For many families, Halloween has become the unofficial start
of the holiday season. We decorate our homes, ourselves, our kids, and our
pets, if they will allow it. While the holidays can be a fun and happy time for
us, they can be very stressful for our pets. Today I’m sharing helpful tips
with my fellow pet owners, which hopefully, will help us avoid potentially
hazardous situations and keep our pets (and us!) safe, healthy and stress-free
throughout the holiday season.
This post is sponsored by Royal Canin®, #royalcaninhealthypets. I am being compensated for helping spread
the word about Royal Canin’s veterinary-exclusive gastrointestinal diet this #Halloween, but all opinions are my own. Royal Canin is
not responsible for the content of this post.
Meet Dottie ‒ our 9-year-old indoor cat who loves to be in
the same room with you while you go about your day. She loves seeing outside
and we captured this photo of her looking out the front door onto the porch
recently. Her sweet face seems to ask ‒ why are you out there in the scary
dark? Please don’t stay out there. Changes in her routine, like me not working
from home one day, or visitors, can really stress out Dottie.
Do you know some of the other signs of stress in your pet? According to MyPetReference.com they are:
- Poor Appetite
- Decreased interaction with their owners
- Gastrointestinal disturbances
With Halloween less than a week away, I know my cats will be
stressed and upset every time the doorbell rings! We may do trunk-or-treat again to relieve this problem. Do your pets run in fear of
trick-or-treaters and holiday guests too?
If yes, here are a
few tips to help prevent stress in your pet:
1. Make sure you feed your pets at their regular feeding time
and spot. Now is not the time to change things up! Feed them their preferred
food type in a line that provides all the nutritional support your pet
requires, like Royal Canin®.
2. Provide a stable living environment for your pets. They need
routine! Try your best to keep your pet’s schedule and routine as normal as
possible.
3. Reinforce positive behavior in your pets like using their
scratcher, or not clawing furniture etc.
4. Make sure their favorite spots are available to them! Dottie
adores seeing out the windows to our front yard, which is full of birds,
squirrels and nature. We added a ledge to the dining room window for her and
our other indoor cat, Fiona.
This ledge is the preferred cat seat in our home, but when
the holidays come and guests arrive, both our cats dash for the safety of our
bedroom instead, so we added an additional viewing ledge in our bedroom window
just for them. It’s a little thing for us humans, but to our cats, it’s a
welcome gift of security and routine.
Another tip to a less stressed pet is to keep holiday décor and foods that are
hazardous to our pets away from them!
The
holidays are also a time when there are more treats and food around the house.
Guests may not realize that your dog or cat shouldn’t eat table scraps or that
they should keep their appetizer plate out of the pet’s reach.
Here is a quick
reference list of the most toxic holiday foods for pets to eat:
- Chocolate, especially dark chocolate
- Unbaked bread dough
- Alcohol
- Sugar-free candy and gum, jelly and baked goods (when ingested, artificial sweeteners can cause a sudden release of insulin in an animal’s body, leading to dangerously low blood sugar)
- Macadamia nuts
- Turkey, bones, and other meats with fatty portions
- Grapes and raisins
- Onions and garlic
Even with our best efforts, our pets can show signs of stomach upset and
GI issues. Here are four
signs to watch for:
- Vomiting
- Regurgitation
- Diarrhea
- Refusal to eat
If you notice these
symptoms in your pet you should contact your veterinarian immediately to
determine the best course of action. They could actually be signs of an
infection, chronic illness or a more serious
condition.
In many cases there are simple solutions. Ask your vet about Royal Canin’s line of
veterinary-exclusive gastrointestinal diets. Royal Canin offers multiple
options to help veterinarians provide individualized nutritional solutions for
pets experiencing gastrointestinal issues. You can learn more about
Royal Canin products by visiting their website and by getting social with them
on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Don’t forget to check out My PetReference.com for a host of
valuable resources. With a little education and prep work, we can help your
pets have a stress-free holiday season which will make ours jolly and bright as
well!
Please share in comments: How do you share the holidays with
your pets?
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