Love Your Pet By Keeping Fluffy And Fido Safe This Valentine's Day, Guest Post By "The Cat Practice"

Safeguard chocolate, flowers and other gifts

   Each year around February 14, veterinary emergency hospitals  see an increase in business due to pets getting into Valentine’s Day treats and gifts.  A trip to the veterinary emergency can be stressful and costly,  but is also avoidable if you take the right precautions, says Birmingham, Michigan veterinarian Dr. Cindy Houlihan, DVM, of The Cat Practice.  

Dr. Houlihan says that Valentine's gifts – like chocolate and some flowers -- can be fatal to pets, in some cases, within a matter of a few hours.   For example, a feline patient of The Cat Practice that ate lilies out of a Valentine’s flower arrangement ended up needing three days of intravenous fluid therapy, but was lucky to survive.  Lilies are toxic to cats and consuming them quickly leads to kidney failure if left untreated.   

“The Cat Practice is open seven days a week and evenings so each year we see our share of Valentine's Day emergencies,” says Dr. Houlihan.  “Pets can get into things very quickly when owners are not looking. So the best advice is to prevent the emergency in the first place.”

Dr. Houlihan says that you can still share the love with your Valentine, but keep pets safe by taking  precautions with each of these popular Valentine's Day indulgences.

Flowers

Avoid lilies, which can be fatal to cats.  Tulips and carnations can also be toxic  along with more than 100 other flowers.    When you receive a flower bouquet, discard the silica packet since this can be toxic.  Also discard rubber bands which  pets can easily swallow.  If you get roses, while they are one of the safest flowers, trim the thorns since they cause serious infection if your pet gets punctured.  

Sweets

Hide all chocolate.  Dark chocolate contains methylxanthines, a caffeine-like stimulant that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity, seizures and elevated heart rate.  The high fat content in milk chocolate can lead to life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas.  Don’t let pets near candy, gum and other treats sweetened with the artificial sweetener xylitol.  If ingested, it can result in a sudden drop in blood sugar that can cause depression, loss of coordination and seizures.

Alcohol

Don’t leave half empty glasses of Champagne, wine or other alcoholic beverages left sitting out for a curious pet to lap up. Quickly clean up any spills.  A little bit of alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, lack of coordination, central nervous system depression, tremors, difficulty breathing, metabolic disturbances,  coma and respiratory failure.

Candles
Avoid leaving candles unattended.  Curious cats and playful pooches can burn themselves or cause a fire by knocking over lit candles.

Gift wrap

Gather up tape, ribbons, bows, wrapping paper and cellophane.  If swallowed, any of these can get lodged in your pet’s throat or digestive tract.

What to do if you suspect your pet has consumed something toxic

Dr. Houlihan says that it is always good advice to observe pets closely and take any behavior changes seriously.  If your pet is “not acting quite right,” not eating or appears lethargic, it’s time to get to the veterinarian.  “Pets often mask their illness,”  she says.  “By the time they start showing symptoms, they are really sick.”

Cindy Houlihan, DVM
Veterinarian/Owner
Photo Courtesy of
www.thecatpracticepc.com

About Dr. Houlihan

Dr. Houlihan has been a veterinarian since 1986.  She is co-owner of  The Cat Practice, Michigan’s first "cats-only" veterinary hospital which is celebrating its 30^th year.  The Cat Practice provides advanced preventative and medical care with an emphasis on early detection to help cats live longer, better and healthier lives.  Located at  875 South Worth in Birmingham, Michigan, The Cat Practice cares for feline purebred and mixed breeds from around southeastern Michigan.   For information  call 248-540-3390.