Tis the Season! ~ Beware the dangers!
As I walk along the
well salted sidewalks, the snap in the
crisp air at times steals my breath away.
My eyes catch sight of the snow covered street lamps which harbor the
Christmas wreaths hung throughout the small lively town. Every storefront is alive
and decorated with holiday items some with the Lionel train sets of old
crawling through fake cities and villages making whistle stops along the way.
Mannequins are dressed as Mr. and
Mrs. Claus and are peering in windows of homes with delight as the pretend
children open their gifts from under the well decorated Christmas tree. Gifts that can only be found in that
particular store of course. In the matinee’s window there’s a huge poster
of George Bailey that crazy confused character from “It’s a wonder
Life” played by Jimmy Stewart and on the opposite side of the bill hosts a
poster of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation with Chevy
Chase playing that lovable father, Clark Griswold.
The town’s Christmas
music is playing loudly as the people who are bustling in the street seem to be
grasping their coats and packages tightly against a bitter cold but gentle
wind. I grab my own packages tightly and
duck into a store and continue my shopping.
Inside I’m running
down the aisles grabbing sale items off the shelf, some of the items are not
even on my list, but Johnny needs that extra Lego box to complete his Christmas
project and Mary Ellen would love to have those gorgeous shoes to go with her
holiday dress and of course I just happened to find the perfect outfit for the
company party!
Ooop’s! Excuse
me!” I say as my cart bumps into the lady who is standing next to me.
“That’s quite
alright.” She answers with a snarl in her lip.
Clearly she is not
very much in the holiday spirit!
“Oops, pardon me.”
I say again as I reach over a little boy’s head who spies the perfect gift
he wants Santa to bring.
“That’s okay Ma’am”
he says politely.
Standing in the
checkout line I look at the decorated Christmas clock that hangs on the wall above
a display of wooden soldiers. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding rings
the bell as the wooden guards go in and out of their little doors.
Six O’clock already? Time really flies when you’re busy
readying for the holidays!
I have been out shopping
since nine AM this morning picking up odds and ends and loading the car up with
treasures that may or may not be wanted. I quickly put the last of the
goodies in the van and head for home.
I stomp the snow off
my boots on the tattered rug while walking through the back door, my arms
carefully balancing the packages that have laid in the van all afternoon.
I stumble through the kitchen trying to avoid the dog toys, bed, and
bones as the puppy jumps up on the back of my legs. Plopping the packages on
the counter I turn to greet the puppy and my eye catches site of the
chewed newspaper, tissues , cloth napkins , and the wood from the legs of
my mother’s heirloom Queen Anne chair!
Off in corner of the living room I see scattered, tattered, torn, and
shattered ornaments from the tree!
“Shit!” I say in a voice loud enough for the pup to
not only hear but also pick up my tone of voice. The pup cowers away from me as
if I have just booted him in his gut.
I have been
gone ten hours. TEN HOURS!
Such is the holiday
season, and with everything we are preparing for, a puppy’s life is sometimes
the last thing on our list.
With this in mind I
write this for those of you who got that
puppy just before or on Christmas day.
Mark this page or put a favorite on the links because
you may need them.
Puppy proof!
Use a crate! It is not cruel and in fact if you crated
the pup it would have kept the puppy from chewing all those non food items hung
on the tree and hopefully you will not end up in the ER getting the puppy an
operation for a bowel obstruction!
If you feel really bad about crating, pick up a sturdy
play pen for dogs.
Wires
Cover them! Puppies
are notorious for chewing on wires inside and outside the home! This can cause
burns to the mouth and excessive drooling and shock.
Batteries
(remote control, kids toys, adult toysJ )
Keep them out of the
reach of dogs!
Alkaline batteries:
contain potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide and if punctured and these
components come in contact with tissue, cell death occurs and can result in
ulcers.
Lithium disc
batteries when chewed can cause heavy metal poisoning (lead, zinc, mercury
cobalt)
All batteries can
cause obstruction.
Signs of ingestion
may be ulcers in the mouth, black or grey teeth, frequent drooling or
swallowing and a painful or bloated abdomen.
Treatment is
dilution of the caustic materials and removing the batteries from the
intestinal tract. Dilution is given by rinsing the mouth and exposed skin and
giving small amounts of lukewarm water by mouth every 10 to 15 minutes. Bring your dog in so your vet can retrieve
the battery from the intestines. The sooner treatment begins the less
absorption of heavy metals.
Vomiting should not
be induced if the dog ate batteries as this can make corrosive injuries even
worse. The best action is to visit your vet.
Glass ornaments are always a worry as glass that goes through the system
has the potential to cut the intestinal wall causing sepsis and death. Keep in
your fridge whole grain bread or in your bathroom Metamucil to give to the dog
if you see it has eaten a glass ornament or any sharp object. IF you have whole grain bread give a few
slices, if you have Metamucil go by the directions on the jar and give that. Either of these will encase the glass pieces and hopefully
carry them safely through the system. If however your dog is showing distress
with eating then see your vet right away as there is damage to the esophagus.
Chocolate:
Toxic Fruit and
vegetables that sits on your table!
Keep in mind that
puppies will eat everything. Know that grapes and raisins can kill a dog and
there is not really a determined amount for any given dog. Dogs have died from
eating just a few to a box full. This is an emergency.
Did you know that
the seeds in fruit carry cyanide
which
can be toxic if ingested?
The top five fruit and veggies that are toxic can be found here:
Know the symptoms!
Meat,
meat, meat!
Tell you guests
to refrain from feeding Fido their left over turkey or ham from their plate or from
sneaking them a piece of meat from the kitchen counter. Sure Fido looks pathetic
as he stares at them with pleading eyes that say “Please sir, may I have another?”
Fatty meats,
gravy and other foods can cause pancreatitis which is very painful for dogs.
This will cause loss of appetite, lethargy vomiting abdominal pain diarrhea
fever and weakness. Supportive care with IV fluids will likely be needed by a vet.
Bones
There’s nothing worse
than a cooked bone as they splinter when chewed cause damage to the esophagus,
can penetrate the lining of the intestines, and cause blockage of the intestines.
Some of the round
ham bones have been known to get stuck around the dog’s mouth and have to be sawed
off by your vet. Just not a good idea overall.
Macadamia
nuts
From the ASPCA Site
Although macadamia nut
toxicosis is unlikely to be fatal in dogs, it can cause very uncomfortable
symptoms that may persist for up to 48 hours. Affected dogs develop weakness in
their rear legs, appear to be in pain, may have tremors and may develop a low
grade fever. Fortunately, these signs will gradually subside over 48 hours, but
dogs experiencing more than mild symptoms can benefit from veterinary care,
which may include intravenous fluid therapy and pain control.
Ethanol
Toxicosis (alcohol poisoning)
Do you know what’s in that drink that your guest just
left on the floor by the side of his foot? What about that uncooked bread dough on the
counter? How about the mouthwash in the bathroom? Where do you keep your perfume? All of
these contain Ethanol.
Symptoms of ethanol poisoning will depend on
the type ingested and whether or not there is food in the dog’s stomach. Ethanol
depresses the central nervous system and symptoms can be seen within 15 to 30
minutes of ingestion on an empty stomach and up to 2 hours on a full stomach.
Symptoms are urinating or defecating involuntarily,
behavior changes ranging from depression to excitement, decrease in body
temperature, slow reflexes and flatulence. Advanced signs that can lead to
death: depression, slowed breathing ,
slowed heart rate, and heart attack. If left untreated ~ death.
HOPS (Beer)
BY the ASPCA:
Cultivated hops used for brewing beer have been
associated with potentially life-threatening signs in dogs that have ingested
them. Both fresh and spent (cooked) hops have been implicated in poisoning
dogs. Affected dogs develop an uncontrollably high body temperature (often
greater than 108 degrees Fahrenheit), which results in damage to and failure of
multiple organ systems. Dogs poisoned by hops become restless, pant
excessively, and may have muscle tremors and seizures. Prompt veterinary
intervention is necessary to prevent death in these dogs.
Sugar Free drinks (and foods) that
contain Xylitol
Xylitol is a non-caloric sweetener that is widely used in
sugar-free gum, as well as in sugar-free baked products. In humans, xylitol
does not affect blood sugar levels, but in dogs, ingestion of xylitol can lead
to a rapid and severe drop in blood sugar levels. Dogs may develop
disorientation and seizures within 30 minutes of ingesting xylitol-containing
products, or signs may be delayed for several hours. Some dogs that ingest
large amounts of xylitol develop liver failure, which can be fatal. All dogs
ingesting xylitol-containing products should be examined by a veterinarian
immediately.
Garbage Toxicosis
Is your dog a garbage collector? Many foods in the garbage
are moldy and this can create illness as moldy foods have toxins called
mycotoxins.
(Via ASPCA site)
A wide variety of molds grow on food. Some produce toxins
called tremorgenic mycotoxins, which can cause serious or even life-threatening
problems if ingested by dogs. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to determine
whether a particular mold is producing tremorgenic mycotoxins, so the safest
rule of thumb is to avoid feeding dogs moldy food. In other words, if you
wouldn’t eat it, neither should your dog. Promptly remove any trash or moldy
debris (road-kill, fallen walnuts or fruit, etc.) from your dog’s environment
to prevent him from eating it. The signs of tremorgenic mycotoxin poisoning
generally begin as fine muscle tremors that progress to very coarse total-body
tremors and, finally, convulsions that can lead to death in severe cases. Left
untreated, these tremors can last for several weeks. Fortunately, they usually
respond well to appropriate veterinary treatment.
Holiday Baking
TOXIC PLANTS
(oh yes, for some this is in the festivities!)
Ingestion of Cannabis sativa by
companion animals can result in depression of the central nervous system and
incoordination, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, increased heart rate,
and even seizures and coma. Never be
afraid to tell your Vet if your dog has ingested any recreational drug! They
are not going to turn you in they are going to treat your dog!
Holiday Plants
Poinsettia~
is not as toxic as people think.
Eating this plant will cause stomach upset and vomiting but dogs rarely eat
enough of this to cause serious problems. You would actually have to worry if
you knew the plant was treated by a pesticide. The brightly colored leaves of
the poinsettia contain sap that irritates the mouth and esophagus.
Holly and
Mistletoe
Have a great toxicity in their berries and their
leaves. Symptoms of illness are intestinal upset , vomiting , diarrhea,
excessive drooling and abdominal pain.
Misteltoe contains
substances such as toxalbumin and pharatoxin viscumin which will cause serious
intestinal upset , severe drop in blood pressure, breathing problems hallucinations/unusual behavior. If large
amounts are eaten it can cause seizures and death. Keep well out of your dog’s
reach or out of the home altogether and get the fake plastic stuff.
The Christmas
Tree
Its needles and
oils on fur trees can irritate a pet’s mouth and cause severe drooling, upset
stomach & vomiting. If eaten, the needles can cause an obstruction of the
bowel.
Also the water that keeps your tree fresh can contain
mold, bacteria and fertilizers which can cause illness with only a couple of
laps from you dog.
Christmas
Cactus
This is NOT toxic but can cause
excessive vomiting or diarrhea
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO TAKE YOUR DOG’S VITAL SIGNS? GUM COLOR, CAPILLARY
REFIL, HEART BEAT AND TEMPERATURE? START PRACTICING NOW ON THE VITAL SIGNS SO
YOU KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL.
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO INDUCE VOMITING IF NEEDED?
Use 3% hydrogen peroxide - give 1 teaspoon per ten pounds of the dog's body weight.shake the belly and wait 15 to 20 minutes for vomiting to occur
Alternative items for your dog
These can be found in your local pet store
or farm store the links are just to give you a visual of the items.
Nylabone makes a great flavored bone that does not allow large pieces to
come off and it can last for months. Link here
Stuffed Kongs
Stuff an appropriate size Kong with cream cheese and freeze it overnight.
This will give your dog long lasting pleasure while you sit down to dinner.
Buster Cube
Fill this with a little of the dog’s daily kibble and small treats and let the dog figure out
how to get the food out. link here
Don’t have time
to run to the pet store to buy the above items?
Grab a large soda or Gatorade/juice bottle and fill that
with the dog’s kibble and treats and let them have fun batting that around to get
out the goodies.
ASPCA HOT LINE FOR POSIONONG call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card.
.jpg)
