2023_NorthStarVets_Pets_Digital_Issue

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NIBBLES & BITS NIBBLES & BITS FUN FOOD • PLACES • RECIPES P et parents—like most people— look forward to the holidays all year. But having a dog in the house during a holiday meal can complicate the festivities—and requires some planning on your part. Luckily, we have some expert advice to make the holiday season that much sweeter. Holiday Meals: What You Need to Know The holiday season is all about food, fun, and spending time with family and friends—furry or otherwise. As much as we love our pets, preparing for and hosting a big Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah dinner with a dog in the house can be a challenge. Whether it’s a pooch you know will start begging for table scraps as soon as you sit down, or guests who just cannot resist giving Fido pieces of food from their plates, some pre-holiday planning is definitely in order. So what should you do when it comes to mealtime? If your main concern is a dog who will bark for food or otherwise disturb your dinner, give the pooch an activity or food of their own to keep them busy. Try a Kong toy or puzzle toy filled with a pet-safe recipe. Rubber Kong toys have a special space for food to keep pets distracted while they search for their treat—and give them much-needed mental and physical stimulation. To keep the begging minimal to nonexistent, keep your dog or dogs in an isolated area during dinner—away from the dining room or wherever you are eating. You can even use a crate. Before or after dinner, a fun activity to get dogs—and little ones—involved is making a paw-print ornament, which can become a keepsake for years to come. All you need is 1 cup of flour, half a cup of salt, and half a cup of water—plus a a few craft supplies. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until dough forms. Roll the dough on a floured surface and cut shapes with a cookie cutter. Gently press your pet's paw in the center, and poke a hole at the top of the shape, and add a straw for hanging. Bake at 200 degrees for two hours. Let cool, paint if you’d like, and thread with ribbon. Despite your best efforts at keeping PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK 28 NorthStarVETS ® .com
NIBBLES & BITS your dog away from the table, Fido may inevitably gobble up some table scraps. Keep in mind that table scraps and treats should not comprise more than 10 percent of a dog’s daily caloric intake. If a dog is on a special diet, a veterinarian should be consulted before any special treats are introduced. Is there anything safe for dogs to enjoy from your plate? In general, most fruits—including apples, bananas, pears and strawberries—and vegetables are safe in moderation for dogs. Plain turkey—without trimmings like stuffing and gravy—is also typically safe, although turkey skin, bones and drippings can be a choking hazard, so be careful. If an emergency situation does arise and your pet begins to choke, examine your pet’s mouth, if you can do it safely. If a foreign object is visible in your pet’s mouth or the back of their throat, use something like kitchen tongs to try to dislodge it. You can perform abdonimal thrusts if, and only if, you can see the object in the back of your pet’s throat and you can’t dislodge it any other way. First, grasp your pet around the waist and place your hands or fists just behind and under the ribs. Then, compress your hands upward and inward in a few short, quick bursts. Next, check your pet’s mouth to see if the object has been dislodged. Even if the object is dislodged, have your veterinarian examine your pet. SOME FOODS TO AVOID Chocolate Chocolate can cause agitation, hyperactivity and varying degrees of gastrointestinal signs. Heart arrhythmias, neurologic disturbances and death are also possible if a dog eats too much. Meat skin, bones and drippings They are choking hazards. Foods with grapes and raisins While the toxic dose of grapes/ raisins remains unknown and seems to vary widely between pets, a single grape has been known to cause kidney failure in susceptible animals. Definitely not worth the risk! Macadamia nuts Macadamia nuts are toxic. Winter and Holiday DANGERS • WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE! Christmas trees can be very hazardous to pets. Trees are often sprayed with numerous harmful pesticides, leak sap that can cause stomach upset, and shed needles that can cause vomiting and intestinal blockages. Of course, drinking the water from the tree stand can also cause serious illness. Glass and other types of decorative ornaments can be hazardous as well. • BE CAREFUL WITH TINSEL Tinsel can pose significant danger to pets if ingested, resulting in an intestinal obstruction called a linear foreign body. A linear foreign body occurs when something stringy wraps around the base of the tongue or anchors itself in the stomach so that it cannot pass through, potentially slicing through the rest of the intestines. • WATCH THOSE CORDS Electrocution can happen when pets chew on electrical cords. This can cause pain, burns, irregular heart beat, respiratory distress, impaired consciousness and death. Unplug decorations when not in use and when pets aren’t supervised. PHOTOGRAPHS: JESSICA-LOAIZA/MOCKUP GRAPHICS/UNSPLASH HELPFUL HINT: ASPCA Poison Control If your pet has a microchip, you can enroll it with Home Again— even if the device isn’t a Home Again-brand microchip. In addition to all the benefits that come with the annual membership, you get free consultations with the ASPCA Poison Hotline for as long as the membership is active. Call the hotline at 888-426-4435. aspca.org Baked goods Sugar isn’t good for your pets, so avoid pies, desserts and baked goods. Foods with seeds and pits Fruit pits can cause gastrointestinal obstructions requiring emergency surgery. Onions and garlic These can cause damage to the red blood cells, resulting in hemolytic anemia in animals. For a full list, visit aspca.org • HOLD THE SALT Salt-based walkway deicers can be harsh on pets’ paws, leading to irritation and burns. Wipe your pets’ paws when they come indoors. Additionally, eating these chemicals can be highly toxic. Consider using pet-friendly deicers on your walkway. • KEEP YOUR PET AWAY FROM ANTIFREEZE Antifreeze is extremely poisonous and can cause severe damage if your pet ingests it. Clean up any leaks or spills with products containing propylene glycol to keep your pet from getting sick. Pet Perspective 29
Page 1 and 2: YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR KEEPING PET
Page 3 and 4: YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR KEEPING PET
Page 5 and 6: RealPets, RealPeople ■ Amazing re
Page 7 and 8: REAL PETS, REAL PEOPLE SUCCESSSTORI
Page 9 and 10: REAL PETS, REAL PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPHS:
Page 11 and 12: SUPPORT SYSTEM Veterinary oncologis
Page 13 and 14: REAL PETS, REAL PEOPLE SAFETY TIPS
Page 15 and 16: 5 3 WITH YOUR PET IN NJ O T S G N I
Page 17 and 18: 10 GET CLEANED UP There will be no
Page 19 and 20: 22 GO WHALE WATCHING Jersey Shore W
Page 21 and 22: PHOTOGRAPHS: (RED HORSE) COURTESY O
Page 23 and 24: GIFTS FOR PETS 6 The Name Game Hous
Page 25 and 26: can also help improve symptoms of a
Page 27 and 28: HAPPY HEALLTHY PETS To try and iden
Page 29: HAPPY HEALLTHY PETS Comprehensive C
Page 33 and 34: NIBBLES & BITS FETCH PET BAKERY Mul
Page 35 and 36: MY SHELTER PETS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS

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