your phone book or dialing your mother-in-law by mistake.

If you can't set up your Christmas tree in a room that is inaccessible to your pets, anchor it to a wall to avoid it being toppled at two in the morning when your cat decides it's time to attack the bauble on the top branch. And beware the chemicals that many people add to the tree's water to promote longevity. These products can be toxic if ingested.

Baubles, tinsel and lights can be alluring but dangerous. When choosing decorations, consider how easily they can be ripped, broken, shredded and swallowed.

Plants such as holly and mistletoe and food such as chocolate, raisins, onions, garlic and caffeine can be toxic to pets.

All our animals should imbibe in a little Christmas fare but outside of perhaps a few pieces of turkey meat, keep their diet and mealtimes as normal as possible. Be sure to store leftovers in pet-proof containers.

Since our pets are important members of many families, Sparky's and Fluffy's names are probably on your Christmas shopping list. Toys, treats and beds are some of the most popular gifts that can be purchased at pet supply stores along with plenty of other great gift ideas. You can also construct some nifty homemade presents yourself. If you're handy with needle and thread, you can buy fresh catnip and sew it into scraps of fabric or design a custom-made pet bed or pull toy. And nothing beats homemade treats. Check the Internet for recipes for cat and dog biscuits and treats such as meat jerky. The Internet can also be accessed for directions on building a cat scratching post using a few pieces of wood and carpet.

Many families donate annually to an animal-related charity on behalf of their pets. Others design their own gift certificates promising extra-long walks at the park, a luxurious massage on the couch or depending on your pets' preference, a spa treatment at the local groomer. Mmmmm.... Christmas is beginning to sound pretty good now, isn't it?

 

Do you have a question, comment or suggestion that you'd like to submit to UrbanAnimal? I'd love to hear from you. Please contact me at jacque-newman@rogers.com