Christmas is always a busy time, and with people, food and decorations everywhere sometimes our pets get up to things that aren’t always good for them. Read on and you will discover how to avoid some of the hazards that can befall our pets around the festive season.

Christmas dinner

The biggest cause of poorly dogs and cats over the festive season is sometimes our own fault. We want to treat our beloved pets as part of the family during the festivities including giving them a taste of our own Christmas indulgences. This is not just the Christmas dinner itself, but anything that your pet is not used to.

Most owners in this country feed their pets a consistent diet throughout the year. The digestive system of our modern pets has adapted to this type of diet, so when they are suddenly faced with turkey and all the trimmings, gastroenteritis (an upset stomach) is often the result. No laughing matter when you have a houseful of guests and your veterinary surgery is shut!

Even rabbits and guinea pigs can suffer the same problem when given a Christmas treat, such as unfamiliar sprout peelings. In most cases, the gastrointestinal upset will resolve with no need for treatment, but an alarming number of pets each year get seriously ill as a result.

So remember this December…

• Carry on feeding your pet as normal this Christmas.
• Find non-edible ways of involving them in the fun. Toys, walks and attention are just as good!
• Avoid giving any new food treats (even ones designed for pets) if they are unfamiliar.
• Store food carefully. Beware of dogs and cats helping themselves to uncovered food on surfaces and low tables.

Don’t eat that! It’s poisonous!

Although there are a few things which really are poisonous to our pets, most of the things they may eat (which they’re not meant to), will just make them poorly. The golden rule is – if in doubt, give your veterinary practice a shout!

Things that are very toxic to dogs

• Chocolate – contains a toxic ingredient called theobromine. Dark chocolate contains the highest level of this substance. Milk chocolate and white chocolate contain lower levels. If you know how much your dog weighs and how much and what type of chocolate they have eaten, your vet will be able to work out whether enough has been eaten to cause a problem. It is worth noting that garden mulches made from cocoa shells contain very high levels of theobromine – so gardeners beware if you have a dog.
• Raisins – in mince pies, Christmas pudding and fruit cake. These are very toxic and can cause kidney failure in some dogs. Not all dogs will be sensitive but unfortunately there is no way of knowing which will be affected. Give us a call if you are unsure.

Less serious

• The holly and the ivy! Both these festive plants, often used as decorations, can cause dogs to get poorly if eaten. They can cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Similarly mistletoe and peanuts can make your pooch poorly if they eat enough.

Things that are very toxic to cats

• Lilies – Often we like to adorn our houses with these big beautiful blooms at Christmas. However make sure they are out of the way of our feline friends who are extremely susceptible to kidney failure from ingestion of any part of this plant. Even licking their fur having rubbed against the plant can cause a problem.
• Paracetamol – Us humans may have good reason over the festive season to take the odd painkiller but don’t leave them lying around so your cat can get hold of them. Paracetamol poisoning in cats is invariably fatal.

Less serious

Peace lilies, Cyclamen and Poinsettia are all very popular Christmas plants but can cause sickness, drooling and depression if eaten. Fortunately the symptoms are self-limiting and the prognosis is excellent.

Batteries, electricals and tinsel can present a hidden hazard

• Pets are inquisitive, especially young cats and dogs, and will play with, chew or swallow batteries. Batteries can cause electrical or chemical burns inside the body. Some contain mercury (especially the little disc ones) which is a poison and can be a problem if the battery is inside the body for a long time. However, the good news is that severe effects are rare and as long as the battery has been swallowed whole, it will pass through the gut intact without causing a problem.
• Do supervise young curious puppies, kittens and house rabbits at all times. It is not uncommon for them to chew through the Christmas tree lights and give themselves a bit of a shock!
• Tinsel and ribbon is beautiful around the house at Christmas, but pets can find it an incredibly eye-catching toy. If eaten, these pretty decorations can cause gut impactions which can cause serious injury to your pet.

At Oaklands Veterinary Centre, our goal is to help you keep your pets happy and healthy. This is why we’re offering your pet a FREE weight check between 9^th January to 31^st March.

The dangers of obesity

The two main causes of obesity in pets is lack of exercise and over eating, some diseases can also cause obesity and if you suspect this is the case, we would recommend you book in a visit with your vet.

There are also other factors which can affect a pet’s weight in their lifetime. These include:

• Neutering: Pets are normally neutered at a young age – around the time their body starts decreasing the need for extra food for energy and growth. So if you carry on feeding your pet the same amount of food after they’ve been neutered, it’s likely they’ll start piling on the pounds!
• Breed: Some breeds of cat and dog are more prone to putting on weight than others. For dogs a few are: Labrador, Golden Retrievers, Pugs and Boxers. For the full list visit Pawsitively Pets website. For cats: Ragamuffin, British Shorthair, Persian and Birman. For the full list visit Kitten Toob website.
• Age: Older pets are more likely to put on weight than younger pets.

With a lot of hard work and determination both over eating and lack of exercise can be remedied to give your pet back the fit and healthy body they deserve. We have outlined some top tips on how to do this later on in this article. If weight is not lost and your pet continues to be obese, it can lead to the following serious health conditions:

• Heart disease.
• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Cancer.
• Respiratory distress.

Due to the increased risk of serious health conditions and general strain on the body because of the extra weight being carried around, obesity also sadly reduces the lifespan of pets.

Signs your pet is obese

There are quite a few signs to look out for to tell if your pet is obese, one of the easiest ways to check is by using condition scoring. Visit the Royal Canin website to use their body condition score. Please note if you are ever unsure check with your vet.

How to fix it

Diet

One of the main contributors of obesity in pets is diet. Generally pets get obese because they simply eat more than they actually need. On top of this, their adorable little faces tend to sway us all too easily to give them that extra fatty treat or tasty table scrap – not ideal for a borderline podgy pet!

So to get your pet back in shape, it’s time to crack down on the overindulgence and start on a diet boot camp! Here are our top tips on putting together a healthy diet routine for your pet:

• Tip 1: Start your pet up on a specified diet food. We recommend Royal Canin Weight Management Food, which can be bought from your vets and contains joint supplement as lots of overweight pets suffer with osteoarthritis. As a Healthy Pet Club member you will benefit from 10% off this food and if you have your card stamped, you’ll get your 6^th bag free! Make sure to thoroughly read the instructions on the bag of food and weigh out the exact amount for your pet’s weight per day.
• Tip 2: Cut treats and table scraps out! Yes we know it’s difficult to resist the ‘begging face’, but we promise it will do your pet the world of good. Although it’s not all doom and gloom, there are some healthy treats out there. Just pop into your vets and they’ll be able to recommend some healthy alternatives.

Fun tips to lose weight with your pet

We all tend to eat a little too much over Christmas and it’s the same for our pets with all the sweet and fatty treats they’re gifted over the festive period! So why not jump on the New Year’s resolution band wagon and lose weight with your pet?

To help you do this, we’ve come up with some fun and challenging activities for you both to try:

• Tip 1: Walking
  Walking is a brilliant way to get fit and healthy for both you and your dog, and can be made really fun and interesting. One way of doing this is by trying interval training, for example:
  • 2 minute walk
  • 30 seconds jog
  • 2 minute walk
  • 30 second side step
  • 2 minute walk
  • 30 second sprint
  • 2 minute walk
  • 30 second skip
  • And so on, gradually increasing the amount of minutes doing each activity over time…
• Tip 2: Dog agility
  Take part in a dog agility class or if you don’t fancy that, it’s really easy to set up a course in your back garden. All you need is:
  • Jumps: Flower pots or for a higher jump garden chairs and bamboo sticks work brilliantly. Make sure the pole can be easily knocked over if hit so your dog doesn’t injure themselves.
  • Weaves: Bamboo sticks stuck in the ground or you can buy some cheap cones.
  • Tire jump: A hula hoop propped up by garden sticks makes a great circle type jump!
  • Tunnel: A kid’s play tunnel will do perfectly or if you’ve got a couple of large, long cardboard boxes, stick theses together and they’ll work well too.
• Tip 3: Fetch and dog tag
  There’s nothing better than a good ‘ole game of fetch or dog tag to get the heart racing. Grab your dog’s favourite toy and lots of energy and you’re good to go.
• Tip 4: Play a game with your cat
  There are loads of cat toys to choose from and all cats have their preferences, so it may be a case of trying a few before you find the one they enjoy the most. Some ideas are as follows:
  • A string toy: A toy mouse or bird on a string normally works a treat and will get your cat running, jumping and sometimes even doing flips! Do this twice a day and your cat should start to shed the pounds in no time.
  • Laser light: Not all cats enjoy running after a string toy, some prefer a laser light. Move the laser light along the floor and up the wall and your cat will enjoy running after it to try and catch it.
  • Balls: A ball with a bell in the middle or even a ping pong ball is great fun for an inquisitive cat that needs to burn off a bit of energy. Roll the ball toward your cat and they should start batting it around themselves and chasing it round the room. Another fun one, which works well with kittens, is to put a ping pong ball in a bath (without water in!), pop your kitten in there and they should have hours of fun chasing the ball around.

To book your pet in for a FREE weight check, contact us today.