The hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving is a part of the tradition for many families. But in the commotion, it’s important to keep safety in mind for our four-legged family members. Our Flint Veterinary Care Center veterinary staff offers these Thanksgiving safety tips to help you all have a safe and special holiday!
Even if your house will be full of guests or your entire family is traveling, double check that all pets are wearing a collar and identification tags with current contact information. The same goes for microchipped pets. Make sure all pets are up-to-date on vaccinations and parasite prevention before traveling also.
If your pet is staying behind for the holiday, use a reputable pet sitter or boarding facility. Pets should never be left at home alone, even with food and water, for any extended length of time.
Stay in the same exercise and meal routine with your pets during the holiday. Going on your daily walk with your pet will also help you counteract that large Thanksgiving feast!
With guests in the house, pets may have sensory overload and need a little distraction from the distraction. Keep pet-safe toys and treats on hand and reward your pet for good behavior.
Remind guests and hosts alike that your pet should not eat table scraps. Not only are a lot of human foods high in sodium and sugar that can cause gastrointestinal issues in pets, many of our common Thanksgiving foods are highly toxic to pets, especially those containing onion, garlic, grapes or raisins and chocolate.
If your pet seems to be eyeing the counter for any accidentally dropped food while you are cooking, have a reliable guest or family member keep her occupied in a different room.
Before everyone settles into their post-meal naps, take all trash outside away from pets. Bones, scraps and packaging from food may seem like a tempting chew toy, but they can cause serious harm to your pets, especially if ingested.
If you have any questions about having a safe Thanksgiving holiday with everyone in your family, contact us at 716-772-6149. Happy Thanksgiving!
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