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San Antonio Humane Society
4804 Fredericksburg Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78229communication@SAhumane.org
210-226-7461
Open: Every day: 12pm - 7pm
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Sharing the holiday season with your furry pets means thinking about some important safety tips to keep them safe. Here are a few from SAHS Chief Veterinarian Dr. Kristine Hawkins:
1. Please review all Thanksgiving meal tips and keep them in mind when preparing for the holiday feast.
2. There are certain plants, like poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe, that are seasonal and may pose a poison threat to small dogs and cats. Keep these out of reach from pets during the entire season.
3. Ribbons and tinsel are a major part of the holiday but can pose choking hazards and intestinal blockage for pets that find them irresistible. Please consider using only prefabricated bows on presents and hanging lights and ornaments instead of tinsel on trees.
4. Oh, Christmas Tree. We all love the glory of a majestic pine decorated in full splendor. Make sure your spruce is securely anchored so it doesn't tip over and fall and cause injury to your pets. Tree water can also upset your pet's stomach due to the potential presence of fertilizers and bacteria.
5. Remember that though people mostly respect the “no peeking” rule for presents under the tree, your pet has never heard this rule and might see them as irresistible packages of destruction. Breakable or valuable presents should be kept safely hidden away until Christmas morning. Presents that present a choking hazard for little kids could also pose the same threat to a pet that chews into them before Christmas. A better idea is to set the tree up in an area that your pet cannot access when unsupervised.
6. We all love the twinkle of Christmas lights, but electrical cords plugged into low outlets or wrapped low in a tree can pose an electrocution risk to pets who might find them irresistible to chew on. Plug lights into higher outlets or behind furniture that your pet can’t squeeze behind. Punctured batteries can cause dangerous burns to the mouth and esophagus, so avoid leaving these around when powering up Christmas gifts. Similarly, your pet, like your children, may never have been introduced to flame, so burning candles should NEVER be left alone with pets, whether someone is in the house or not.
7. When it comes to New Year’s Eve fireworks, the sounds can be very scary and stressful for pets. Place dogs in secure and quieter surroundings like bedrooms, utility rooms, or garages during nights where high firework activity is expected. Even a yard with a high privacy fence may not be enough to contain a terrified pet. Take extra precautions by playing soft music to help drown out the noise. If Fido or Fluffy is in with the family watching the ball come down, try not to pay special attention to their anxious antics as this will only show them there is cause for concern. Instead, remain calm and unconcerned yourself and let your pet take their cue from your easy behavior. Remember, though, that your cheers as the ball drops may not be seen as happy to them. The best idea is to find your pets a quiet room of their own where they can be safely away from all the noise. If you have concerns about your pet's anxiety prior to this night, please visit your local veterinarian for a consult.
Here’s hoping that Santa finds everyone happy and healthy this holiday season!
Bark! Bark! Bark!
Canine Rivalry
Children and Dogs: Important Information for Parents
Crate Training Your Dog
Dealing with Normal Puppy Behavior Nipping and Rough Play
Dealing with Normal Puppy Chewing
Destructive Chewing
Developmental Stages Of Puppy Behavior
Dog Bite Prevention and Treatment
Dog Toys And How To Use Them
Dominance in Dogs
Heartworm Information
Housetraining Your Puppy
How to Solve the Digging Problem
How to Use a Head Halter
Helping Your Dog Overcome the Fear of Startling Noises
Inside or Out Making Your Dog Part of the Family
Introducing Your New Dog To Your Resident Dog
Keeping Your Dog Confined To Your Property
New Puppy Dog Supplies
Newborn Puppies - How to take care of them
Nothing in Life is Free
Puppy & Dog Care
Re-Housetraining Your Adult Dog
Sample Aversives for Dogs
Separation Anxiety
Submissive and Excitement Urination
The Canine Escape Artist
The Educated Dog
The Fearful Dog
Understanding Aggressive Behavior In Dogs
Why Dogs Bite - A Guideline For Children
Aversives For Cats
Cat Toys And How To Use Them
Choosing a Kitten
Destructive Scratching in Cats
Developmental Stages Of Kitten Behavior
Discouraging Roaming Cats
Feline Social Behavior and Aggression Between Family Cats
Indoors is Best
Introducing Your New Cat To Your Other Pets
Managing Your Kitten's Rough Play
Newborn Kittens - How to take care of them
Allergies in Pets!
Moving With Your Pet
Pet Theft Prevention
Preparing Your Pet For Baby's Arrival
Successful Cleaning to Remove Pet Odors and Stains
To Spay or Neuter
Travel Tips
Territorial Marking Behavior In Dogs And Cats
Unusual Eating Habits In Dogs And Cats
Vaccination Guidelines
Quality of Life to the End of Life (By Alice E. Villalobos, D.V.M., DPNAP)
All Pet Care Tips (PDF files only unless otherwise indicated) are Copyright 2000, to Denver Dumb Friends League and Humane Society of the United States. All rights reserved.
Important information!