Camden County Animal Shelter

Cammy presents, "Holiday Safety Tips for Pet Owners"

some info obtained from ASPCA

Cammy says...

This is a really yummy holiday for all of us furry children that are lucky enough to have families. Since I care so much about all of my furry friends out there, I want to take this time to advise the "reading" members of the families about a few things that we need to think about during this holiday.

• Always remember - turkey, chicken and other small bones are different from the large bones that you can feed to your furry friend. The smaller bones splinter and can cause serious internal damage if they are swallowed. Please DO NOT give your furry companion any of these small bones during the holiday. I know the turkey is good but only meat, please!
• Now I know that pup or kitten probably likes to hang around when you're cooking (believe me, if I had a home, I'd be right under the "cooking feet."). I think it's because of the smell - we really like that a lot. But, watch out for us with those really "hot" containers because they might tip over or we might just tip them over and then we will be burned really badly.
• Actually, thinking about it, candles are really a scary thing too, especially for those kitties out there - you know how they just love to rub against things! Maybe put them up where they can't get to them and then there's that crazy pup that gets so excited when the company arrives - potential knock-over.
• And oh, that really neat festive looking tree you put up. It really attracts us so I would strongly suggest you don't trim that tree on the bottom where we, well not me, because I'm older, but those puppies especially, can get a hold of those things I've heard people call ornaments and eat them, chew them, even swallow them and get sick and I've hear in some cases, even die. To keep your companion alive and well enough to enjoy the holiday, please be careful when trimming the tree and the house. You know how some of us just love getting into things we're not supposed to have and the thing about it is - we don't know that.

Now thinking about it further...

Being a dog, I have realized that there are so many things out there that can harm me and my friends be they other dogs or cats. I would like to share just some of these scary items with you that could potentially cause us serious illness or death.

In the Home: In the season, poinsettias; mothballs, paint thinners and other solvents, fly bait, detergents, tobacco products, lime/scale remover, lead, lighter fluid, bleach, diet pills, rat and mouse bates, antidepressants, acetaminophen, cold and flu meds, vitamins, flea and tick products, liquid potpourri detergents, oven cleaners. Now, these are just some of them; and there are the ones outside!

Outside: Aloe, Asian Lily, Asparagus fern, Corn plant, Cycads, Cyclamen, Daffodil, Daylily, Devils ivy, Dieffenbachia, Easter Lily, Elephant ears, English Ivy, Eucalyptus, Ferns, Foxglove, Tulip, Yucca, Lily of the Valley, all Lilium species, Iris, Jimson Weed, Gladiolas, Heavenly bamboo, Honeysuckle, Peace Lily, Oleander, Mountain Laurel, Narcissus, Schefflera, Rhododendron, Wisteria, Morning Glory, Lantana. These are just some of the plants that can potentially harm us. If you have any of these in your house, you might want to put them up high where we can't get into them and if they are in your yard, you might consider putting them where we cannot chew or eat them because, even though I hate to admit it - we just don't know the difference. I guess that's just the "animal" in us.

Foods: Now, let's move on to foods that are harmful to us and I'll bet you will be surprised by some of them: avocados, chocolate (and there will be lots of that during this holiday season), coffee, garlic, grapes, raisins, Macadamia nuts, moldy or spoiled food, salt, fatty foods, Xylitol (gum, candies or other foods sweetened with this), tea leaves, raw yeast dough. Moving on to alcoholic beverages - Now I know that some people think it is very funny and cute to feed a dog beer and watch them get dizzy but the potential harm is really not worth the amusement they might get out of this trick. Dogs don't need to drink!

Random Objects: And then there are objects that can cause puncture wounds, choke us or cause internal organ damage: batteries, read twist ties, buttons, coins, glass, hair pins, jewelry, wax, nylons, paper clips, socks, rubber bands, plastic wrap, all sharp objects like razors, scissors, nails, etc), string, dental floss, cotton swabs. If you think about it, you can imagine what these objects can do to us and I'll bet you can even come up with some of your own if you really think about it. And I think children need to learn safety for their furry friends - what to feed and what not to feed. That way we can all be safe, happy and live a long life together.

Please remember to keep your pets safe, if you suspect that your pet has ingested a potentially dangerous substance, please call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SAFETY TO ALL!