LITTLE ROCK — During the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, pet owners typically share concerns about what holiday foods — and nonfoods — are unsafe. They wonder what to do if their pet gets into the stash of chocolate Santas or sneaks a piece of Grandma’s fudge. And what about decorative plants such as poinsettias, mistletoe and holly — are they jolly or folly when it comes to the critters?
Here is some information that may allay some fears and make the holidays merrier for the whole family.
Holly folly: While holly leaves and berries may not kill a pet, they can certainly make one sick, according to the Animal Poison Control Center of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (aspca.org). A pet that’s munched on holly can suffer gastrointestinal distress that leads to nausea and other symptoms.
Dismiss mistletoe: Your cat or dog won’t be kissing you if it gets into the mistletoe, which can lead to gastrointestinal upset as well as heart problems. The Animal Poison Control Center recommends averting any possible lifethreatening issues by decorating with silk plants.
Poinsettia relief: The Poison Control Center says there’s little to worry about with this much-maligned plant. Eating any part of the poinsettia may cause mild nausea, skin irritation or an upset stomach, but the plant isn’t toxic. A 2007 report by the center said, “Keeping the plant out of reach to avoid stomach upset is a good idea, but pet owners don’t need to banish poinsettias from their homes for fear of a fatal exposure.”
Feasts for beasts: While it’s tempting to feed Fido and Fluffy leftovers from the family feast, avoid the urge to let them overindulge. Fatty, rich foods such as Christmas dinner fare can not only plump up a pet, but also make him sick.
An article posted at the Veterinary News Network (myvnn.com) says feeding a pet too much of a fatty food can trigger pancreatitis, a painful inflammation of the pancreas and surrounding tissue. While most commonly seen in cats, the condition also appears in dogs, particularly at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
While pancreatitis can develop over time or strike suddenly, the pets most at risk are those who “recently had a high-fat meal. During the holiday season, this usually means the greasy turkey, ham trimmings and gravy that we don’t want and feed to our pets,” VNN says.
Symptoms of pancreatitis range from mild to life-threatening. Pets suffering from the condition “will whine or cry, and often walk with a hunched-up appearance, a sure sign of pain and that veterinary care is needed immediately. Dehydration, heart arrhythmias or blood clotting issues may occur without quick medical attention.”
To avoid problems, don’t feed leftovers to cats and dogs. Also make sure trash containers are secure or out of reach so that your pets can’t decide to help themselves to the notso-good goodies.
Candy’s not dandy: Chocolate contains substances called methylxanthines, which are found in cacao seeds. An animal that has eaten something containing methylxanthines can suffer nausea, intestinal problems, excessive thirst and urination, tremors, seizures, abnormal heart rhythm and even death, according to the Animal Poison Control Center. The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is.
Baking chocolate has the highest concentration of methylxanthines, while white chocolate has the least.
Sugar-free, not danger-free:
Foods containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can cause liver failure in pets. However, other sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame and saccharin don’t have the toxic effects of xylitol, although they will upset a pet’s stomach if he eats a large amount.
Do you have a question about pets? We’ll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Rhonda Owen, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or e-mail
askcreature@att.net
Family, Pages 34 on 11/28/2012