Page 11 - Real Rochdale Issue 20 Winter 2023
P. 11
Keeping pets safe this Christmas
Nights are drawing in, the weather is getting
colder and Christmas is just around the corner.
Most pets thrive on the additional attention
from visitors in the festive season, but some
may be a bit more shy. Allow your pets to have
an area that is their personal space to avoid
extended family and friends if they want to.
With visitors, we also (hopefully) get gifts. If
your pet raids the presents under the tree and
chews a hole in your snazzy new Christmas
jumper, that’s a bit inconvenient, but some ABOUT THE WRITER
presents can be more harmful to pets if they Clare Farnsworth qualified from Liverpool in
get hold of them. 2003. She had a brief stint in mixed
practice before settling into her small animal
Chocolates vet career. She has worked locally for the past
15 years before opening a new practice in
All chocolate is toxic to dogs, but the higher the Milnrow this year.
cocoa content (darker chocolate has more
cocoa than milk chocolate) the more chance
you will see significant side effects. these foods can be quite fatty for pets and may
cause stomach upsets. This is especially true
Christmas cake and mince pies if your pet is usually on a restricted diet for a
As well as the dangers from the dried fruit, medical reason. Also try to avoid highly salted
some cakes may be quite alcoholic! foods and onions of any kind.
Plants As the weather changes, we might start to see
Certain plants such as poinsettia are popular more snow and ice. Pets are just as susceptible
gifts around Christmas, but these are highly to slips and falls as we are, so please take care
toxic to our pets. where you walk. The gritting of roads and
pavements can also create issues of skin
Batteries from toys irritation to pets’ feet and can even cause
These are very dangerous and can cause burns problems if excessive amounts of salt are
if swallowed. If you suspect this, contact your consumed by the animal licking their feet. It
vet immediately. is advisable to wash and dry your dog’s paws
after a walk if you have been in gritted areas.
Essential oils for diffusers
These can be toxic to pets and can cause burns Winter is often a time when we top up
if they come into contact with skin. Fragrances antifreeze in our cars. If you spill any on the
can also cause irritation of your pet’s airways. ground, please mop it up. Antifreeze contains a
compound that is highly toxic to animals,
We humans have been known to overindulge at especially cats.
Christmas and need to be aware of where we
leave our headache tablets. Many of our We hope you have a peaceful holiday with no
medications are toxic to pets, especially cats. pet-related dramas, but it you do think your pet
has eaten something they shouldn’t have done,
Owners often allow pets to join in with please contact your vet as soon as possible with
Christmas dinner. A little bit is a nice treat, but as much detail as you can.
REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2023 10 11 REAL ROCHDALE - WINTER 2023
