Article by Nina Cole
We may still only be in November, but already trees and decorations are being hauled from the loft and with them come potential dangers to our pets.
Last Christmas, within 24 hours of publishing my vlog about the dangers of chocolate, I found myself and my German Shepherd Dog Luika, in the vets at Leighton Buzzard, having his stomach pumped!
Such an embarrassment and a fine example of how quickly and easily dogs can capitilise on our mistakes.
Being a pet sitter, we have frequent visits from happy clients brandishing bottles of wine and boxes of chocolates. All of which are donated to the staff of various local rescue centres as a thank you for their hard work throughout the year.
On this particular day, my husband Doug had answered the door to find a beautifully wrapped parcel on our doorstep. He was late for an appointment and left it on kitchen workshop at the same time as I had answered the phone.
Only turned my back for a few minutes
I turned my back for no more than five minutes to discover on my return, a demolished parcel, an empty box of Baileys finest liqueurs and a rather sorry and furtive looking German Shepherd Dog!
I immediately reached for the phone to put our vets on alert, grabbed his lead and frog marched him to the car. Luckily it was only a few minutes drive to the vets, who immediately administered an injection to induce vomiting.
For those of you who’s dog has never required a vomit inducing drug, I can assure you it is not a pretty sight. The next half an hour was spent watching my poor pooch, throwing up vast quantities of chocolate until the vet was satisfied that his system was completely clear.
With over eighteen years working within the pet care industry and a lifetime of owning pets and offering advice on my blog, I was aghast that this could happen to MY dog! It takes but a few minutes for your pet to find danger and Christmas is a time full of them for our pets.
Every string of tinsel, each Poinsettia and even a Christmas dinner can hold dangers for our pets. Cats in particular, simply adore the allure of the Christmas tree decorations, so should never be left alone with its temptations and our pet sitters have lost count of the Poinsettia’s that have been relegated to a locked cupboard. Only last year, a client recalled how her prized Pug guzzled the contents of an unattended glass of sherry, which saw him spending Christmas night at the veterinary surgery, followed by a rather hefty vet bill!
The majority of Christmas dangers can be avoided however, so have a wonderful Christmas and remember to keep your pets safe.
Nina set up Nina’s Nannies for Pets after facing a brush with death. You can read her story here as previously featured on the website.
Ceri Wheeldon
Ceri is Founder and Editor of Fabafterfifty.co.uk She is a frequent speaker at events and in the media on topics related to women over 50 , including style and living agelessly. With 20+ years experience as a headhunter Ceri also now helps support those looking to extend their working lives.
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