admin posted on December 07, 2009 11:19
Keep your pets up to date on vaccines. Just like people the cold weather can weaken a pet’s immune system and make them more susceptible to coughing/sneezing and possibly an upper respiratory infection. Vaccines that can help in these cases include the canine influenza vaccine, canine bordetella vaccine, and feline distemper vaccines.
If you must give your pet treats from Santa, opt for healthy treats like pieces of fresh fruits or veggies (examples: applies, celery, carrots), or pick up some all natural treats available at Healing Hands Animal Hospital.
Use a safe de-icer for sidewalks in freezing weather. Regular de-icers like rock salt are too harsh on pets’ paw pads (their pads can dry out, crack, and appear red or irritated). SafePaws Ice Melter is available at Healing Hands Animal Hospital. For more product information, visit:
http://www.safepaw.com/
If your pet spends most of his/her time outdoors, provide shelter during colder days and nights. Your pet needs a warm, clean blanket, and fresh water. If the outdoor temperature is below 32, ensure your pet has fresh water by using a heated pet bowl. These bowls use a small amount of electricity to gradually warm the water to prevent it from freezing.
Bathe your dog regularly if it stays inside. Keeping your heat on dries the air in your home, this can cause dry itchy skin. Please remember, we offer a bathing service at Healing Hands Animal Hospital, and gift certificates make a great holiday present! Call for scheduling and prices!
If you travel with your pet during the holidays do not leave a giant bowl of food out for your pets! This encourages overeating and unsupervised indulging! There are lots of pet sitters available (including some of our technicians). We have a printed list of recommended boarding facilities too.
Give the gift of a microchip this holiday season! Pets can accidentally get lost while traveling over the holidays!
Keep all trash cans covered and behind doors. Pets will get into trash! Nobody needs a surprise surgery to remove bones or foreign objects from their pets tummy!
If you use tinsel, garland, or ribbon please keep it out of the reach of cats! They love this stuff, but it is not designed to pass through their digestive systems. After they eat it, it usually gets stuck in their intestines and nobody wants a sick kitty over the holidays.
Do not put food gifts under the Christmas tree! Pets will sniff them out and eat them!
Keep holiday plants out of the reach of pets, or behind closed doors. Many are toxic to pets (examples: poinsettia, amaryllis, and holly). Use fake plants as an alternative.
Keep Pet’s ER phone number on hand for emergencies on nights or weekends: 410-543-8400