James R. Speiser, DVM, DABVP, CCRT
August 31, 2015
Summertime might be winding down, but grilling season still runs through the fall, especially with Labor Day and football around the corner! But when you’re entertaining in the backyard with your pets around, you’ll need to take some precaution so we don’t see you in the emergency room! Check out our quick reference list below:
Do not feed pets bones! Splintery poultry bones are the worst, but beef and pork bones break teeth, get stuck in the mouth, esophagus or intestine, and can cause gastrointestinal perforation. Bones of any kind do little good for any pet.
Do not feed chocolate, xylitol, grapes, or raisins – they are all toxic. Xylitol is commonly found in sugar-free gum and more recently in a variety of specialty peanut and nut butters.
Keep the alcohol away from pets, seriously. They can become intoxicated just like your guests, and it won’t be amusing anymore when you end up in the hospital.
Make sure you have a secure trash can with a lid whether it’s inside or outside. Dogs will ravish the garbage and get a tasty leftover meal of bones, peach pits, and even corn cobs, which all can cause blockage. Wooden skewers can also pierce a hole through the esophagus.
Inform your guests to keep backyard gates secure so that pets don’t see a great opportunity to escape and have an exciting “outing.” They’ll lead you on an adventure away from the food and your company. You’ll definitely want to reinforce this especially if you live near a busy road.
While it may seem cruel at first, sometimes it’s best to keep your pets in a crate or back room during the party to prevent accidents from occurring. Guests that are not so alert (under the influence of alcohol) might trip and fall over a pet injuring themselves or the pet. If putting the pet away is not possible, you might post some signs reminding your guests to not feed or let them out.
Please don’t forget, we are open 24/7 on the weekends and after hours if you need to consult with us via phone at 317.PET.E.911, or visit us for any pet-related emergency!