We all want the holiday season to be fun and safe for the whole family and this includes our pets. After all they are part of our family as well, bringing much joy and cheer.

The tips below will help ensure your furry friends remain healthy and enjoy the holiday season.

• At Christmas many of us head away on holiday, if there is no practical way to take your pet along with you, you may want to pop them into a kennel or cattery – this won’t be possible if their vaccinations are not up to date, so it is best to check these well before you head away.
• If you are leaving your pet at home, ensure they are looked after by someone known to your pet and make sure they have water, food and preferably exercise every day. It could also be helpful to microchip your pet and register them on NZCAR (a New Zealand wide database) so that if they happen to escape they can be identified when found.
• If your pet is on medication, check you have an adequate supply to get them through the holiday period and remember to treat your pet each month for fleas. During the summer months fleas just love your pet (and your carpet!).
• Delicious rich and fattening foods are part and parcel with the Christmas period. People love them, but they can be very harmful to pets. Some of the most common dangerous holiday foods are chocolate and cocoa, fatty meaty scraps, yeast bread dough, and even fruit cake which is particularly dangerous if it contains raisins and currants which can result in kidney failure if ingested by your dog.

 

Other things to think about are:

• Your pet can suffer with sunburn as well , so make sure you have a pet friendly sunscreen lotion on hand
• If you are taking your pet boating, think about buying a bright life jacket – make sure it is fitted to size
• Always have fresh water and shade available, it is also a good idea to limit exercise in hot weather as dogs can become dehydrated quickly

• Just remember that if the concrete footpath or sand at the beach is too hot to touch with your hand, it is too hot for your dog’s paws.

• Don’t leave your pet in a car – they can develop HEAT STROKE very quickly causing organ damage and death
• Beware of grass seed. If your dog loves to run through grassy areas, make sure you check their paws regularly – Dogs, especially with long coats, are at high risk of contracting painful and persistent wounds from grass seeds.

And finally, if you are looking for a great gift for a pet loving friend or family member, pop along to your local clinic and pick up an Anexa Vets gift voucher. We also stock a great range of gifts for your pet from toys to treats – don’t forget to wrap something up under that Christmas tree for them too!