The year-end anticipation is building and by now you’re probably actively planning what your household will be busy with during the December and New Year holidays. Whether you’re going away, staying in or celebrating close to home, this is the perfect time to focus on your pet’s wellbeing.
Everything from a change in your home routine, additional people in the house, and the strange new indoor tree that your dogs and/or cats may not be familiar with – these things can create a new environment that affects your pets. In this article, we bring the festive season up close as it presents both challenges and dangers to our pets, and offer some solutions to ensure your pets are as safe as your holidays are relaxing!
1: Pet checklist for the holidays
The break in your usual routine can cause a bit of chaos – anything from not realising you’re almost out of pet food, to an extended family member accidentally leaving the front gate open, to needing to top up your pets’ tick and flea treatment. Make a checklist for your pets and be sure to check off everything before your holidays are in full swing:
- Do you have enough pet food to last until January?
- Do you have enough treats to continue your pets’ training routine through the holidays?
- Are your pets microchipped and do they have a collar and name tag? (In case they go missing and need to find their way back to you.)
- Are your pets due for another round of tick and flea treatment? (These parasites will be out in full force this summer.)
- Are you equipped to groom your pets regularly during the holidays? (Brush their teeth, clip their nails, bath and trim them, etc.)
- Do you have a well-stocked pet first-aid kit?
- Do you have the vet’s emergency number on speed dial? (Just in case.)
This checklist may seem obvious, but a full house and celebratory preparations can cause distractions from your usual routine with your pets.
2: What not to feed your pets this holiday
There are many foods that are delicious to humans, but toxic to pets, and a lot of those foods will be on our festive dinner tables. Be very careful about what your pets – dogs and cats – have access to. Many of these foods can cause minor annoyance like stomach upset and diarrhoea, or major medical emergencies – like the theobromine in chocolate causing internal bleeding. Cooked bones pose the risk of traumatic internal injury to the gums, throat and intestines; while grapes and raisins can lead to renal failure. Alcohol is also deadly to pets and should under no circumstances be offered to them. If you suspect your pets have consumed any of the following foods, contact the veterinarian immediately:
- alcohol: causes vomiting and diarrhoea, nervous system depression, loss of co-ordination, erratic breathing, even coma and death
- avocado: persin in the avo pit and leaves can cause vomiting and diarrhoea; high fat content of the avo can trigger pancreatitis
- bones: can cause oral injury, choking, and obstruction anywhere along pets’ gastrointestinal tract. Bones often need to be surgically removed.
- caffeine: pets can’t digest and process caffeine like humans can, so there’s a toxic build-up in their bodies that can poison them – leading to GI upset, or seizures, tremors and irregular heartrate
- cherries: cherry pits contain cyanide, which is deadly when too much is consumed
- chocolate: theobromine in chocolate cannot be processed and eliminated, so toxicity builds up and has serious negative effects on the body (from vomiting to internal bleeding, cardiovascular problems, neurological effects and even death)
- dairy: most adult pets are lactose intolerant, so dairy can cause uncomfortable stomach upset and also affect pets’ ability to digest their normal food
- garlic/onions: can cause haemolytic anaemia (destruction of red blood cells) with symptoms like pale gums, rapid heartrate, red urine and even collapse
- grapes/raisins/sultanas: toxicity can lead to kidney failure in pets
- macadamia nuts: cause gastrointestinal upset, muscle weakness and lack of coordination, fever and tremors
- raw or undercooked meat and eggs: risk of salmonella and food poisoning
- salty food: risk of dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and even brain swelling if they don’t drink enough water to flush out the sodium from their system
- xylitol (check anything labelled as ‘sugar-free’): can cause their body to secrete too much insulin, which drops their blood sugar dangerously low, causing hypoglycaemia
Even if your beloved furry friends give you their best rendition of puppy-dog eyes at your festive table, please do not give in to their begging. Rather give them a pet-appropriate treat in another room or somewhere away from your table to keep them distracted while you eat and enjoy your meals with family and friends. No one wants a veterinary emergency during the festive season.
3: Fireworks vs pets
Fortunately, in many neighbourhoods it has become illegal to set off fireworks. Unfortunately, there are still people who refuse to see the harm they cause to pets, wildlife and vulnerable people when lighting fireworks. If your pets are terrified of the flashes and noise of fireworks, here are 7 things to do to mitigate immediate and long-term harm from fireworks:
- Do not set off fireworks. It should go without saying.
- Create a safe space for your pets where they can find comfort indoors, in their bed, where there is peace and quiet.
- Play classical music, white noise, put the radio on or play or a calming music track for a few hours before the fireworks are due to begin; increasing the volume incrementally so that the music continues for the duration of the fireworks.
- Swaddle your pet with a T-shirt (applying only light pressure, which helps them feel safe) or a Thundershirt, which is specially designed to reduce pets’ anxiety. It’s important to swaddle your pet during neutral times as well, so that their swaddle or Thundershirt does not become a fear trigger when they see it before or when fireworks begin. Swaddling may work for some pets and not for others, but give it a try.
- Give your pets a chew toy and/or play with them for a while before the fireworks start. If any crackers or rockets are set off in that time, pay no attention to the noise and continue to play with your pets.
- If you have the patience, recondition your pets’ fear response so that they become desensitised to fireworks (and other loud noises like thunderstorms). Give them high-value food rewards while training or simply because, when they show calm behaviour before, during and after loud noises. Different pets will react differently to counter-conditioning methods, so get advice from an animal behaviourist to use this technique successfully.
- Get veterinary advice. If your pets do not cope at all during fireworks displays, and other methods of keeping them calm prove to be ineffective, speak to the vet about calming medications and/or tranquilisers to help keep them calm. Keep in mind that medication does not address the anxiety at the core of your pets’ fear response – it may merely mask the symptoms.
4: What to get your pet for Christmas
Giving gifts to pets at Christmas is – let’s face it – more for their humans than for our pets. They simply do not understand what the celebration means and are all too happy to be lavished with attention, treats and/or a new toy. However, including your pet/s on your gift list is a great way to assess what they may need, to include them in the family time together, and make them feel part of the family group.
If your pets need new bedding, a new toy (or two or three), a new collar and leash, or it’s time to replace their food bowls with something more hygienic and durable, Christmas would be a great time to ‘gift’ them with something new. Wrap their gift up with loose layers of newspaper and place small, soft treats within the layers. They will sniff out the treats and, with a bit of work, ‘unwrap’ their gift.
5: Puppies and kittens are not surprise Christmas gifts
Giving puppies and kittens (rabbits, birds and hamsters too) as surprise Christmas gifts is a practice best left in the past. It takes a great deal of planning, preparation and financial readiness to adopt (or receive) a new pet. It requires the correct mindset for a 10 to 15-year active commitment to this new presence in your household. If someone isn’t truly committed to the idea of a new pet, the novelty will wear off and the new pet will quickly go from being a surprise to being an unwanted burden. This is never the pet’s fault, yet the consequence is always at the pet’s expense when they are given away or surrendered to an animal shelter. If you know that a new pet is your family member’s biggest Christmas wish, rather give them pet items like toys, food bowls, treats, collar and leash, etc. as a gift, and let the choosing and adopting of the pet be their responsibility.
How to give your pet the best Christmas
There are plenty of festive goodies, brightly coloured packaging and seasonal treats and toys for pets. It’s great to get your pets involved in the holidays, but they honestly don’t know the difference between a ‘Christmas toy’ and a regular toy; a ‘Christmas treat’ and a regular treat. What really matters to them is the attention they get from you through play and training, and the bond they have with their family.
If it’s just you and your pet together this Christmas, they will absolutely love it – best friend fun (BFF). If, however, your home routine is disrupted by friends and family visiting, this may be a bit stressful for your pets and they may need a timeout (not all pets – some pets thrive on all the attention). Try to take them for a walk to decompress, or give them a safe space in your home, where they can rest and be on their own.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to look forward to during the Christmas and New Year holidays, but don’t let that detract from your pets’ routine and daily needs. Keep them away from dangerous food that could land them at the vet’s office. Keep them safe during loud noises (whether from parties or fireworks) and give them the gift of your time and attention. And, if you’re thinking of getting a family member a pet for Christmas, make sure they are 100% committed to the idea – puppies and kittens are not the best surprise Christmas gifts and many end up surrendered to animal rescues because the recipient was not financially, emotionally or otherwise prepared for a pet.
Always look out for your pet’s wellbeing during the holidays – they’re family too!
