Animal Emergency Clinic of Central Texas

Holiday Health Threats for Pets!

Prevent your pet spending the holiday in the ER!

THE MANY DANGERS OF PEOPLE FOOD:

•  Bones - Never give bones, especially poultry bones to your pets. Poultry bones may splinter and lodge in the throat. Most bones do not dissolve in the stomach, or will not dissolve fast enough to prevent them causing a problem. They may become lodged in the intestines, requiring surgical removal, perforate the GI tract causing a serious illness called peritonitis. At best, they may cause a mild to severe case of gastroenteritis.
• Pancreatitis - This illness causes vomiting and severe abdominal pain and may be brought on by eating high-fat foods. Schnauzers are particularly prone, but any dog or cat may be affected. The illness may range from mild to severe, with the worst cases becoming fatal.
• Gastroenteritis due to dietary indiscretion- Sometimes we see this when pets get into the garbage, but often it happens when well-intentioned owners share their holiday feast with their pets. The pet comes down with vomiting and diarrhea, often bloody diarrhea. Cases may range from mild to severe, but frequently require hospitalization on IV fluids, at minimum.

 Foods toxic to pets:

• Raw yeast dough -the live yeast in unbaked dough will ferment the sugar in the dough into alcohol, literally causing the pet to become dangerously ?drunk?.
• Chocolate - contains theobromine, which may cause vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heart beat or arrhythmia, hyperactivity, tremors, and in high doses, seizures, coma, and death. The concentration of theobromine is highest in baking, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate, milk chocolate has somewhat less, and white chocolate has the lowest concentration.
• Grapes and raisins - it is not yet fully understood at what quantity or frequency they may be dangerous, but grapes and raisins have been shown to sometimes cause kidney failure in dogs.
• Garlic or onions - can cause a type of anemia.
• Macadamia nuts - may cause weakness, uncoordinated movement, vomiting.
• Xylitol, an artificial sweetener - most often found in sugar-free gum, mints, and candy, this substance may cause a sudden severe drop in blood sugar (lethargy, weakness, uncoordinated movement, seizures) and may also be associated with liver problems.
• Tinsel, Ribbon, Yarn, Thread, etc. -If swallowed, the small intestine will bunch up along it like fabric on a drawstring. This strangles off the blood supply to the affected section of intestine. Large sections of intestine must often be surgically removed. If surgical intervention does not occur quickly, the intestine will perforate, causing peritonitis.
• Electrical Cords - Chewing on electrical cords may cause burns in the mouth and, often, difficulty breathing due to fluid accumulation in the lungs, which may occur anywhere from 1 to 36 hours after electrocution. See veterinary attention immediately if your pet has been, or may have been, electrocuted or shows any sign of breathing difficulty.
• Fragrance oil or liquid potpourri - Often ingested after the product is spilled and the pet walks though it and licks it off its paws. May cause mild to severe irritation and ulcerations of the skin, mouth and GI tract.
• Poinsettia plants - these are not as toxic as is commonly believed. Ingestion may cause mild GI upset, but this is generally self-limiting. Take up food and water for about 2 hours to rest the stomach and watch to make sure that symptoms resolve themselves quickly