Fourth of July
The fourth of July can be a fun time but it can also cause some stress and anxiety in your pets. Here are a few things you need to consider as you prepare for your fourth holiday celebrations.
- Chocolate: Chocolates can be especially harmful to your pets. Any type of chocolate can cause gastrointestinal upset but many chocolates can cause cardiac arrhythmias as well. Dark chocolates and baking chocolates are especially harmful. Chocolate toxicity can be fatal to your pet. If your pet ingests any chocolate please call our office immediately and we can help to minimize the complications if it is caught earlier enough.
- Alcohol: Always be cautious about any drinks, especially mixed drinks containing alcohol. Even a small amount of alcohol can cause your pet to be lethargic, depressed, and ataxic.
- Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins are toxic to pets. They should not be fed to them. Even a small amount of grapes can cause kidney failure. If your pet has eaten grapes please call our clinic to discuss it with your veterinarian.
- Onions & Garlic: Onions and garlic can cause a severe anemia in companion animals. They also contain compounds that can cause damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. If your pet ingests either of these we may need to induce vomiting if they have recently been ingested.
- Bones: Bones of all kinds can cause gastrointestinal tract laceration and obstruction. Any type of bone can cause problems for your pets. We do not recommend feeding any type of bones from meat to your pet.
- Table scraps: We do not recommend feeding table scraps of any kind to your pets. Some pets can become sick with pancreatitis after eating only a small amount of table scraps. Make sure to tell your guests that your pet doesn’t need to be fed from the table.
- Fireworks/Sparklers: Fireworks should be kept away from your pet. Pets who try to play with exploding fireworks may be burned or injured. Even fireworks that have already exploded may still be hot. Do not allow your pet to play with these. Some pets have extreme fireworks anxiety from the loud noise. If your pet is especially anxious during this time from the loud noises, please call one of our veterinarians to discuss if anxiety medications for your pet are a good fit. We offer several options for reducing your pet’s stress level during this time.