Safety Tips for your dogs

During holidays and festivities (like Christmas) there are many potential hazards to our pets. Here is a partial list of things which are potentially dangerous to your pet:

Bloat:  a serious life-threatening emergency which must be treated by a qualified veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. Many experts believe that a feeding a large meal within 2 hours of exercise or severe stress may trigger this emergency. Eating quickly, changes in diet, and gas-producing foods may also contribute to this serious condition. Symptoms of Bloat include: unsuccessful retching, pacing, panting, drooling, an enlarged stomach/torso, and/or signs of distress.

Chocolate: contains an element which is toxic to dogs, called Theobromine.  Larger quantities of chocolate can poison or even kill a medium or large dog. Dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are especially dangerous. Symptoms of chocolate poisoning include: vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, hyperactivity and seizures. In some cases, people unwittingly poison their dogs by offering them chocolate as a treat.

Electrocution: Electrical cords can be fatal if chewed on by a dog (or cat). Whenever possible, keep electrical cords out of reach.

Fireworks: Never unnecessarily expose your pet to firecracker noise or fireworks displays, as they can cause companion animals tremendous fear, and in many cases, long-term phobias. Make sure to keep dogs indoors, and keep walks (on a leash) very brief. Try masking loud firecracker noises with music or other familiar sounds (radio or television).

Heatstroke and Heat Exhaustion: A dog's normal internal body temperature is between 100.5 degrees F and 102 degrees F. Leaving a dog in a parked car in the summer (even with the window a few inches open), can cause heatstroke within minutes. Heat exhaustion is usually caused by over-exercising a dog during hot weather. Both heatstroke and heat exhaustion can result in brain damage, heart failure or even death in a short period of time. To cool off an overheated dog, wet the dog's body and paws with cool water, then fan. If the dog experiences heatstroke or heat exhaustion, he should receive veterinary attention as soon as possible.