Top Seven Tips for Keeping Pets Safe

CatTraining — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 21:41:59 +0000

Christmas has arrived again, a period for jollity , on the other hand it is also a risky time for both us and our beloved animals. Pet Sitters London have tried to identify their top tips to minimize the risks to our animals over this seasonal period. Pet sitters are frequently asked for help or notice potential risks to pets at Xmas. This is often a neglected part of pet care.
1. Your Xmas Tree
The most important this about this is ensuring that it is in a safe location and is strongly fixed. This enjoyable activity of decorating the tree with your kids, must be done in such a way that the cat, when it jumps up onto it, will not bring it down on to everyone. Animals and cats can be disrupted at Christmas and can become anxious and liable to do anything, with the crowds, with all the new smells and sounds. Try to avoid putting the tree too near to furniture that will help the animal leap onto the tree. If possible and particularly if the tree is not the most stable, can you tie it to the ceiling and wall with some wire. Use a hook in the wall might help. Weighting down the tree roots / stem to improve stability is another way of avoiding problems.
If it is a real tree, clean up the pine trees, not just because it looks nicer, but pets can eat them and this can make them sick. If you put water in the bucket holding, either avoid the chemicals that prolong life, or as they can be toxic, ensure your pet cannot drink this water.
2. Care with the Decorations.
The most dangerous to young children and pets are the glass balls, an alternative are the wooden and plastic balls. Eating these can be very dangerous. Another danger are the bight ribbons and streamers that can be attractive to dogs, and can block the intestines.
Take care with using hooks on fixing the ornaments to the trees, use string – it is far safer.

3. Electrical Dangers.
Care with the electrical leads, man and beast can trip over them, bringing down what ever is attached. So tidy the wires up. Be very wary if you have a cat or dog that is curious and if it chews. Keep things turned off if no one in the room, or shut the door.

4. Animal Behaviour
Though you may appear to have plenty of time, you are often distracted and paying more attention to other people / things than your pet.
So watch your pet.
Animal behaviour can become eccentric at Xmas with the new surroundings and people. Pets are territorial and can see a lack of attention, their preferred spot taken over by the Christmas tree as a threat to their home. They are much more likely to change behaviour, cats become worried and nervous, they often go off their food – even if you are giving them some nice Salmon or Liver. Dogs risk being hostile, if they do not have enough exercise or enough attention and love. A real risk even with very well behaved and trained dogs is the “strange” attacks on children and babies. Separate them if not being supervised carefully all the time. If busy consider a professional dog walker from a company such as Dog Walkers London. If you do not have the time for exercising the dog, book your dog sitter for a few sessions over Christmas, though a good idea to do this early as they are likely to be busy.
5. Christmas Presents
Shiny boxes are designed to be of interest to [pets. Be extremely careful if you have relocated your dogs bed and replaced it with the tree and presents. Dogs can rip the presents to pieces in minutes if you are unlucky. A great follow on risk is stomach blockages from the ribbons that they can eat, resulting in a trip to the local London veterinary clinic.
6. Food Dangers for Pets
It is always tempting to feed the pets some of the nice food that you have at Christmas. Do not give from the table, transfer to their normal food bowls at normal feeding times. It can take you the rest of the year to stop begging at the table, if it worked well at Christmas
Be particularly careful with the seasonal dangers such as Mistletoe, Holly and Poinsettias which are particularly dangerous plants. Some food such as onions, which could be in the nice stew or some of the chocolate being handed around. Sugary products can cause teeth problems and with 30-50percent of pets suffering from being over weight these calories should be avoided. For both of you, maybe go for a dog walk, he would most likely prefer it.
7. Safety of the Home
A good check of the house is worthwhile, our pet sitters, often identify dangers and pass them onto the owners, common ones include live candles that might be knocked over by pets, especially dogs wagging tails.
Turn off potentially dangerous electrical items such as the Xmas tree lights when no human is present in the house.

Cat Training » Christmas Pet Safety

Top Seven Tips for Keeping Pets Safe