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Creating the Purrfect Christmas for the Entire Family

30 November 2016

Creating the Purrfect Christmas for the Entire Family

The festive season can be the most stressful of seasons for many of us, and that goes for pets too.

That’s the warning from Dr Liza Schneider, director of Holistic Vets and President of the Complementary Veterinary Medicine Branch of the New Zealand Veterinary Association.

“As you gear up for the Christmas festivities and holiday fun, think ahead and plan for your pets too. Just as Christmas brings out the stressful tendencies in the best of us, it can also be an extremely stressful time for animals.

“Loud noises from festive celebrations, strange visitors at home, or a stay at the kennels or cattery can all contribute to stress for your cat or dog. Like in humans, stress in animals can lead to erratic behaviour, lower immunity and health issues,” says Dr Schneider.

“The Christmas holidays are a busy time and while we’re all trying to relax and recuperate after a busy year, our pets can become overwhelmed by changes to their routine.”

But the good news is Dr Schneider says being prepared can go a long way to minimising stress and making sure furry members of the family can enjoy the Christmas and holiday period too.

“With a bit of pre-planning, keeping pets calm is relatively simple,” she says.

Holiday pet care check list:

• Ensure your pet has a safe and quiet place to ‘get away from it all’ at home
• Purchase Pheromones, in the form of a spray or diffuser, to help settle stressed animals
• Have the TV or radio on in a separate room if New Year celebrations include fireworks
• Some dogs benefit from wearing a compression jacket to help keep them calm
• Ensure your pet is micro-chipped and is wearing an ID tag so they can be easily reunited with you, should they stray
• Don’t feed sweets and chocolates to your pet. Chocolate is toxic and sweets can cause tummy upsets and are not good for anyone
• Don’t leave wrapped boxes of chocolates under the tree and leave your dog home alone!
• It’s great to offer a special meal for Xmas day, but don’t overfeed turkey and treats
• Some holiday plants can be toxic to cats and dogs – holly, mistletoe, poinsettias and lilies
• The Christmas tree and its decorations can cause issues – pine needles, when ingested, can puncture holes in a pet’s intestine. Tinsel and decorations can be life threatening if swallowed. Do not let your pet drink the Christmas tree water – it may contain fertilizers. Do not use aspirin in the water to extend the life of your tree as that could put your pet’s life at risk.
• Remain calm around your pet – they will pick up on your stress
• Take your dog on a good walk before all the activity starts to help tire them out as it may help them to relax.
• Vitamin B supplements can help animals cope with stress
• Rescue Remedy is a safe and often a helpful tool to help keep pets calm and alleviate stress – just pop a few drops in their drinking water
• Use lavender flowers or essential oil in oil burners to help calm an anxious pet
• Make sure vaccinations are up to date for cats and dogs heading to kennels/catteries
• Looking for a Christmas present for your pet – the very best gift you can give is love and cuddles
• If considering giving an animal as a gift, think twice and make sure the recipient has the time and commitment to give the pet the love and affection it deserves. And adopt your pet from a rescue organisation to discourage unnecessary breeding and save a life.

-Ends-

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