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Holiday Pet Safety

With the holidays still in the shadows and the long winter months ahead, many pet hazards can be overlooked. We should remember that our pets will be indoors with us, and at risk for getting into trouble. The following is an article published by the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association about safety tips for our furry friends.

Mmm...That Smells Goood!

Rich or fatty table foods are holiday favorites, but they can result in life-threatening pancreatitis for your pet. Anything salty, spicy or greasy qualifies as well. Splintered poultry bones (chicken or turkey) can puncture the digestive tract, causing deadly results. Keep table scraps out of reach and secure any garbage.

Holiday Sweets like candies, gums, mints, baked goods & chocolate containing the “sugar-free” sweetener xylitol, are highly toxic, causing rapid low blood sugar and liver failure. Chocolate contains theobromine & caffeine; and the darker the chocolate, the more toxic. And, grapes & raisins can cause kidney failure in some pets.

Holiday Decorations

Curious cats and dogs are enticed by The Tree in the living room. Fresh trees may have both pine sap and fertilizer in the tree water (both are hazardous). Vacuum up pine needles that drop from branches, as they can be eaten and puncture intestines. To prevent the tree from falling or being tipped over by the exuberant climbing pet, be sure to secure it with wire or a good stand.

Decorations and ornaments can be eaten whole or in pieces (allowing shards of glass/fiberglass to damage stomach and intestines). Packaging materials (i.e. Styrofoam) should be put away, as they are also a hazard if ingested. Ribbon & tinsel are tempting for cats to play with and chew/eat. Pets can knock over candles causing a fire hazard, or burn themselves. Pets can chew on Electrical wires, causing electrocution or death. Pets may chew on the batteries lying around. Battery fluid may leak and burn the pet’s mouth and/or esophagus.

Many Holiday plants are toxic. Poinsettias, while harmful, are low on the toxic scale. Especially toxic plants are: Christmas cactus, Holly, Mistletoe, Lilies, Cedar, Balsam and Pine. For example, mistletoe will cause low blood pressure or heart failure. Also, acorns can easily get lodged in the intestines if eaten.

The Stress of Parties & Guests

Everyone loves a party. For our pets, parties can be stressful. Loud noises may easily spook a pet. Holidays throw everyone off their normal routine. A full house or loud party can be over-whelming to a pet. Put your pet in a quiet room with their bed and favorite toys. Make sure to stop and visit them so they know they aren’t forgotten. Don't forget to let them out to eliminate and feed them on their regular schedule. This will make them more comfortable.

Confetti and balloons can cause stomach upset when ingested or cause choking or an intestinal blockage. Consuming alcohol can cause seizures or a drop in blood pressure. It could even put a pet in a coma or cause fatal respiratory failure.

Make sure your Holiday Guests know your rules regarding your pet and be sure they abide by them. Guests may leave their medications out ( toxin risk) or a door open (curious pets may run away).

General Winter Hazards

Whether or not you celebrate the holidays, winter brings other hazards that may be dangerous for pets. Freezing temperatures are a hazardous culprit, especially in our windy city! Be mindful of the wind chill and how long your pet is exposed to the elements. This does not mean he needs a coat, but limiting his time outside should be prudent.

Other hazards include a cozy fireplace—be sure to use a cover/door to avoid burns. Antifreeze tastes sweet to animals and ingestion is highly toxic/fatal. Also, cats or small animals may take shelter near a warm car engine. It’s a good idea to tap the hood or look under the vehicle before starting it.

Bark Park Opening

October 15 at 10:00am as we officially opened the new off-leash dog park – Bark Park Carol Stream, with a ribbon-cutting event. After the ribbon cutting the dog park will need passes for use.

The $98,000 park at Kuhn Rd and North Ave features fenced areas for small and large dogs. Bark Park users must purchase an annual pass for the dog park at Simkus Recreation Center for $29 Res/$49 Non-Res per household.

All passes sold in 2011 will be good through Dec 31 2012. For more details visit Carol Stream Bark Park.

Dental Promotion

It's that time of year. We all are finished with the holidays, and are now ready to hibernate for the rest of the cold winter. Don't forget about your pets! Now is a great time to give them the special attention they need after the rush of the holidays and before we get into the busy spring/summer months of running around. The Carol Stream Animal Hospital would, once again, like to invite you to our clinic to get your pets' teeth cleaned with a special savings of $30 off our dental cleaning to help keep your pet healthy.

There are just a few easy steps:

- Check out your pets' mouth--molars in the back of the mouth, under the lips, should be white. Some breeds develop the calculus on the canine ("wolf fang") teeth. A buildup of yellow or brown calculus can trap unwanted bacteria that can absorb into the system and cause kidney, liver, or heart disease, which can be fatal. Halitosis, or "bad breath", can be caused by the buildup of decay and infection in your pets' mouth or lips/fur adjacent to the calculus.

- Make an appointment to see one of our four doctors for a full exam to determine the anesthetic risk or other underlying disease, bring vaccines up to date, and assess any damage that may have been done to the teeth/gums. We strongly recommend a preanesthetic blood panel to be run to determine organ function, and the risk of anesthesia. The need for pre-dental antibiotics will be made at this time as well.

- Schedule the dental appointment. We do the procedures every week day, Tuesday through Friday. There is no need to take off work. You can drop off your pet between 8-8:30AM and pickup before 7PM closing (6PM on Friday).

Animals usually DON'T complain about a bad dental infection. They will not cry or whine until teeth are falling out or need to be extracted, or bone infection develops. Call us soon, as the $30 off promotion will be over March 31, 2012. Enjoy the fresh, clean, healthy mouth your pet will share as you both settle in for a long winter's nap!

New Tags Available

A reminder: Village of Carol Stream residents must have their dogs licensed by the Village and DuPage County once they reach 6 months of age. Written evidence of Rabies inoculation must be presented as proof before obtaining a dog license.

As of December, 2011, the Carol Stream Animal Hospital is now able to provide you with your pet's Village of Carol Stream Dog Licenses through our office (an annual $3 license fee is charged for male and spayed female dogs while a $5 license fee is charged for unspayed female dogs). When you come in to update your annual pet's health care visit (physical exam, heartworm testing, blood testing, and vaccines) Rabies tags/certificates that are required by State of Illinois law are issued--provided by your County of residence. We are now able to offer Carol Stream Village tags as well. These tags are issued January 1st annually. Tags will be issued and the application submitted for you to the Village.

The Application for the Village also allows you to obtain a permit for the new Carol Stream Park District Bark Park. This is an off leash dog park that opened last October for your pet to enjoy lots of fun with other dogs in the area. An annual permit ($29 res/$49 nonres) is required to use the park which is conveniently located on Kuhn Rd. just north of North Avenue. You may pick up your Bark Park pass at Simkus Rec center. For more information, visit Carol Stream Bark Park.

Puppy Class is Back!

Help your puppy become a GREAT dog. Join Ms. Candy Schultze, member of the American Pet Dog Trainers Association for her fun Puppy Socialization Class. Call Candy at 630-372-1150, or just peek at her brochure here.