Keep Your Furry Family Safe This Holiday Season!
The holidays are filled with hustle and bustle as well as lots of excitement for every member in your house, including the furry members of your family! While the holidays are filled with joy and laughter, it's important to keep a few things in mind to keep your furry family safe! 🥰
Holiday Foods to Avoid With the Furry Guys 🍗
While it's tempting to share our festive feasts with our furry family, some foods can be harmful to them and you'll want to ensure no one is slipping dangerous snacks to the furry guys. These foods are all considered toxic for the furry guys 👇
🍫 Chocolate
🍇 Grapes
🧅 Onions
🍬 Any food containing Xylitol (artificial sweetener found in some peanut butter, gum and toothpaste)
🫚 Macadamia Nuts
Be sure no one shares any of these foods with the furry guys. Something that is not toxic, but can be very dangerous is 👇
🦴 Cooked Bones
While raw meaty bones are perfectly safe and healthy for the furry guys, cooked bones pose some problems we want to avoid! When bones are subjected to heat, they become brittle which can cause them to shard and those sharp tiny shards can do a lot of damage to a furry guys digestive track. Cooked bones can also pose a choking hazard and because the integrity of the bone is compromised after being cooked, a furry guy with a powerful chomp, can break through a bone easily risking fracturing teeth.
The best option for a furry guy to enjoy a nice bone on Christmas is to ensure you are only feeding raw meaty bones and toss your cooked Christmas bones in the trash, they can't get in to!
These food items are either toxic or particularly dangerous and should never be shared with the furry guys. Instead, treat your furry family with a selection of safe and nutritious snacks made just for them!
The Unknown Dangers of Rawhide 🦴
Unfortunately, Rawhide chews are one of the most popular "treats" for dogs, but they come with some major risks and are never a "treat" we would recommend! Many pet parents don't know the dangers of Rawhide which keeps them in the category of one of the most popular "treats" for dogs. Our holiday wish would be for no stores to sell Rawhide, unfortunately, many do, so it's important for you to know just how dangerous they are!
Beyond being a choking hazard and the number one cause of potential digestive blockages, Rawhide products are not even by-products of the meat industry, they are actually by-products of the leather industry! That's right, if the leather isn't good enough to use for shoes or belts, they process it and sell it as a dog "treat".
Rawhide chews are not only extremely dangerous they are toxic due to how they are made. Rawhide is processed with harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, bleach, paint and other toxic substances to make it appear like a great dog chew. Rawhide is never something we should give to our dogs, rather we should choose healthier, natural chews that are completely digestible and safe for our pets!
So if your friends and family gift your furry guy with a Rawhide, even if they have the best intentions, thank them for the gift and put it in the only place it belongs...the garbage!
Decorations and Pets: A Careful Balance 🎄
Tinsel and glittering or glass ornaments make the season shimmer with beauty but they also can be enticing for our pets! Unfortunately, these shiny things can cause serious health issues if ingested by curious furry guys. Rather then take the chance, opt for pet-friendly decorations and keep the lower branches of your Christmas tree free of easily accessible trinkets that can be captured by a floof on the hunt!
Creating a Peaceful Retreat: 🏠
The excitement and noise of holiday celebrations can be overwhelming for pets and cause unnecessary stress. Even though we want them to be part of the festivities and they want to participate too, it is always best to set up a quiet, cozy space where they can escape the hustle and find some tranquility. This allows them to enjoy the holidays while still having a place all to themselves when they just need to get away from all the commotion and have some peaceful rest so they can enjoy the holidays too!
At House of Paws, we're committed to the safety and well-being of your furry family, especially during this festive and busy season. We are always happy for you to visit us for more tips, advice and a range of products we curate with your furry family's health and safety in mind.