Keeping Christmas Safe

Hey Everyone!

I know that Cary just recently posted some tips about keeping your pets safe at Thanksgiving, but the Christmas season can be just as dangerous to the four legged children in your home.  This article from Drs. Foster & Smith is worth looking over as you decorate your house and prepare for the upcoming holiday!

HOLIDAY PET HAZARDS

by Scott A. McKay, DVM on November 12, 2009

Well it’s that time of the year again. The holiday season will be here before you know it. As we festoon our homes with holiday decorations, seasonal plants and entertain family and friends, let’s be sure to remember that some of our seasonal favorites are hazardous to the four-legged members of our families.

Foods served this time of year tend to be higher in fat and very rich. While these foods help make this time of year special, they also can cause real problems for our pets. I’m always ready for the phone call after the holidays when someone’s dog has gotten into the turkey pan and is now ill and vomiting because of acute pancreatitis. In addition, holiday beverages containing alcohol are palatable to pets but real trouble if ingested.

Other holiday hazards include:

• Christmas trees (needles, stagnant or treated water in the tree stand), Christmas tree lights (electrocution), ornaments, tinsel, and garland (choking and/or intestinal impaction hazards); even the Christmas packages under the tree can lead to trouble if they contain items that smell appealing.

• Another holiday call I received was a cat that was vomiting because he had swallowed a length of tinsel causing a linear foreign body and intestinal blockage.

• Holiday plants including: Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and hibiscus are toxic to pets.

• Chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate is harmful.

• The oils in a potpourri pot are harmful if ingested.

• Another consideration is the effect all the holiday company may have on our pets. New faces, smells and voices in the home can be stressful for some pets. Make sure they have a safe place to go. In addition, traveling with your pet presents its own set of hazards.

A little pre-planning and pet-proofing can make the holidays stress-free and enjoyable for everyone.  The point here is not to damper the holiday spirit but to avoid an unnecessary trip to your veterinarian.

Be safe and enjoy the holidays.

Product Review - Christmas Yule Doos

No dog family Christmas is complete without a little doo-doo on the ole Christmas tree! These ornaments will complete any tree in style. Yule Doos are the hot tree ornament this season. Jay Leno went wild over these on the Tonight Show! A 3"x3" soft serve shape of doo, these are lightly frosted with a kiss of glittery snow and hung on a beautiful satin ribbon. Yule Doos are hilarious stocking stuffer for any dog lover. Yule Doos, "When a Tinkle's not Enough!"

Top 5 things you can do to be Merry for Christmas

Every blog does lists. Top 10 ways to maximize your SEO. Top 10 gifts to buy for Christmas. Top 10 people you should know. Top 10 websites for Black Friday sales. I thought I would post a list of my own - only I think this is the most important list of all - especially considering the giving time of year. Plus, I only have 5:

Top 5 things you can do to be Merry for Christmas
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2 Free your mind from worries.
3 Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less

Cheesy? Perhaps. Dead-on? I think so. Anyone have any thoughts?

Humane Society Angel Trees 2008

Hey Everyone,

I know it's not even Halloween yet and the Christmas decorations are out at Wal-Mart. Heck, I'm pretty sure Hobby Lobby has had Christmas trees up since July. I am usually a hardcore opponent of doing anything related to Christmas before Thanksgiving, but this past weekend I bent my rules and had a great time doing it.

What am I talking about? No, I haven't finished my Christmas shopping already, so don't start hating me. We were fortunate enough to host the Humane Society's Angel Tree and Angel Wreath making at Bigwag on Sunday. The store became a center of bells and glitter, Christmas trees and wreaths, ribbon and decorations for a few hours. I imagine it's what Santa's Workshop would look like if you ever had a chance to visit. We had lots of fantastic volunteers working to create beautiful trees and wreaths with a purpose.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Humane Society's Angels Trees and Angel Wreaths, they are much like any other angel tree, you take a tag off the tree and purchase that item to donate to the Humane Society, then return it to the Humane Society or one of several other collection points.

Now, I know this is a rough economic year and everyone is cutting back on Christmas. But, I would ask you to think twice about giving a little something to the animals at the Humane Society. The Humane Society runs completely on donations. They don't receive any local, state or federal funding. That means they depend on you to help care for homeless dogs and cats until they find forever homes. And you don't have to donate $500 to make a difference. Many of the items on the Angel Trees and Wreaths are cheap items, things like bleach and dish detergent.

So please, look for Angel Trees and Wreaths starting in November at the following locations: All Dogs Clinic, Animal Medical Center, Bigwag Dog Bakery, Camp Bow Wow, Faithful Friends Animal Clinic, the Humane Society for Animals, Murphy Dog Park, New Hope Animal Hospital, Rose Antique Mall and Flea Market, and Quality Pet Supplies. I'll add more locations as I become aware of them.

Items may be returned to Bigwag Dog Bakery, the Humane Society for Animals, Rose antique Mall and Flea Market and Quality Pet Supplies.

In the meantime, enjoy these pictures of our wreath making event. And if you have any questions about how you can help out, call us or email us here at the store and we'll either answer your questions or point you in the direction of someone who can! Thanks in advance for your support of this fantastic cause.

Charitably Yours,
Erin