It's Thanksgiving! This is the time for the whole family to get together to feast, bond and catch up. Of course, your pet will be part of the festivities. But remember, even if you talk to them like they are your best friend, your pet is not quite human. That means that their digestive system is very different from the human body. Plus, all the large gatherings and noise may become a little stressful for your pet. So how do you make sure that your pet’s Thanksgiving is as exciting as yours? Here are some things to keep in mind.
Thanksgiving Stress and How to Help Your Pet Deal With It
A big issue that your pet might face during the holidays is stress. This can be due to many factors: traveling, owners being away, large gatherings, noise from parties and fireworks and other celebratory stress. Here are some ways you can help reduce your pet’s stress:EcoBalance Calming Liquid
Designed to help dogs are that suffering from separation anxiety and other forms of anxiety, EcoBalance Calming Liquid product helps to relieve and reduce stress naturally in pets. It is specially formulated chamomile passion flower, lemon balm and other natural ingredients to help soothe your dog and make her feel comfortable.
EcoBalance Calming Liquid is made with 100% natural ingredients so it's completely safe for your pet.
Thundershirt
Thundershirt is another popular way to calm down your dog. Basically, you wrap a tight fitting garment around the dog and applies continuous pressure to calm the dog’s nerves as well as noise nerves. While it has been found effective in many cases, there is not much other evidence to support its use.
Dog Appeasing Hormone (DAP)
Aroma therapy also works wonders in calming most pets and especially dogs. You just have to know which scents can help calm your dog’s anxiety. DAP is a synthetic chemical based on a hormone produced by lactating female dogs that helps to keep her puppies calm and increase bonding. This chemical has been shown to work with puppies and hence might also work on your dog.
Sentry calming collar for anxiety
If your pet just hates pills, forcing them down their throat will just make their anxiety works. The Sentry calming collar is a non-invasive alternative. The collar releases pheromones for up to 30 days which helps to calm you dog’s nerves.
"Keep Calm and Eat Turkey"
3 Foods to Avoid This Thanksgiving
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is food. But for your pet, all the feasting can be hard on their stomachs! Here are some foods that are super popular on Thanksgiving, but you shouldn't give your dog.Turkey Bones
The most common food at the Thanksgiving table is a turkey. And, oh will your dog want some! What you might not know is that turkey bones, and even chicken and ham bones splinter easily. This can pose a significant risk to the dog's intestinal tract, since they can perforate it.
To be safe, you should throw bones away in a garbage bag and make sure that you place it in a tightly covered container so that your pets don’t have access to it. Even though this means you get those goofy eyes from your dog, their health is not worth a moment of happiness from a turkey bone!
Spices and Specialty Foods
Spices and specialty foods taste great and often have many health benefits for humans. On the contrary, the same can't be said when it comes to dogs or cats. Foods like raisins, grapes, garlic and chocolate and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika and sage can cause significant health complications for your pet. From simple irritation and diarrhea, to severe abdominal pain and vomiting, it’s best that your pet stays away from your feasting during Thanksgiving.
While you should keep your pet on their regular diet, you can still make the holidays a little more fun for them! Look for specialty treats or give them their favorite foods - this will surely make them thankful on Thanksgiving!
Poinsettias
OK, it’s not a food - but your pet might not know it! While poinsettias are a wonderful Thanksgiving (and Christmas) decoration, they are poisonous for dogs. When your dog’s skin is exposed to the plant, they may suffer from redness, swelling and itchiness. The plant’s sap might also cause other symptoms that are more worrisome like vomiting, diarrhea, and even drooling. If exposed to the eyes, it might cause mild conjunctivitis.
None of these symptoms are life threatening but they are still super uncomfortable for your pet. So the best way is to either decorate with other types of plants and ornaments or to make sure that the plant is out of your pet’s reach.
These pretty plants can be harmful to your pet - keep them out of reach!