{"id":8253,"date":"2013-11-22T09:57:16","date_gmt":"2013-11-22T17:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/?p=8253"},"modified":"2013-11-22T10:18:22","modified_gmt":"2013-11-22T18:18:22","slug":"avmas-thanksgiving-tips-pet-owners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/2013\/11\/22\/avmas-thanksgiving-tips-pet-owners\/","title":{"rendered":"AVMA’s Thanksgiving Tips for Pet Owners"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"dog-smelling-turkey-300\"<\/a>The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides top tips that will leave pet owners thankful they don\u2019t have to make a trip to the animal \u201cER\u201d this holiday season.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the time of year that many veterinary hospitals report a significant increase in emergency calls particularly those relating to digestive track disturbances resulting from exposure to foods pets simply should not have received.\u201d says Dr. Clark K. Fobian, president of the AVMA.\u00a0 \u201cThanksgiving is a special holiday that brings together family and friends, but it is also one that can carry some hazards for our pets.\u00a0 Overindulging in the family feast can be unhealthy for humans, but fatty and bony table scraps, like the turkey neck or skin or other dietary indiscretions can lead to severe and sometimes even deadly digestive track conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AVMA\u2019s top tips for keeping pets healthy on Thanksgiving are:<\/p>\n

Keep the Thanksgiving feast on the table\u2014not under it.<\/strong>\u00a0 Table scraps may seem like a fun way to include your pet in the holiday, but there are a number of hazards to feeding your pets from your plate. Many foods are poisonous to pets, including onions, garlic, raisins and grapes. There are many healthy treats available for dogs and cats, so don\u2019t feed them table scraps.<\/p>\n

Put the trash away where your pets can\u2019t find it.\u00a0<\/strong> A turkey carcass sitting out on the carving table or left in an open trash container or one that\u2019s easily opened could prove deadly if the family pet eats it.\u00a0 What your pet thinks is a tasty treat can cause a condition called pancreatitis, which is extremely dangerous and can cause death fairly quickly. Dispose of turkey carcasses in a covered, tightly secured container (or a trash can behind a closed, locked door) along with anything used to wrap or tie the meat and any bones left on plates.<\/p>\n

No pie or other desserts for your pooch.\u00a0<\/strong> It can\u2019t be said often enough, chocolate is poisonous to pets, and the darker it is the more deadly it is. It\u2019s an important reminder, because many dogs find it tempting, and will sniff it out and eat it if they find it, including extremely dangerous baker\u2019s chocolate. Also, an artificial sweetener called Xylitol has also been shown to be deadly if consumed by dogs.\u00a0 Xylitol is a common sweetener used in baked goods and chewing gums.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Quick action can save lives.<\/strong>\u00a0 If you believe your pet has been poisoned or eaten something it shouldn\u2019t have, call your veterinarian or local veterinary emergency clinic immediately.<\/p>\n

Visitors can upset your pets<\/strong>.\u00a0 Some pets are shy or excitable around new people, and Thanksgiving often means many new people will be visiting. If you know your dog or cat is overwhelmed when people visit your home, put them in another room or a crate with a favorite toy.\u00a0 If your pet is particularly upset by houseguests, talk to your veterinarian about possible solutions to this common problem.<\/p>\n

Watch the exits.<\/strong>\u00a0 If your pets are comfortable around guests, make sure you watch them closely, especially when your guests are entering or leaving your home. While you\u2019re welcoming hungry guests and collecting coats, a four-legged family member may make a break for it out the door and become lost. It\u2019s also a good idea to make sure your pet has proper identification, particularly microchip identification with up-to-date, registered information, so that if they do sneak out, they\u2019ll be returned to you.<\/p>\n

Watch your pets around festive decorations.<\/strong> Special holiday displays or candles are attractive to pets as well as people. Never leave a pet alone in an area with a lit candle; it could result in a fire. Don\u2019t forget that some flowers and festive plants can be hazardous if swallowed by your pet. Pine cones and needles can cause an intestinal blockage or even perforate the animal\u2019s intestine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) provides top tips that will leave pet owners thankful they don\u2019t have to make a trip to the animal \u201cER\u201d this holiday season. \u201cThis is the time of year that many veterinary hospitals report a significant increase in emergency calls particularly those relating to digestive track disturbances resulting from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1802,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3054],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-faculty-and-staff"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3DBMX-297","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1802"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8253"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8258,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8253\/revisions\/8258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.blogs.oregonstate.edu\/collegeofveterinarymedicine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}