VCA Animal Referral & Emergency Center of Arizona is a paid advertiser of Sonoran Living
Holidays are great… but can be stressful. Remember that things we think of as fun, pretty or classic of the holidays can be dangerous to our pets. One of the most common toxicities we see year round but more so during the holiday season is chocolate ingestion. Baking chocolate, dark chocolate and cacao is of more risk than milk chocolate, but even this can be dangerous if enough is ingested. Please keep candy up and away from pets. It's not uncommon for dogs to damage presents because they can smell the chocolate/food within. Keep anything edible away from unsupervised dogs to prevent unintended ingestion. If your dog has ingested chocolate, the best recommendation is to seek veterinary care to determine if inducing vomiting is necessary as decontamination is key to prevention of dangerous signs (high heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, tremors, etc). Some dogs need to stay in hospital for more aggressive treatment if a large amount or dark chocolate has been ingested.
Most common medications ingested during holiday seasons are pain killers (such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen) and cold/flu medications (pseudoephedrine is very dangerous as a profound stimulant). Please keep all medications in cabinets away from pets and be careful taking medications around pets. Remind your houseguests to keep their medications put away as well.
Tinsel is beautiful… even kitties know this. Unfortunately for kitties (and dogs) playing with tinsel can lead to eating tinsel which can lead to intestinal obstruction and perforation. Please keep kitties away from any tinsel and if you have rambunctious kitties maybe forgo this decorative touch.
Poinsettias are touted as highly toxic however generally signs are mild consisting of oral irritation and GI upset (vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite). If your pet is exposed, please wash the skin or mouth (do not "force" water into their mouths just gently rinse). If your pet is experiencing GI distress, please seek veterinary care for treatment to get your furry friend feeling better.
At VCA Animal Referral & Emergency Center of Arizona, we help pets live longer, healthier, and happier lives through the highest quality critical care, surgery, oncology and internal medicine services, as well as emergency care at all times.
Located in Mesa, our outstanding supporting staff are trained to the highest standards to help ensure that all our patients receive the best in healing care.
Our hospital has been serving Arizona for over 50 years and will continue to be here when you pets need us. We are available to serve your emergency needs 24/7, our specialists are available Monday through Saturday.
For more information call 480-877-0191 or visit vcaareca.com
